New Citizen : The Formation and Evolution of the Concept of Citizenship in Modern China

Abstract

The concept of \"citizenship\" (國民) is ancient, appearing early in the pre-Qing period, but it has undergone many and substantial changes over the course of its history. Numerous scholars have contributed their insights to the study of this concept, thus furnishing a better understanding of the emergence, formation and evolution of \"citizenship\" in China. Liang Qichao (梁啟超, 1873-1929)`s \"New Citizen Theory\" (新民 論), which sought to transform the Chinese people from being \"subjects of the emperor\" into modern \"citizens\" has received particular attention, but many other early modern Chinese intellectuals also employed the term \"new citizen\" (新國民) in discussing the concept of \"citizenship.\" Why then, did these writers deploy the concept of \"new citizen\" in their discourses, in parallel with the already-established concept of \"citizen\" from the \"New Citizen Theory?\" This paper investigates the concept of \"new citizen\" in early modern China by exploring the rhetorical devices employed in the associated discourses, the actions and events thus evoked, and the contexts in which it was produced. The research materials of this paper are mainly drawn from the Database for the Study of Modern Chinese Thought and Literature (1830-1930) (中國近代思想及文學史專業數據庫) which collects over 120 million words from the newspapers, magazines and monographs of early modern China. Among the most important sources are publications from the late Qing period with a variety of different political and social stances, such as China Discussion (清議報), Xin Min Cong Bao (新民叢報), Zhe- Jiang Chao (浙江潮), Hubei Student Community (湖北學生界) and Jiangsu (江蘇), as well as those of the early republic period, such as Great Chung Hwa Magazine (大中華), New Youth (新青年) and Young China (少年中 國). Through multiple readings, and by applying the perspective of conceptual history to the implications of the concept of \"new citizenship,\" this paper seeks to provide a more thorough and comprehensive understanding of the concept and discourse of \"new citizenship\" in early modern China.