A Research On Handicraft Of Hunan During The Republic Of China

This article from the perspective of regional economic history, applys comprehensively the researching method of the history, the geography, the statistics, and other related subjects. On the basis of summing up systematically the academic achievements of the presient modern Chinese craft history, the thesis has studied the development and the change of the handcraft of Hunan between 1912 and1945, analyzes the diffusion effect produced by the economic changes of Hunan handicraft of this period, and concluded the constraints factors of the development of Hunan handicraft.The first chapter mainly makes a brief review on the general situation of the development of Huan handicraft during the Qing dynasty. In the Qing Dynasty, in Hunan Province the textile industry, mining industry, tea industry, paper industry, wine industry, ceramic industry, tobacco industry and other sectors have the manual varying degrees of development, and even in some industries the initial form of capitalist production relations appear. The developing trend of the commercialization of Hunan handicraft not only promots the prosperity of Hunan town economy but also provides the initial condition for the further development and the change of Hunan handicraft in the period of the Republic of China.In the second chapter the different stages of development of the handicraft industry in Hunan are studied, and the operating patterns are analyzed in detail. During this period, Hunan handicrafts development and changes can be divided into two different stages. The first stage is from 1912 to 1937, the second stage,1937 to 1945. In the first stage of development, with the changes in the external economic environment, like the coastal areas Hunan handicrafts show a different development approach:some manual trades in the impact of foreign industrial products tend to decline; some manual trades are demanded for the international market to flourish; still some manual trades go its own way along the traditional path of development because of a cultural characteristics, In the second stage of development, as the Sino-Japanese War broke out all sidedly, many Hunan handicrafts such as handwoven cloth industry, the soil yarn industry, the earth indigo industry, sugar industry, have short-term rehabilitation driven by the environment in time of war.This period of development of the handicraft industry in Hunan displays obvious characteristics of the times, that is, the strong sense of government involvement, focusing on production technology improvement, increase of more forms of cooperation, the enhancement of the unstable environmental factors. The development of these handicrafts has become an important part of the home front during the war of resistance. Hunan handicrafts are also presented in the form of diverse operating characteristics that the owners make their own decisions under the form of the system and there are also dependent form of management under the system.The third chapter focuses on analysis of the diffusion effect brought about by the economic development and changes of Hunan handicrafts during the period of the Republic of China. In this period, the handicraft industry development and changes has a positive impact on Hunan rural economy. For example,it offers farmers more the channels of employment, and promote the rural market development and professional markets in the growth. Hunan handicrafts of the period has also motivated the prosperity of business, activated the economy of the Hunan city, stimulated the growth of exports in Hunan customs, and driven the rise of special business. In addition, the Hunan handicrafts development also has a profound effects on Hunan Modern Industrialization. Huan handicrafts not only dominate in Hunan’s industrial structure, but also demonstrate the trend of the development to the modern industrial transition, which breaks a new path for Hunan’s modern industrial development.Chapter four summarizes the constraints factors which exsist in the development of Hunan handicrafts during the period of the Republic of China. These constraints factors manifest in different aspects, such as the backward in production technology, the lack of capital, the negative impact caused by the industry fraud, frequent war, the natural disasters, and the impoverishment of the rural economy and so on. In the combined effects of these constraints, the development of Hunan handicrafts during the Republic of China is beset with difficulties and they are filled with more uncertainties in the course of transformation to the modern industry.