The Modern History Of The Republic Of China Jiangnan Tourism (1912-1937)

During the period of the Republic of China (1912-1937), with quickening modernization of cities, flourishing culture, open mind and peregrination in vogue, Jiangnan Region (the south of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River) became the industrial and commercial center of the country. Tourism ideas and fashions from western capitalist countries came into Jiangnan Region with the introduction of western culture into the east. With the joint effect of the adjustment of internal economic structure in Jiangnan Region and the external influence coming from the western world, the demand for both national and international tourism increased gradually, Chinese modern tourism thus emerged as the times required.Starting with an analysis of the background, this essay expounds from four aspects the modernization process of Jiangnan tourism during the period of the Republic of China (1912-1937). It expatiates on the development of the Jiangnan tourism featuring in travel service, transport service and modern hotels. The essay introduces the blooming of tourism activities in Jiangnan Region at that time and the various tourism patterns. It analyzes the exploitation and protection of Jiangnan tourism resources and anatomizes the innovations of Jiangnan tourism culture. Based on these, it summarizes the characteristics and the social significance of the modernization of Jiangnan tourism during that period and makes an attempt on commenting objectively on its historical limitations and accordingly evaluates its place in the history of Chinese modern tourism.Despite its historical limitations, Jiangnan tourism during the period of the Republic of China is a connecting link of the transition from feudal tourism to modern tourism and is indispensable to the history of Chinese tourism. It is a new and initiating eflFort to study systematically Jiangnan tourism during the period of the Republic of China. The writer believes it is not only a topic of travel culture but also an important subject of the history of social life.