Politics of Funeral and the Re-building of Republican China：
Study on the Grand Funeral of Sun Yat-sen
By Li Gong-zhong
Directed by Professor Cai Shao-qing
Contents
Abstract
Introduction
Chapter One Political Heritage of Sun Yat-sen and Political Strategy of Kuomintang
1、Re-building of Republican China: Political Heritage of Sun Yat-sen
2、Succeeding to the Unfulfilled Wish: Determination of Kuomintang
3、Blending Propaganda with Mourning Activities
4、Making a New Symbolic Authority
Chapter Two Changes of the Preparatory Organization for Funeral Affairs and Integration of Power Inside Kuomintang
1、Framework of the Preparatory Organization for Funeral Affairs
2、Functions and Activities of the Preparatory Organization for Funeral Affairs
3、Changes of Relationship between the Preparatory Organization for Funeral Affairs and Central Authority of Kuomintang
Chapter Three Building of Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum and Outside Political Manipulation of Kuomintang
1、Expropriating Land for the Mausoleum: Negotiation and Partition of Rights and Interests between the Central and the Local
2、Design of the Mausoleum: Cultural Promulgating of Political Ideas
3、Construction of the Mausoleum: Communication and Collaboration between the Party and Societies
Chapter Four Architectural Spirit and the Shaping of A Political Symbol for A New Era
1、Monumentalizing and Symbolizing: Political Signification in Selecting Nanjing as the Site of the Mausoleum
2、Open Monumentality: Framing of Architectural Spirit
3、Open Sense of Space: Realization of Architectural Spirit (Ⅰ)
4、Artistic Style and Monumentality: Realization of Architectural Spirit (Ⅱ)
Chapter Five The Grand Funeral and the Exhibition of Newly Formed Nation-State Authority
1、Organization
2、Propaganda
3、Rites and Scenes
4、Discordant Voices during the Grand Funeral
Conclusion
Bibliography
ABSTRACT
From the point of view of relationship among death, funeral and politics, this thesis focuses on the process of burial of Sun Yat-sen during the Nationalist Revolution in 20th century China. The interactions between burial affairs and politics have been carefully analyzed in this paper, and the cultural operation of political power during the Re-building of Republican China in the 1920’s has been demonstrated.
First, the paper examines the political objective of Re-building Republican China which was put forward by Sun Yat-sen in his late years, political position of Kuomintang after the death of Sun, and political strategy which was applied by Kuomintang during the funeral of Sun. Next, it goes respectively to the changes of the Preparatory Organization for Funeral Affairs, building of Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum and architectural spirit of the Mausoleum, and shows how the burial affairs were brought into the political operation of state-re-building. And then, it focuses on the formal Grand Funeral and finds out a new texture of power represented by the dramatic action. Finally, it presents an outline of Politics of Funeral and some comments about its effect on state-re-building based on foregoing analyses.
This political operation of funeral enjoys some exterior similarities with those in Imperial China. Meantime, it shows some new characteristics. Firstly, it removes traditional occultism and makes the Political Capital stored in the dead person as the foundation. Secondly, evidences appear of separation between Cultural Power and Institutional Power during this operation, which means positive difference from the mixture of state, family and society in Imperial China. The final and most important point is that it functions mainly for promoting the building of new authority instead of representing already existing authority.
To sum up, this political operation of burial affairs in the context of state-re-building succeeded in making “Founding Father Sun Yat-sen”, a political symbol for a new era. This symbol got widely spread and became a sign of nation-state identity. The related building of institution, however, was not an ideal success. Therefore, the objective of Re-building of Republic China has only partly fulfilled, and perhaps superficially, too.
The academic value of this thesis lies in three aspects. Firstly, this paper provides an original study of the building of Sun Yat-sen’s Mausoleum and funeral of Sun, which have attracted little attention from historians. Secondly, this paper brings together cultural changes and political changes, examines the operation of Cultural Power during the re-building of state, and grasps the relationship between Cultural Power and Institutional Power based on whole and concrete analysis. Finally, this paper tries a new approach for the study of social history, that is, approach of events other than structure.
Key Words: Sun Yat-sen; Mausoleum; Funeral; Politics; Re-building of Republican China
