Hangchow YMCA And Citizenship Building In Hangchow: 1913-1937

Since late 19^th century and early 20^th century Western powers poured into China with the ambition of changing China according to their criteria. Chinese people longed for a strong nation and applied the advanced Western methods to save China from national crisis. Under such circumstances, YMCA was introduced into China in late 19^th century and played an important role in many aspects.Hangchow YMCA was a city section of YMCA in China and it was established in 1913 under the leadership of Eugene E Barnett. This thesis examines the institutional history of Hangchow YMCA from 1913 to 1937. It discusses how the activities of Hangchow YMCA then influenced people and the society of Hangchow and made contribution to citizenship building. The activities were mainly conducted in the form of education and they included religious education, intelligent education, citizenship education and physical education. The rest activities were sanitary activities and social service activities. These activities emphasized people's responsibilities as citizens and involved themselves into people's life. The qualities such as literacy, sound body, cleanness and collectiveness were gradually accepted as integral parts of being an adequate citizen.The reasons for the success and decline of Hangchow YMCA are analyzed from the perspective of discourse. The reasons help the understanding of the development of Hangchow YMCA. The thesis aims at introducing Hangchow YMCA's contribution to citizenship building in Hangchow.