Social Survey Series of the Republic of China Era (Social Security Volume)

Author: Li Wenhai, Editor-in-Chief, Xia Mingfang, Deputy Editor-in-Chief
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2004-12-01
Features: A group of pioneers in Chinese sociology research, 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 systems, economic foundations, science and technology, or ideology and cultural customs, underwent significant transformations and reforms, ultimately laying a solid foundation for the victory of the New Democratic Revolution.
As time passed, especially with the arrival of the 21st century, the history of the Republic of China gradually broke free from the framework of the history of the Chinese Revolution. In a sense, the Republic of China has been recognized and accepted as an important historical period, parallel to the 26 dynasties in China's history. In both domestic and international academia, an increasing number of scholars have begun to study various aspects of this period from the perspective of a specific historical era. It is particularly noteworthy that with the deepening of academic research and in response to the needs of contemporary Chinese society, research interest in the Republican era has gradually shifted from the dramatic figures, thrilling political events, and anecdotal stories of the past to the deeper layers of economic and social life. In Marx's words, this means "moving from the superficial appearance of political forms to the depths of social life," thereby closely linking the study of the Republican era with 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 people in its original and complete form, becoming a new hotspot and growth point in the study of Chinese history and even the broader academic field, but it has also inevitably played an increasingly significant historical reference role in the economic construction and social development of contemporary China. Consequently, it has garnered ever-increasing 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 gazettes, newspapers and magazines, official documents, private writings, and memoirs from the People's Republic era, these materials have remained largely unorganized and underutilized. Moreover, these sources are extremely valuable. Yet, few have recognized 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, particularly rural social surveys. Compared to other organized materials, these surveys possess unique and irreplaceable academic and collection value.
This is not only because the surveys covered an extremely broad scope, including natural environments and social life in most provinces, encompassing urban and rural areas, but also because these surveys 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 consolidating the analyses, insights, and recommendations of relatively advanced Chinese intellectuals of the time on various natural, social, political, and economic issues. These surveys hold significant practical reference value and are invaluable first-hand sources for in-depth research and understanding of urban and rural social issues in old China. They are also an extremely rare intellectual repository for contemporary socioeconomic development.
In fact, Republican-era survey materials have already moved beyond the realm of historians and have attracted the attention of scholars in other disciplines. Thanks to the foresight and strong support of Fujian Education Publishing House, we now have the opportunity to jointly undertake this historical responsibility. However, given the vast and diverse nature 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 complete coverage while meeting the urgent needs of contemporary academia. Therefore, we have decided to adopt the format of an "anthology" and publish the materials in stages.
The anthology includes a total of 193 works, which are broadly categorized into 10 volumes based on their survey content, including 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. These works consist of books published at the time, as well as papers scattered across various newspapers and magazines, and some manuscripts and mimeographed materials that have yet to be publicly released. Works such as the Ding County Social Survey, which were republished and widely circulated after the liberation, are temporarily excluded from this collection.