Cultivating the Future of China: Collective Initiative on Children's Domestic Travel in Republican China (1912–1936)

Abstract: This paper explores the interplay between children's domestic travel and national identity formation in Republican China. By scrutinizing geographical pedagogic materials and theoretical frameworks surrounding children's travel, we illuminate the nuanced connections between such travel practices, children's subjectivity development, modern knowledge education, and nation-building. The research method involves a thorough analysis of various textual and visual sources to understand the specific practices of children's travel. This paper argues that the construction of modern Chinese childhood and citizenship was a communal effort steered by a diverse range of travel advocates across societal sectors. The study illustrates the critical role of travel education in aligning children with the nation's future trajectory, thus rendering children's development integral to fostering capable future citizens and a robust and vibrant nation. Children's physical, psychological, and intellectual states emerge as both contested and collaborative arenas for shaping the national subject and envisioning China's future.