Social Survey Series of the Republic of China Era. Volume on Social Security

Author: Li Wenhai (Editor-in-Chief) / Xia Mingfang / Huang Xingtao (Deputy Editor-in-Chief)
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-12-01
Features: A group of pioneers in Chinese sociology, using scientific methods of social investigation, gathered a vast amount of empirical data through arduous fieldwork, presenting a vivid picture of social life during the Republican era. In the long history of China, the first half of the 20th century marked by the Republic of China, though merely a fleeting moment, was undoubtedly the most turbulent and dramatic period in terms of social life. During this time, new systems coexisted with old traditions, construction and destruction went hand in hand, revolution and counter-revolution clashed, internal and external crises intensified. Every aspect of Chinese society, whether political institutions, economic foundations, science and technology, or ideology and cultural customs, underwent significant changes and transformations, ultimately laying a solid foundation for the victory of the New Democratic Revolution.
As time passed, especially with the advent of the 21st century, the history of the Republic of China gradually broke free from the framework of the Chinese Revolution, and in a sense, it has been recognized and accepted as an important historical period alongside the 26 dynasties in China's history. In academic circles both at home and abroad, particularly in China, an increasing number of scholars have begun to study various aspects of this period from the perspective of dynastic history. It is also worth noting that with the deepening of academic research and the need to adapt to the development of contemporary Chinese society, research interest in the Republican era has gradually shifted from the dramatic figures, thrilling political events, and entertaining anecdotes of the past to, more accurately, the economic and social life. As Marx would say, it is "moving from the superficial appearance of political forms to the depths of social life," thereby making the study of the Republican era more closely linked to contemporary society's focus on economic development.
As a result, the history of the Republic of China has not only presented itself to the modern Chinese in its original and complete form, becoming a new hotspot and growth point in the study of Chinese history and even in the broader academic field, but it has also inevitably played an increasingly significant role in providing historical lessons for China's contemporary economic construction and social development, thereby attracting broader attention from all sectors of society.
However, it is regrettable that to date, despite the extensive collection of Republican-era historical materials, including archives, local chronicles, newspapers and magazines, official documents, private writings, and memoirs from the People's Republic era, these materials are all extremely valuable. Yet, few have noticed another unique treasure trove of Republican-era materials—vast amounts of social surveys conducted by major political forces, political factions, local governments, academic organizations, schools, and individual scholars, especially rural social surveys. Compared to other materials that have already been compiled, these surveys possess unique and irreplaceable academic and collection value.
This is not only because the surveys cover a wide range of topics, including natural environments and social life in most provinces and regions of China, but also because they were largely completed using modern scientific methods such as modern economics, anthropology, and sociology, and were typically presented in the form of survey reports or academic papers. This approach preserved a large amount of survey data and original materials while also embodying the analyses, insights, and recommendations of relatively advanced Chinese intellectuals of the time on various natural, social, political, and economic issues, offering significant practical reference value. These surveys are invaluable firsthand sources for in-depth research and understanding of urban and rural social issues in old China, as well as an extremely rare intellectual repository for contemporary socioeconomic construction.
In fact, the survey materials from the Republican era have already moved beyond the realm of historians and have garnered attention from scholars in other disciplines. Thanks to the foresight and strong support of Fujian Education Press, we now have the opportunity to jointly undertake this historical responsibility. However, given the diverse and vast number of social surveys from this period, as well as their scattered and sometimes even lost overseas, it would be impossible and impractical to aim for completeness. Therefore, we have decided to adopt the format of an "edited series" and publish them in stages.
The edited series includes a total of 193 works, which are broadly divided into 10 volumes based on their survey content, covering marriage and family, social security, social organizations, religion and folklore, marginalized societies, urban labor life, rural society, population, cultural and educational institutions, and ethnic minorities. Among these, there are books published at the time, as well as papers scattered in various newspapers and magazines, and some manuscripts and mimeographed materials that have not yet been publicly released. Works such as the Ding County Social Survey, which were reprinted after the liberation and became widely popular, are temporarily excluded from this collection.