The Republic of China era (1912-1949) was a time of immense change and development in Chinese history. During these transformative years, as China faced political turbulence and embraced modernization, education was seen as a cornerstone for national revival. This exhibition, "Illuminating the Past," highlights educational materials illustrating the efforts to educate young minds and the general public and cultivate a sense of national identity amidst ongoing change.

Curated by Asian Library staff members Xiuying Zou, Xizhen Huang and Chunxiao Zhang, the exhibition highlights select items from the John Sheng Collection – a collection of over 4,450 volumes of the Republic-era Chinese school textbooks and educational materials that was donated to the Asian Library in 2019 by the descendants of Sheng Zhifang (沈知方1883-1939), a well-known publisher, book collector, and entrepreneur in modern Chinese publishing industry. The collection offers a comprehensive snapshot of Republic-era China's educational and cultural environment.

Exhibit Details
Asian Library Gallery, Honnold 3, The Claremont Colleges Library
(800 N. Dartmouth Ave., Claremont, CA 91711)
April 7, 2025 – September 12, 2025
Exhibit on view during Library building hours

*Please note this is the correct end date; our calendar is limited to a 45-day window so the dates listed below will be updated as time goes on.

Related May 5th Panel Discussion
Faculty and students across The Claremont Colleges consortium have been utilizing materials in the collection for classroom learning and research endeavors. A related panel discussion, titled "How to Teach History: Lessons from Asia's Past," is scheduled for May 5, 2025 at 3:30 p.m. in the Founders Room to showcase two research projects that have been informed by materials from the collection. At the panel, Pomona College sophomore Holden Tsai will share his project on how school textbooks were used as political vessels through which Taiwanese children were taught to become loyal citizens of the state. Pomona College senior Alexander Chao will explore how Cold War anxieties of the Hong Kong government manifested in geography textbooks for primary and secondary students in Hong Kong. Dr. Joseph Ho, professor of East Asian history at Albion College, will serve as a discussant, and Dr. Preston BcBride will serve as moderator. Please mark your calendar!

Questions?
Contact Xiuying Zou, Head of the Asian Library, by emailing xiuying.zou@claremont.edu or calling 909 607-4094.