Unfulfilled potential : the Central Guoshu Institute in Republican China 1928-1948 = 未發揮的潛力 : 中華民國歷史時期中的中央國術館, 1928-1948

Abstract

The Central Guoshu Institute 中央國術館 (1928-1948) in Nanjing was a martial arts entity funded by the Nationalist government to ‘promote better physical health to the population through martial arts practice.’ With its prestige and funding, the Central Guoshu Institute opened a nation-wide network of martial arts schools, held two national marital arts tournaments, published books and journals researching and preserving martial arts, participated in exhibition tours of Southeast Asia and the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, and trained a new generation of martial arts masters. In 1937, with the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese war, the Institute relocated several times before disbanding in 1948 on the eve of the Communist takeover. This dissertation consists of four chapters. Chapter One explores the tenuous role of Chinese martial arts in the early 20th century; Chapter Two focuses on the origins of the Central Guoshu Institute, its establishment, and its operations; Chapter Three examines the accomplishments of the Institute and its activities; while Chapter Four, explores how the Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War stymied the function of the Central Guoshu Institute. The Republican era was a transitional period for the Chinese martial arts. It was able to shed its violent, moribund image and transform into a modern, physical exercise suitable for all ages. By examining the Central Guoshu Institute, we can better understand its role in Chinese Republican history, and in modernizing the martial arts, as well as how much its mission was thwarted by forces beyond its control.