The Publicity On The Social Custom Vicissitude In The Late Qing Dynasty's Newspaper "Da Gong Bao"

The newspaper "Da Gong Bao" started publication in 1902 and run by the local people, is one of the Chinese newspapers that exist longest and have the greatest influence in the news history in modern China .In the latter period of the Qing dynasty, it has made practical efforts and constructions for the vicissitudes of social customs. It has not only recorded and reflected the vicissitude course of social customs, but also positively promoted the improvement of social customs by propagandizing the public opinions.This dissertation, which is based on the related public opinions in "Da Gong Bao" during the time of the late Qing, has analyzed its views on changing existing habits and customs as well as its function on the social custom vicissitude.The dissertation consists of four parts:The first part has elaborated on the public opinion direction about social custom of "Da Gong Bao". These include six important items: countering foot-binding; promoting education for women; abstaining the food opium; cutting the pigtail to be easy to take; breaking superstition and valuing science; stressing the health. In the counter-foot-binding aspect, the newspaper elaborated with emphasis the harm foot-binding did to individual and the nation. It proposed the methods of"the official for advocates"and"the discrimination treatment"for the abstention of foot-binding.In the aspect of promoting education for women, the dissertation has analyzed the hindrance of foot-binding to the education for women, the influence of female study on the nation as well as the aims of promoting the education for women. In abstaining smoking cigarettes and the opium, the dissertation has stated its harms in strong terms and proposed concrete methods. In cutting the pigtail and changing clothes, the dissertation has elaborated the malpractice of long hair and long clothing. In breaking superstition and valuing science, it has explained the necessity of breaking superstition and proposed the methods. In stressing and pursuing the health, it has proposed some opinions and methods.The second part has separately inspected the characteristics of related public opinion propaganda from two aspects of the content and the form. The content too"the reform"as the thought foundation and the form took"the vernacular"as the important propaganda methods. When speaking the truth it also often quoted some vivid source materials, such as the stories, the legends, the fables and so on. This is also the prominent characteristic of Da Gong Bao which distinguishes it from other similar newspapers.The third part has summarized the reasons why "Da Gong Bao" has propagandized to change existing habits and customs. In the late 19th century, China was in the situation of internal disorder and foreign invasions. And the people have been awakened, especially some bourgeoisie representatives, who having realized the advanced Western culture have started to explore the ways of saving the nation from subjugation. YingLianzhi , the editor-in-chief of the Newspaper ,who took"openning the people's wisdom"as his own duty, with the support of some fellow copywriters, has developed the public opinion propaganda which changes existing habits and customsThe fourth part has carried on the main comment on the significance and effectiveness of changing existing habits and customs by the public opinion propaganda . It has also affirmed the important role of "Da Gong Bao in the process of anticipating the trend of the times and promoting the social custom vicissitude. In the process of promoting the social custom vicissitude, it has truly demonstrated its positive sense and role. But it also unavoidably has its limitation and the deficiency which should not be neglected.