Study On The Transformation Of Shanxi Merchant Family From The Modernization Perspective

With the gradual deepening of China’s modernization process, the former brilliant family of foreign trade, Chang family in Yuci commercial trade gradually decline. Since Xinhai Revolution, democratic republic and saving the country became the theme of the times. Chang family, who was proficient in Confucianism and acquainted with homeopathic Change, also seek for Changes. They invest industries instead. However, in the semi-feudal social background, Chinese national industry and commerce suffer a double oppression, slow developing, struggling since its birth. Chang family is hard to spared, though exhausted to try. It’s hard to conceal the decadent trend. It is worth mentioning that, as the model of Confucianism commerce, Chang family was widely praised for its family education. Although pursuing interests, they never forgot that etiquettes should be inherited and personalities must be established. They powerfully demonstrated that commercial operations go hand in hand with the cultural heritage. With the cultural foundation inherited over the continuation of blood lines, Chang family got a steady stream of commercial wealth and social prestige for its own development. They became an outstanding representative of the Confucianism commerce groups in the north. In order to conform to the trend of the times and social development, Chang family constantly updated their educational philosophy, educational content and educational tools. Their Posterity is still active in the fields of education, economy, technology and culture to this day, who are arguably a galaxy of talents. And all this are not unrelated with its thick cultural heritage, advanced educational concepts, broaden educational ideas and rich educational content. All in all, Chang family successfully achieved transformation from the business family to cultural family.From the1930s to now, the results of the research aimed at Chang family in Yuci have emerged in an endless stream. This draws all circles’attention. Those researches have gained outstanding achievements, but there are shortcomings obviously. In terms of their content, they mostly concentrated on the studies about the commerce trade of Chang family, showing the limitations of research vision and monotony of content. Chang family ruled the roost for hundreds of years. In fact, its success or failure is inextricably linked to every aspect of its location, such as political, economic, cultural and folk. The study of the Chang family of Shanxi Merchants should not only stay on the attention and analysis of the family itself. For the further explore of relationship between the Shanxi Merchants and social modernization interactive development, we should put it in a broader social context and shift the focus from business development to cultural heritage. Therefore, the study of modernization and the transformation of Chang family, this important historical subject, is particularly urgent. In consideration of that, this article trys to take Modernization as the Contact point. On the cultural side, we can parse Chang’s family from the angle of Humanistic Education in order to fill the blank of the restructuring of family businesses as much as possible.