Entertainment And Partisanship: Shantou Zhongshan Park (1921-1936)

The research object of this dissertation is ZhongShan Park in ShanTou during the years of 1921-1936. This dissertation discussed the reason why park appeared in China as a western thing, whose connotation varied from enjoyment to partisanship accordingly, from a publicplace with western meaning to a place filled of China characteristic--that is , a partisanshipplace, through introduction of the reasons and processes to park construction in ShanTou in neoteric days, analysis on the contents, style, function of ZhongShan Park construction, and its effects on society.The first chart introduces the historical background of ZhongShan Park construction. ShanTou changed from a little fishing village to an important commercial harbor of southeast seaboard in China in the late nineteenth century because of historical reasons. A sea commerce businessmen group out of bureaucratic control grew up during the course, thus took the public managing responsibilities on local society. It was easy for ShanTou to accept varieties of western conceptions in the conditions of active sea trades and frequent communications with outside world, making Park appearance as a natural result.The second chart discusses the principal part of city planning in ShanTou-government, businessmen and the relation between them. Park was a part of city planning in neoteric days. Park construction not only was advantageous to public sanitation and enjoyment, but also made sense in social mobilization, citizen education, people civilization. With the instruction of "local people handle local business", businessmen played important roles in park construction, sharing part of national power, exerting hardcore effects.The third chart discusses the construction process of ZhongShan Park. The changes in conception and name, from garden to park, from ZhongYang Park to ZhongShan Park, werejust the reflection of civilian and governmental opinions. By the end of the 23 year of MinGwo, sight in ZhongShan Park had changed a lot compared with its opening in the 14th year of MinGuo, which could be concluded from more beautiful environment, more self-contained amenities, more complete ways of enjoyment. Furthermore, the motif of thepark --the appearances of many commemorative architecture which were of politicaleducational sense, stood out on the basis of functional diversification.The fourth chart explains the social meaning of ZhongShan Park as a public place. ZhongShan Park improved the environmental sanitation in ShanTou, and created a public place which included classical garden, occidental garden, restaurant, tea shop, theater, pleasure ground, photo shop and palestra, thus became a new place in which a nation could carry partisanship.The epilogue discusses the appearance of park in China, and how its connotation changed, that is to say, how to change from a public place with western meaning to a place filled of China characteristic.