"The Ladies' Journal" In Wang Yunzhan Period And Women's Enlightenment From The Perspective Of Reading History

"The Ladies' Journal" was founded by the Commercial Press in 1915,the same year as the New Culture Movement.During its publication,it experienced multiple historical events such as the Hongxian Restoration,the May Fourth Movement,and the National Revolution.Until 1932,the Commercial Press was bombed by the Japanese army.It was destroyed and ceased publication.It has been published for 17 consecutive years.It is the longest and the most influential women's newspaper during the Republic of China.Therefore,"The Ladies' Journal" has always been an important text for the study of modern Chinese history,especially women's history,social history and other directions.As the first editor of "The Ladies' Journal",Wang Yunzhang's editor-in-chief period of the magazine happened to be in the historical landscape of the alternation of the old and the new.The purpose and tone of the magazine and the style orientation also changed over time,constructing a world of reading and thinking with the ideological color of "new good wife and good mother" for female readers.This also became the reason why "The Ladies' Journal" was criticized as backward and conservative by the intellectuals during the May Fourth Movement and many researchers today.Based on that,this article takes the research perspective of reading history and makes a new interpretation of the "The Ladies' Journal" edited by Wang Yunzhang.First of all,starting from the reading environment,the article unscrambles the formation and development of women's emancipation thoughts,the origin and evolution of women's newspaper reading since the end of Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the Republic of China from a macro view,which is in order to form a clear cognition to the historical context the magazine was founded and better grasp the background and purpose of the magazine in it.Secondly,starting from the reading content,taking a micro textual analysis of the main columns and content of the "The Ladies' Journal" aims to form a clear understanding of the way the "The Ladies' Journal" reading is oriented and the reading characteristics formed.Besides,starting from the subject of reading,focusing on the reader level of "The Ladies' Journal",it mainly inspects the reader group,readers' feelings and the interaction between readers and editors.Finally,combining the three dimensions of time background,text and readers,comprehensively analyze the logical relationship between the newspaper reading of "The Ladies' Journal" and women's enlightenment.The study found that the road to women's reading and enlightenment began during the1898 Reform Period,starting from "abolishing foot binding and promoting women's studies".The issue of women's enlightenment emerged with the establishment of women's newspapers and gradually deepened,until the Revolution of 1911.The period evolved into a radical "women's revolution and participation in politics." As a result,women's newspapers were suppressed by the authorities and lost their voices,and women's enlightenment also stagnated.The "The Ladies' Journal" edited by Wang Yunzhang was born under this historical background,and followed the stable and neutral stance and mild improvement line that the Commercial Press has always adopted.It uses girls' school teachers,students and housewives as the default reader group to promote women.For the purpose of studying and supporting the family,it aims to cultivate good wives and mothers with scientific and cultural knowledge and modern civilization through women's studies.As a result,the reading orientation of "new good wives and good mothers" is established,and a new knowledge structure and concept system for female readers is constructed around scientific common sense and new knowledge of housekeeping,female body outlook and professional outlook.From the reader's feedback,the new knowledge of science and housekeeping that "The Ladies' Journal" disseminates to readers completes the enlightenment of women's daily life,and the reshaping of readers' outlook on the body and occupation completes the enlightenment of women's self-cognition.Therefore,it is better to say that the "The Ladies' Journal" edited by Wang Yunzhang is the most appropriate response to the historical context and the most stable and pragmatic choice for women's enlightenment rather than conservative.