发现与训育:20世纪初中国儿童游戏场的发展

Re-ascertaining and Disciplining Children: An Introduction to the Development of Children's Playground in Modern China

结合20世纪初西方儿童游戏场的建设和中国对于儿童观念转变的背景,分析同时期中国儿童游戏场的出现及其发展。中国儿童游戏场建设的参考主要来自开埠城市的租界公园和国外的相关著述;其设计以体育健身器械为中心,注重儿童体质的增强而非玩耍的乐趣;其活动的组织由改革者们由上至下进行界定,而非激发儿童的创造性。这些儿童游戏场物化了上层阶级对儿童发现与训育的需求,而出现这一现象的原因在于20世纪初中国体育文化的演进和国家民族主义的发展。

The paper examines the emergence and development of children＇s playgrounds in the early 20th century China, contextualized in the worldwide construction of children＇s playgrounds and the transformation of Chinese traditional view on children during the early 20th century. Their reference mainly included concession parks in treaty ports and Chinese publications introducing latest constructions of Western counterparts; the playgrounds are primarily made up of athletic playing apparatuses, appreciating physical improvement instead of fun; the organization of children＇s participation was in a top-down style defined by reformers, rather than offering opportunity to play creatively. The children＇s playgrounds materialized governors＇ requirements of re-ascertaining and disciplining children, embedded in the rise of modern physical culture and nationalism in China.