Social Survey Series of the Republic of China Era (Religious and Folklore 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 walked hand in hand with destruction, revolution clashed with reaction, internal troubles and external threats intertwined. Every aspect of Chinese society, whether political systems, economic foundations, science and technology, or ideology and cultural customs, was undergoing significant changes and transformations, ultimately laying a solid foundation for the victory of the New Democratic Revolution.
As time passed, especially with the arrival of the 21st century, "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 previous 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 a specific historical era. It is also worth noting that as academic research deepens, in order to meet the needs of contemporary Chinese society, research interest in the Republican era has gradually shifted from the dramatic historical figures, thrilling political events, and entertaining anecdotes of everyday life to, or more accurately, delved deeper into, economic life and social life. In Marx's words, this means "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 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 in its original and complete form, becoming a new hot spot and growth point in the study of Chinese history and even the entire academic field, but it has also inevitably played an increasingly significant historical reference role in the economic construction and social development of contemporary China, thereby attracting broader attention from all sectors of society. However, it is regrettable that to date, although the compilation and publication of historical materials related to the Republican era have been extensive, covering archives, local chronicles, newspapers and magazines, official documents, private writings, and memoirs from the People's Republic era, these materials are all extremely valuable, few people have noticed another unique treasure trove of materials from the Republican era—massive social surveys conducted by major political forces and factions at home and abroad, local governments, academic organizations, schools, and individual scholars, especially rural social surveys. Compared to other compiled 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 urban, rural, and other areas across most provinces in China, but more importantly, these surveys were mostly completed using modern scientific methods such as modern economics, anthropology, sociology, and other methods and means, and were ultimately 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 for solving various natural, social, political, and economic issues proposed by intellectuals of relatively advanced thinking at that time, making them highly valuable for reference in the present. These surveys are extremely precious primary sources for in-depth research and understanding of urban and rural social issues in old China, as well as an invaluable intellectual repository for contemporary socioeconomic construction.
In fact, survey materials from the Republican era 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 Press, we have finally been able to take on this historical responsibility together. However, given the vast and diverse types 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, nor could it meet the urgent needs of the current academic community. Therefore, we have decided to adopt the format of an "anthology" and publish the materials in stages and phases.
The anthology includes a total of 193 documents, 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 both books published at the time and papers scattered across various newspapers and magazines, as well as some manuscripts and mimeographed copies that have not yet been publicly published. Works such as the "Ding County Social Survey," which were reprinted after the liberation and became widely popular, are temporarily excluded from the collection.