A Newspaper for China?: Power, Identity, and Change in Shanghai's News Media, 1872-1912 (Harvard East Asian Monographs)

In 1872 in the treaty port of Shanghai, British merchant Ernest Major founded one of the longest-lived and most successful of modern Chinese-language newspapers, the Shenbao . His publication quickly became a leading newspaper in China and won praise as a "department store of news," a "forum for intellectual discussion and moral challenge," and an "independent mouthpiece of the public voice." Located in the International Settlement of Shanghai, it was free of government regulation. Paradoxically, in a country where the government monopolized the public sphere, it became one of the world's most independent newspapers. As a private venture, the Shenbao was free of the ideologies that constrained missionary papers published in China during the nineteenth century. But it also lacked the subsidies that allowed these papers to survive without a large readership. As a purely commercial venture, the foreign-managed Shenbao depended on the acceptance of educated Chinese, who would write for it, read it, and buy it. This book sets out to analyze how the managers of the Shenbao made their alien product acceptable to Chinese readers and how foreign-style newspapers became alternative modes of communication acknowledged as a powerful part of the Chinese public sphere within a few years. In short, it describes how the foreign Shenbao became a "newspaper for China." In 1872, In The International Settlement Of The Treaty Port Of Shanghai, British Merchant Ernest Major Founded One Of The Longest-lived And Most Successful Of Modern Chinese-language Newspapers, Shenbao. His Publication Won Praise As A Department Store Of News, A Forum For Intellectual Discussion And Moral Challenge, And An Independent Mouthpiece Of The Public Voice. Paradoxically, In A Country Where The Government Monopolized The Public Sphere, Shenbao Became One Of The World's Most Independent Newspapers. As A Private Venture, Shenbao Was Free Of The Ideologies That Constrained Missionary Or Advocacy Papers Published In China During The Nineteenth Century. On The Other Hand, It Lacked The Subsidies That Allowed These Papers To Survive Without A Large Readership. As A Purely Commercial Venture, The Foreign-managed Shenbao Depended On The Acceptance Of Educated Chinese, Who Would Write For It, Read It, And Buy It. By Analyzing The Prose Styles And Literary Genres Used In Shenbao, Its Format, Its Language, Its Contents, And Its Readerships, This Book Shows How The Managers Of This Paper Made Their Alien Product Acceptable To Chinese Readers And How Foreign-style Newspapers Such As Shenbao Became Alternative Modes Of Communication Acknowledged As Part, Indeed A Powerful Part, Of The Chinese Public Sphere Within A Few Years. In Short, It Describes How The Foreign Shenbao Became A Newspaper For China.--book Jacket. Creating The Medium. An Alien Medium Domesticated : Transformations Of The New(s)paper In China ; In The Words Of The Sages : Authority And Style In The Chinese Newspaper ; Making The Chinese State Go Public? : Power And Vision In The Jingbao Reprint -- Reading The Medium. Fair-sexing It : Constructing The Female Reader ; Multiple Personalities : Image And Voice Of The Shanghairen ; The Nature Of Chinese Nationalism : Reading Shanghai Newspapers, 1900-1925 Barbara Mittler. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [435]-498) And Index. A Newspaper for China? Power, Identity, and Change in Shanghai's News Media, 1872-1912 Acknowledgments Contents Tables and Figures Conventions and Abbreviations Introduction: The Chinese Public Sphere and the Power of the Press Defining the Newspaper: The Foreign Paradigm Defining the Newspaper: The View from China Understanding the Newspaper in China The Power of the Press Part I Creating the Medium 1 An Alien Medium Domesticated: Transformations of the New(s)paper in China Dealing with Chinese Taste Chinese Form in the Foreign-Style Newspaper: A Bestiary The Editorial: Not Just One Type News: Mystery, Morality, and Matter of Fact Commentaries: New Names for Old Forms of Deliberation Chinese News-paper Prose: A New Style of Writing? Conclusion 2 In the Words of the Sages: Authority and Style in the Chinese Newspaper Change with Authority! Authority to Change? Conclusion 3 Making the Chinese State Go Public? Power and Vision in the Jingbao Reprint The Vision: Why Reprint the Jingbao? The Power: Why Reprint the Jingbao? Conclusion Part II Reading the Medium 4 Fair-Sexing It: Constructing the Female Reader Defining the Reader Describing the Reader Circumscribing the Reader 5 "Multiple Personalities": Image and Voice of the Shanghairen Describing Shanghai: The Image of the Shanghairen Living Shanghai: The Voice of the Shanghairen Conclusion 6 The Nature of Chinese Nationalism: Reading Shanghai Newspapers, 1900-1925 Narrating National Events The Nature of Newspaper Nationalism Epilogue Conclusion: The Power of the Press-Revisited Appendixes A Chapter 1 Texts B Chapter 2 Text C Chapter 6 Texts Reference Matter Works Cited Finding List of Shenbao Articles Index Harvard East Asian Monographs