Foreign Literature Education in China’s Secondary Schools from 1919 to 1949

Abstract

This chapter traces major stages in the historical development of the inclusion of translated foreign literature in Chinese secondary education between 1919 and 1949, the so-called modern literature period in China. Translated foreign literature played an important role in the New Culture Movement in China and served important sociocultural functions, including enlightening Chinese intellectuals and students about Western ideals, promoting patriotism and freedom from the rule of Western countries, and enhancing students’ literacy development in Vernacular Chinese (白话文). Through a review of junior and senior high school textbooks popular at that time, the authors highlight 15 foreign authors whose works were most frequently selected for inclusion in textbooks and provide information on their literary works, frequency of their works appearing in textbooks, and the translators of the works. The authors also describe some major pedagogical practices related to the teaching of translated foreign literature in secondary schools in China during the period as reflected in pedagogical theory books published at that time.

Appendices

Appendix A: The 24 Junior High School Chinese Textbooks Reviewed

 1.Junior High School Chinese Textbook Series, compiled by Lianggong Sun and Jiu Zhong, Shanghai Minzhi Bookstore Publishing, 1922 edition.

 2. Modern Junior High School Textbook—Chinese, six volumes, compiled by Shi Zhuang, the Commercial Press, 1924 edition.

 3. Chinese Textbook under the New Teaching System, six volumes, the Commercial Press, 1924 February edition.

 4. Junior High School Chinese Readings, 11 volumes, compiled by Beijing Kongde School, 1926 edition.

 5. Junior High School Chinese Textbook, three volumes, compiled by Yixing Shen, Zhonghua Book Company, 1927 edition.

 6. New Age Chinese Textbook, six volumes, compiled by Huaishen Hu, the Commercial Press, 1928 edition.

 7. Junior High School Chinese Textbook, six volumes, compiled by Yifu Zhou, the Commercial Press, 1932 edition.

 8. Junior High School Chinese Selected Reading, six volumes, compiled by Genze Luo and Yuangong Gao, Lida Book Company, 1933 edition.

 9. Junior High School Standard Chinese, six volumes, revised by Jiangsu Provincial Education Department, Shanghai Middle School Students Book Company, 1934 edition.

10. Zhu’s Junior High School Chinese, compiled by Jianmang Zhu, World Book Company, 1934 edition.

11. Junior High School Contemporary Chinese, compiled by Jiangxi Provincial Education Department, Shanghai Middle School Students Book Company, 1934 edition.

12. Creative Chinese Textbook, six volumes, compiled by Weinan Xu, World Book Company, 1932 edition.

13. Experimental Junior High School Chinese Textbook, six volumes, compiled by Rongling Shen, etc., Zhonghua Book Company, 1934 edition.

14. Junior High School Chinese Textbook, six volumes, compiled by Nuchao Sun, Zhonghua Book Company, 1934 edition.

15. Chinese, six volumes, compiled by Chucang Ye, Zhengzhong Book Company, 1935 edition.

16. Junior High School Chinese Textbook, six volumes, compiled by Songyou Yan, Shanghai Dahua Book Company, 1935 edition.

17. Chinese Textbook, six volumes, compiled by Zhen Wang and Shuda Wang, Chinese Books Press of the High School Affiliated to Beijing Normal University, 1937 edition.

18. Junior High School Chinese, six volumes, compiled by Chucang Ye, Zhengzhong Book Company, 1934 edition.

19. New Junior High School Chinese, six volumes, compiled by Jianmang Zhu, World Book Company, 1937 edition.

20. Junior High School Chinese Textbook, six volumes, compiled by Wenhan Song, Wenshu Zhu, Zhonghua Book Company, 1936 edition.

21. New Junior High School Chinese, six volumes, compiled by Wenhan Song, Shanghai Zhonghua Book Company, 1937 edition.

22. Junior High School Chinese, six volumes, Department of Education Editing Group, 1942.

23. Chinese, compiled by Fuyun Fang, etc., State-Designated Seven-Joint Suppliers of Primary and Secondary School Textbooks, 1947 edition.

24. Chinese, six volumes, State Editing House, Zhonghua Book Company, 1948 edition.

Appendix B: The Seven High School Chinese Textbooks Reviewed

1. High School Chinese, three books, six volumes, compiled by Jianmang Zhu, World Book Company, 1930 edition.

2. High School Chinese, six volumes, compiled and edited by Meigong Xu, etc., Jiangsu Province Liyangcheng Secondary School Chinese Branch Conference, 1932 edition.

3. Du & Han High School Chinese, six volumes, compiled by Tianmi Du, Chuyuan Han, World Book Company, 1935 edition.

4. Contemporary High School Chinese, six volumes, compiled by Jiangsu Province Education Department, notations provided by Wujing Xue, etc., Shanghai Middle School Students Book Company, 1935 edition.

5. High School Chinese, six volumes, compiled by Chucang Ye, Zhengzhong Book Company, 1937 edition.

6. High School Chinese, six volumes, compiled by Education Department Editing Group, Xinmin Press Co. Ltd, 1940 edition.

7. New High School Chinese, six volumes, compiled by Wenhan Song and Zhiwen Zhang, Zhonghua Book Company, 1947 edition.