End Of The Qing, Philanthropy And Social Change (1895-1928)

China underwent a historical period of transition from traditional society to modem society in the end of Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China. After the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95, a surging movement of social changes happened in China. At the same time, the philanthropy faced unprecedented transmutation. This dissertation gives a thorough study of the rising background, evolution, feature and function of the modem philanthropy hi the region of the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River from 1895 to 1928.The dissertation contains five parts.The first part is about the declining trend of traditional charitable institution in the late Qing. hi brief, the decline manifested the short of funds and bad management.The second part examines the rising background of modem philanthropy from various respects. It holds that five factors were natural calamities, political transform, and the growth of economy, population movement and the spread of western customs. These factors mutually influenced and penetrated one another, making charitable organize in the modern period rise to ever larger size and greater prosperity, and making Chinese philanthropy modernize finally.The third part discusses the modem philanthropy under the violent changes of China society. The modern philanthropy went through great changes in the period from 1895 to 1928. From the anachronic point of view, this part examined the different stages of the development of modern philanthropy of China. The Reform Movement was the initial stage of modern philanthropy development, with modern philanthropy ideas brewing and public welfare preliminarily expanding. The New-Political Movement in the end of Qing Dynasty was its recovery stage. Modem philanthropy developed quickly with the pursuance of local autonomy movement. Many tradition shantang (or shanhui) turned into modern charitable organizations. The period after the 1911Many tradition shantang (or shanhuf) turned into modern charitable organizations. The period after the 1911 Revolution was the stage when modern philanthropy took on an aspect with the beginning of prosperity. This can be seen in the continually growing number of charitable organizations and increasingly forming of philanthropist groups and the gradually prominent effect of philanthropy.The forth part analyzes the main feature of modern philanthropy, namely, the plurality of charity, the expansion of relief region, multi-channel source of charity funds, variety of relief project and multi-level of charity morality.The fifth part probes the new social function of philanthropy hi the vicissitude. Modern philanthropy is the product of the changes of society. Thus there is a close relationship between modern philanthropy and social changes. The philanthropy speeded up the pace of social changes and expanded its range. Besides, it pushed the updating of social customs and promoted the integration of local society.The including explains the historical role of modern philanthropy from the perspective of social changes again. In fact, modern philanthropy acted an important part in regulating society, and it became an indispensable motive force of the advance of modem society.