Creating the Past: Guoshang Cemetery and Chinese Collective Memory, 1945 and Beyond Público

Abstract

This thesis examines how China remembers World War II and what role this collective memory plays in post-war Chinese society. I address my research inquiry through a micro-historical study of Tengchong Guoshang Cemetery (腾冲国殇墓园), the earliest and largest burial ground in mainland China for Guomindang soldiers killed in World War II. Dividing the history of Guoshang Cemetery into three stages in a chronological order, I argue that the meaning of this cemetery has changed overtime as a result of both governmental mandate and grassroots efforts. Ultimately this cemetery has contributed to the emergence of a nationalistic historical narrative of World War II in Chinese society and the continuance of a collective Chinese identity that transcends geographical and political borders. Combining archival research with ethnographic work, I draw upon a variety of primary sources, including gazetteers, legal documents, newspapers, photos, unpublished memoirs, and firsthand interviews. I also engage with substantial academic literature in Chinese, English, and Japanese. This thesis illuminates the nexus between China’s past and its present, and provides insights into the formation process of contemporary Chinese identity.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

 

Introduction: Contextualizing War and Memory........................................................................1

Chapter 1: Horror and Honor......................................................................................................9

Chapter 2: Dying A Second Time.............................................................................................19   

Chapter 3: Recreating A Shared Story......................................................................................26

Epilogue ...................................................................................................................................37

Bibliography.............................................................................................................................39

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	History
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Asian Studies History, Asia, Australia and Oceania
Palabra Clave	20th century Chinese history
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Tonio Andrade, Emory University
Committee Members	Jia-Chen Fu, Emory University Bin Xu, Emory University

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