The Reseach Of Wuxi Countrymen’s Association In Shanghai(1924-1954)

Shanghai is a typical immigrant city in modern history. More and more people came here, especially after it opening as a commercial port. During the Taiping Rebellion, people in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River suffered a lot.To find shelter,they went to Shanghai,among them a large number are Wuxi people. Since then,by the transportation’s improvement between Shanghai and Wuxi, more and more Wuxi people came to shanghai.Confucian business is an important characteristic of Wuxi businessmen since Ming Dynasty,besides this,advocating morality and do benefits to their hometown people are also the traditional culture.Wuxi people identify with their township culture strongly.At the same time,the competitive environment in Shanghai made the Wuxi people build an association to protect their basic rights.So Wuxi Countrymen’s Association in Shanghai was set up.In this paper,the author focus on the operation of this association and its’ membership firstly.In the early stage of The Association,it mainly depended on the council and convocation to handle business.In the later period,it relayed on the board of supervisors and members’representative convention.To The Association’s leadership,in the early stage most of them are coming from business,but in the later period some politicians and freelancers joined in.The ordinary members are composed of young people and businessmen,from this we can see The Association’s openness and progressiveness.Secondly,the author analysed that why the members took part in The Association.The same identify with their township culture impled them to join The Association,but their reasons are not limited to this.To the leadership,they can meet more countrymen and other similar organization’s leadership,even more the politicians by The Association’s activities.Furthermore,these people would improve the leadership’s social status and the development of their career. To the ordinary members,The Association could secure their basic rights.When they are in danger,The Association would help them,especially in disputes and disaster time.Finally,under the concept of benefits to their hometown people,The Association took part in lots of social undertakings in Shanghai and Wuxi,including education,commerce and social relieives.In the face of Shanghai municipal government’s control,The Association rather than retreat,instead it filled the blank of the government in some social management.In the paper, the author based on the unique traditional culture and geographical position of Wuxi, took the township culture and social network as the starting point of this paper to study.Attempted to explain The Association’s activities by identify with their township culture, and the influence of members’ social network to The Association.In order to deepen the understanding of Wuxi Countrymen’s Association in Shanghai.