On a Sunday morning with thoughts of the role of the media and the power of the press fresh on my mind, I thought it appropriate to note this passage from one of Modern China’s early influential journalists, Liang Qichao. Here Liang is writing in the inaugural issue of his newspaper The Eastern Times (时报), first published in 1904:
Using fair and honest discussions, we will analyze the positive and negative, advantageous and disadvantageous aspects of these problems. We will also investigate methods for delivering the nation from danger and coping with the current situation, while cooperating with the government and conferring with the citizens.
It is the duty of newspapers in advanced/civilized nations (文明国) to report on the facts in the news, to follow the trend of international public opinion, to investigate the trend of international public opinion, to investigate conditions in the interior of the nation, to develop knowledge of politics and the arts, to introduce new ideas, and to provide materials for leisurely reading. We must drive ourselves on. We will use our writings to define and convey the will of the nation. We must also, however, take note of the saying of Western philosophers that ‘perfect things must be produced in perfect times.’
Today, given that our nation is still young in terms of development, I realize that it is not appropriate for us to wish to place ourselves among the great newspapers of all of the nations of the world. But by taking one step after another, a distance of of one thousand miles can be eventually overcome, and by joining together one hundred streams, the four seas could eventually be formed. it is certain that sooner or later, our newspaper’s trajectory will not only follow but parallel the progress of the nation. This is what we will assiduously work toward every day.
I’m not sure Liang Qichao would completely support the notion of the ‘free press’ as the term is understood in Europe and North America today. On some level, he still saw the role of the journalist as actively supporting the interests of national development, and the idea of the media cooperating with the government seems antithetical to the western notion of the ‘watchdog media,’ nevertheless, there is much in Liang’s vision that is admirable, and quite a bit that today’s journalists would do well to remember.
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Translated in Sources of Chinese History: Volume II, Wm. Theodore de Bary and Richard Lufrano, eds. (New York: Columbia Univ. Press, 2000), pp. 301-302
7 responses so far ↓
1 ScottLoar // Mar 30, 2008 at 10:28 am
From the passage you’ve quoted it is clear Liang Qichao thought the purpose of the press was to elevate and enlighten by informing, not in conterpoise to the state but neither, it seems, as an agency of the government. He also recognizes “great newspapers of the world” which I doubt meant the number of readers.
2 Jeremiah // Mar 30, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Scott,
I agree, it’s an ambiguous statement, which is why I added the caveat. Still, I think it’s a useful point of departure for looking at issues of the role of the media in Chinese society from a historical perspective.
3 Froog // Mar 31, 2008 at 1:16 pm
J,
Translation query here: does that ‘follow’ in “follow the trend of international public opinion” imply merely ‘trace, keep track of’ (in which case, what is the real distinction with ‘investigate’ in the next line? Is that just empty repetition?), or is it more like ‘follow the example of, emulate, copy’?
4 Cao Meng De // Mar 31, 2008 at 2:23 pm
Silly Liang Qichao. The duty of newspapers is to turn profit for their owners. That in doing so they might serve some public needs is just an added bonus.
5 Sam G // Mar 31, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Jeremiah, do you know of any studies that have been done on the etymology of 文明 ? Some scholars say that, when Liang was writing, its meaning could be more accurately translated as “modern” rather than “civilized”; others say that it seeks to invoke China’s great past. This passage would point towards the former, as Liang is linking the duties of the media with a modern nation (even if those exact duties diverge between China and, say, the U.S., as you point out). In the modern period 文明 is a fluid concept; any idea how was it used before the nineteenth century?
6 Alan Baumler // Apr 4, 2008 at 2:28 am
Sam,
Have you looked at Lydia Liu’s “Translingual Practice?” She has some stuff on Wenhua and its evolution that might be helpful. She lists wenming as a loanword from Japan.
(Sorry to be late with this reply, but I had to borrow my copy of Liu back)
7 Sam G // Apr 5, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Thanks for the reply. After I posted that question I dug around a little and found a reference to Liu’s book, as well as one to DR Howland’s “Borders of Chinese Civilization,” which argues that pre-1890s, the term was tied to texts and literary scholarship — closer to what we understand to be “civilization.”
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