Research On The Publications Of Folklore In Shanghai During The Period Of The Republic Of China

The publication of folklore books during the Republic of China (1912-1949) in Shanghai were very abundant and spectacular.That phenomenon occured with both traditional folklore research and publication environment, also was the effect of balance by publisher in commercial pursuit and culture ideal. The publication of numerous folklore books, on one hand, reflects the intellectuals take the social responsibilities on their own to rearrange the public knowledge structure in order to implement the original intention of'May 4th'enlightenment movement(an enlightenment movement which occured in the early twentieth century in ROC) in an imperceptible way; on the other hand, it is an attempt of self-reflection on the overcorrection in New Culture Movement(an cultural enlightenment movement which occured in the early twentieth century in ROC)which suggests the persistence and inheritance on the traditions by a group of intellectuals. The folklore developed in the reciprocity of commercial and cultural promotion. The paper consists of six chapters.Chapter One presents an overview on the folklore publications in Shanghai during ROC. Firstly, it starts with an outline of the social background under which the flourishing publications of folklore books were focused on. Secondly, the chapter grasps the main press and the features of folklore publications, and then, concludes and analyzes the path of its development and evolution history of more than 30 years.Chapter Two focuses on the orientation and coordinates of the folklore books publishing enterprise on the map of ROC culture system. The author explores, from an intrinsic point of view, the unique cultural value of folklore books as a kind of special publishing products to the corresponding readers, on the basis of the dual characteristics of the folklore publication products-commercial and cultural.Chapter Three analyzes of the formation of intellectuals groups in folklore literature presses. The establishment of the modern publishing system concerning author's contribution fee and the relative advantages of cultural and economic environment in Shanghai promoted the intellectuals'gathering towards the presses in Shanghai and then formed a publisher group. The publishers in this group mainly come from Jiangsu or Zhejiang Province, with different personal background and identities.The personal interaction between scholars of academic societies constructed a publisher social network. The publishers gathering in Shanghai have not only the common characteristics of Chinese intellectuals, but also unique personality, which affected the interest tendency of the folklore publications.Chapter Four discusses, from two basic points, the unique cultural significance of the folklore books. It is the weapon hold by the intellectuals to enlighten both themselves and the public, and reveals various self-reflection to the dogma of "May 4th" culture movement, which may be understood as a sort of self-adjustment of intellectuals during the process of realizing personal social ideal and persistence and defense for the tradition.Chapter Five explores the cases of Li Xiaofeng, the boss of BeiXin Press, and Mao Dun, a famous editor of the Commercial Press. BeiXin Press,which under the leadership of Li Xiaofeng turned publishing folk tales,tried to find an eclectic path to balance his business and culture pursuit, while Mao Dun's study on myth is conceived as the publishers'voluntary participation in new culture construction.Chapter six concludes the possibilities and feasibilities of modern folklore from the experience of the publishing-centered folklore academic research in Shanghai was commercial publishing activities during the period of the ROC. Compared with the study paths of academic institutions in Beijing, Guangzhou and other cities, the intellectuals in Shanghai participated in the construction of new cultural movement in more flexible ways. Through the business model of publishing, a group of researchers grew up, and a solid ground and enough fertilizer was provided for them at the preliminary stage of folklore research. Meanwhile, the academic outcomes in folklore were spread widely from the intellectuals to the public, and the academic influence was expanded. Finally, the author proposes the folklore development in the future according to the circumstances of present folklore book publication with the reference frame of the folklore development during the period of the ROC in Shanghai.During ROC period, the commercial publication of Shanghai folklore books connected the ideology of the public with intellectual enlightenment movement, which reveals a possible path of realizing intellectual's personal cultural ideal. The group of intellectuals, participating in a series of publication of folklore collections and research, promoted the development of the discipline of folklore, and show a cultural significance of commercial publication to modern enlightenment and academic research development.