A Study Of Lattimore’s Research On Northeastern China

Owen Lattimore(1900-1989)is a well-known expert on Chinese issues in the United States.From the autumn of 1929 to the summer of 1930,Lattimore conducted a nine-month research in Northeastern China,making abundant results for his investigation and providing necessary support for the overall study of the Chinese frontier.This article mainly studies the results of Lattimore’s frontier research,which is divided into two aspects: the academic investigation results and the current political observation results,and then explores the theoretical construction of Lattimore based on this frontier investigation.According to the written sequence,the contents of each part are summarized as follows:The first part is the introduction part,introducing the origin of the selected topic of this thesis,sorting out the research dynamics of Lattimore in the academic circles at home and abroad,and pointing out the significance and value of this topic.The second part mainly introduces the background and experience of Lattimore’s research on Northeastern China.This research has the background of the outbreak of many contradictions in Northeastern China and the time when Japan launched the “September 18 th Incident” eve,it also has Lattimore’s academic background.He has a wide range of investigations and the diversity of respondents.The third part is Lattimore’s academic investigation results on Northeastern China.Lattemore’s research of the physical geography of Northeastern China provides a basis for exploring the political and economic situation in the Northeast.He mainly researches three ethnic groups of Northeastern China —— Mongol,Manchu and Gold in Northeastern China,among which Mongol is the most important.Through the analysis of different types of immigrants in Northeastern China,he explores changes in the political situation at that time.The fourth part is Lattimore’s political observation results on Northeastern China.Taking the perspective of “Regionalism” on Northeastern China,he analyzes the political changes in the region’s history.As for international politics,he analyzes the impact of Northeastern China by the geopolitical conflicts between China,Japan,and Russia.Based on the results of the research on Mongols,he believes that the “Manchukuo” has established a “Hsingan Province”,which is mainly composed of Mongols.The success of this policy will appease the local Mongols.Otherwise,the local Mongols will seek help from China or Outer Mongolia.The fifth part is Lattimore’s theoretical construction of Chinese frontier based on the research of Northeastern China.Northeastern China occupies an important position under Lattimore’s Chinese frontier view,but it is less important than the Mongolian region.The “Reservoir” put forward by Lattimore during the course of this research has became the central area of Chinese frontier that he later defines.However,Lattimore’s research and the construction of the frontier theory also have deficiencies.On the one hand,he exaggerates the similarities between Japan and Western countries.On the one hand,he fails to view the relations between the frontier areas and the mainland of China from the perspective of “diversity and unity”.