A Study On The Folksong Movement In The Modern Press

In February1918, a campaign to collect folksongs started in Peking University, which represents the beginning of the Folksong Movement which lasted for more than twenty years. This dissertation analyses the role of modern press as the major medium in the movement.Firstly, this dissertation reviews the major activities of such newspapers and magazines as Beijing University Daily, Morning Supplement, Folksong Weekly, Folklore Weekly and Folk Customs (supplement to Central Daily News) in the Folksong Movement. According to the chronological order and the changes in the media participating in the activities, the present research divides the twenty years of the movement into three stages, namely, the First Stage—the Starting and Developing Stage (1918-1925), the Second Stage—the Nadir and Turning-point Stage (1928-1930) and the Third Stage—the Resuscitating and Declining Stage (1936-1937.7). During the twenty years, the Folksong Movement underwent ups and downs, and the press always played an important role as the major medium.Secondly, the present research analyses the relevant publications in the newspapers and magazines during the Folksong Movement and investigates into what were spread. A large number of traditional folksongs, songs written after folksongs by intellectuals and many academic studies on folksongs were published in the newspapers and magazines then. The folksongs published in the press were diverse in both content and variety, from various places. This also reflects the intellectuals’ open attitude towards the "vulgar". Meanwhile, these research findings also represent the flexible combination of different research methodologies from home and abroadThirdly, this dissertation studies and analyses the roles of the common people, the intellectual and the government in the Folksong Movement. As the communication subject in traditional folksong spreading, the common people were replaced by the intellectuals in the Folksong Movement. The intellectuals initiated and participated in the movement, choosing the press as the major medium consciously. At the same time, the press kept a record of the different opinions on folksongs and the movement. The government exerted great influence on the movement. The support or opposition from the National Government had great impact on the effect of the Folksong Movement.Finally, this dissertation rethinks the Folksong Movement.Through studies upon the Folksong Movement, we found that the intellectuals in the New Culture Movement also valued tradition while advocating against feudalism, which enriches our understanding of the intellectuals, making their image more multi-dimensional and real. Through analyses the neglecting to protect musical scores, this dissertation thinks about the regret on cultural heritance and how to remedy it. Espescially this dissertation pays close attention to the government’s authority and thinks deeply about how to scientifically use it in culture transmission. The writer hopes that the thesis will shed light on the present protection of intangible cultural heritage.