Constructing Modern Motherhood in Shanghai: Happy Home Magazine and Scientific Childcare, 1936–1949

This article examines how Happy Home magazine (1936–1949) contributed to the construction of modern motherhood in Republican Shanghai through the dissemination of scientific childcare knowledge. Drawing on ninety-four issues of the magazine and employing historical analysis, it argues that Happy Home redefined mothers as knowledgeable caregivers and educators responsible for children's physical, intellectual, and moral development. The magazine also promoted cooperative marriage, maternity protection, and nursery services, linking maternal responsibilities with broader family and social support. This study highlights the role of family magazines in shaping modern motherhood in Republican China.