Media Cognition And Role In The Rise Of Chiang Kai-Shek

Chiang Kai-shek had been through a rise from a younger generation of the revolution to the leader of the party-state from Sun Yat-sen’s death in 1925 to the return of his own in 1932. For the problem of Chiang Kai-shek’s rise, previous studies mainly take the perspective of Kuomintang’s clique conflictions and senior political operation, which have made some great achievements. Chiang’s rise is not only the upward change of his status in the party, but also a process of social recognition of him as the leader of the party-state witch had not been observed before.Reports and comments in Ta Kung Pao on Chiang Kai-shek and other related characters, events and activities between 1926 and 1932 show Chiang’s rise well, and also reflect mass media’s basic cognition and focus of attention on Chiang’s rise. We will find new facets, expand the study of Chiang Kai-shek and develop the research on the history of the Republic of China and other field by studying the problem of Chiang Kai-shek’s rise and social cognition of his rise through the perspective of media and mainly using the data of Ta Kung Pao.Based the case study on Ta Kung Pao, the chapters "From Yue-Chiang to Ning-Chiang", "From Ning-Chiang to Revolutionary hero", "Chairman Chiang" and "From Chairman Chiang to The Generalissimo", reveal the changes of media cognition on Chiang Kai-shek and other related characters, events and activities, the different influence of mass media on characters and events, the tortuous process of social recognition of Chiang Kai-shek as the leader of the party-state. The study shows that Chiang Kai-shek had paid close attention to relationship with mass media. And this relationship changed in different times which have also produced different effects.In general, mass media had positive effect on Chiang’s rise by guiding the public opinion with its reports and comments. One important reason for Chiang’s rise is the good relationship between Chiangn and mass media. Chiang’s successful experience in handling relations with mass media had an impact on his later rule in the Republic of China.