Scout Uniform’s Power in Republican China

Description

Scout uniform is a symbol of the identity of Scouts. It is one of the indispensable components of Scouts in Republican China to participate in the Scout activities. This paper analyses the power of Chinese Scout uniform during the Republican period. It starts from four identified issues related to the British influence on Chinese Scout uniform in the early years of Republican China, which shows Chinese efforts in integrating the foreign and local cultures. Chinese Scout uniform worked as a strong identification of Chinese Scouts and brought a sense of pride and honor, motivating the Scouts to take the responsibility for the nation and society. Moreover, the unification and standardization of Scout uniform cultivated the spirit of teamwork. The accessories on the uniform, such as tapes, badges, stars and neckers, were used as powerful management tools to classify the Scouts into different groups. Thus, Scout clothing served two functions: unity and distinction of hierarchy. Equally important, Chinese Scout uniform was significant in terms of its political function. Regardless of which organization took over the Scouts, local Scout Associations or Kuomintang, the patriotic commitments and national respect were emphasized. Kuomintang paid more attention to shaping Scouts’ minds and bodies for the partisanship. With the analysis of the power of Chinese Scout uniform, this study contributes to the understanding of Scout uniform’s significant role in connecting the nation and individuals, the development and organization of the whole Scout group and how children were disciplined in Republican China.

Period	5 May 2023
Event title	12th Spring History Symposium
Event type	Conference
Location	Hong KongShow on map