From the Vicissitude of Companion Pictorial to Probe Modern China’s Modernization Process

Abstract

The period from 1926 to 1945 in China was a transition from the abolition of monarchy to the founding of New China. This era was marked by turbulence, including the “Golden Decade” of the Republic of China, the Anti-Japanese War and the breakdown of the Kuomintang-Communist cooperation. All sectors of Chinese society went through ups and downs during this period including newspapers and periodicals. Companion Pictorial, which was founded in 1926 and ceased in 1945, experienced these turbulence. Positioned as an urban publication, Companion Pictorial included multi-dimensional content and attracted a large number of advertisements. Studying the history of Companion Pictorial can be regarded as studying the history of modern China. This paper takes the vicissitude of Companion Pictorial from 1926 to 1945 as analysis object, attempting to explore the material and spiritual changes during modern China’s modernization process.