Shandong Jinde Will Study (1932-1937)

Jinde Association was an moral organization which was initiated by Han Fuju,the chairmanof shantung province in1932.in its active six years,it had aquierd a high reputation in ShantungProvince.its branches spread on various counties and military districts of the province. JindeAssociation regarded"social morality" as the key link, and advocated getting rid of the bad habitand pefecting the personality. In1937, it’s destroyed because of the Japan’s invasion of Ji’nan,the organization also dissolved.The article firstly inspects the special background of Jinde Association`s establishment inshantung Province during the Republic of China. Jinde Association, a non-official or non-privatespecial organization, the daily routines of which were managed by government officials, and themembers and the objects to education were mainly the upper class of officials and businessacademic community in shantung Province. Jinde Association, including the branchorganizations regularly organized various activities besides the propaganda and education, suchas sports games, art performances, and the popularization of culture, which were well receivedby the broad masses of the people. Moreover, Tao Yuan, which was founded in1917in Jinan hadsimilarities on the background and the idea with Jinde Association which also founded inshantung. The article sets one chapter specifically to study and analyze the differences andsimilarities of the two organizations,and provides another perspective in further studying thecultural changes and political customs and human relationships. Finally, the article draws theobjective conclusion on the effect, influence and realistic significance of Jinde Association.After the study, the article has the opinion that Jinde Association cannot be treated as aconservative organization or a subordinate institution of Han Fuju. In the daily cultural andeducational activities, Jinde Association indeed preserved the traditional morality, which was themeans to educate the officials, unite the people and transform it into folklore, but the traditionalhabits were also criticized, the scientific spirit and western ideological trend were publicized andintroduced. Keeping up with the trend of modernization, members in Jinde Associationrebuilt belief, searched national identity on the base of traditional values, to help the officials getrid of corrupted living habits. Hence, Jinde Association`s founding meant that Han Fuju and local officials and gentries in shantung strives to perk up from the depression in the environmentof national crisis. Not only at that times did Jinde Association had strong influence, but nowsignificance for correcting negative impact of the present economic development, such asmaterialism and belief vacuum.