Preservation and Abolition：The Debate on the Reform of Chinese Characters in 1930 s and 1940 s
Author(s): CUI Ming-hai
Pages: 110-117
Year: 2017 Issue: 1
Journal: Academic Exploration
Keyword: Chinese characters; latinization; class revolution; nation state; debate;
Abstract: The Latinization of Chinese characters in the 1930s and 1940s was part of the Anti-Japanese War and national sal-vation movement and the class revolution led by the the Communist Party of China. As a result of the great pressure of national salvation, the loss of national self-confidence of some intellectuals, and the incorporation of political ideology, it was difficult to make a rational analysis on the problems related to the preservation or abolition of Chinese characters, such as Chinese characters and education popularization, Chinese characters and cultural heritage, the class nature of Chinese characters, etc. The parties involved in the debate had different perceptions on the relationship between the people, the nation and the language based on dif-ferent theories, nationalism and the values of writing. This also made the dispute over the reform of Chinese characters not only confined to the academic debate but also be elevated to the class revolution, the rise and fall of the nation-state height in ac-cordance with their respective positions.
Pages: 110-117
Year: 2017 Issue: 1
Journal: Academic Exploration
Keyword: Chinese characters; latinization; class revolution; nation state; debate;
Abstract: The Latinization of Chinese characters in the 1930s and 1940s was part of the Anti-Japanese War and national sal-vation movement and the class revolution led by the the Communist Party of China. As a result of the great pressure of national salvation, the loss of national self-confidence of some intellectuals, and the incorporation of political ideology, it was difficult to make a rational analysis on the problems related to the preservation or abolition of Chinese characters, such as Chinese characters and education popularization, Chinese characters and cultural heritage, the class nature of Chinese characters, etc. The parties involved in the debate had different perceptions on the relationship between the people, the nation and the language based on dif-ferent theories, nationalism and the values of writing. This also made the dispute over the reform of Chinese characters not only confined to the academic debate but also be elevated to the class revolution, the rise and fall of the nation-state height in ac-cordance with their respective positions.
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