日中戦争期の中国における児童保育の展開

重慶国民政府の統治地域を中心に

抄録

In the study of modern Chinese history, there are very few discussions on the history of child care. This paper examines the changing pattern of child care in China at the time of Second Sino-Japanese War (1937–1945). As the war created a large amount of displaced children, the Chongqing Nationalist Government played an active role in providing nursery services and leading the relief activities for displaced children. In addition, the Government promoted the establishment of modern nurseries, offering child care services to ordinary children. Focusing on these important changes, the paper shows that child care became an integral part of social welfare services in modern China during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

More specifically, the paper makes extensive use of the Chongqing Government’s official reports, ordinances, social surveys, and published periodicals, and identifies three major changes of child care in China. First, instead of relying on private charity activities, the state directly led the relief activities for displaced children in the war. Second, the modern nurseries that allowed parents to work grew in number, further enhancing the social welfare function of child care facilities. Third, wartime child care facilities began to cultivate ‘little citizens’ who should possess a healthy body, develop national consciousness, have a work ethic, and follow collective rules and order.

However, it is worth noting that, while modern child care facilities were established, they did not spread across China. Cultivating ‘little citizens’ also faced many difficulties. As a whole, the wartime child care facilities were limited. Most children still depended on family-based rather than collectively organized child care services.