| dc.description.abstract | Luo Jialun, a new intellectual of the Republican period, was one of the student leaders of the May Fourth Movement. After returning to China from his overseas study, he served successively as the President of Tsinghua University and Central University, followed by being the head of the Northwest Construction Investigation Group and Supervisor of Xinjiang. During a close to nine months’ investigation in Northwest China, he completed the Report of the Northwest Construction Investigation Group, which became an important document of the Nationalist Government for the development of the Northwest during the War of Resistance. In this investigation report, Luo proposed a whole set of plans for the construction of the Northwest, pointing out that constructing the Northwest required a secure environment, emphasizing in particular the importance of consolidating national defense and the economy, developing education, and uniting the nation.
In addition, during his close to nine months’ Northwest investigation mission, Luo also showed his deep concern for history and culture. During his investigation, he produced a poetry collection, Odes on the Journey to the Northwest, whose contents include his admiration for the spectacular customs and habits of the Great Northwest and his emotional recall of past and present historical figures of the Western Regions, and display the patriotic feelings he expressed against the background of the then War of Resistance, which showed deep national sentiments. This work can thus be described as bearing witness to history through poetry.
This paper is structured as follows. Except for the introduction and conclusion, the main body is divided into three chapters. Chapter 1 gives a brief overview of Luo Jialun′s life, strives to understand the historical background of the development and construction of the Northwest by the National Government′s during the War of Resistance, collates the various Northwestern investigation groups at that time, and investigates the formation and progress of the “Northwest Construction Investigation Group” headed by Luo. Chapter 2, based on the Report of the Northwest Construction Investigation Group by Luo Jialun et al., and Luo’s diary and correspondences written during the Northwest investigation, explores the concrete blueprint of and discourse on three main aspects of the Northwest region, namely, national defense and the economy, education and selection of talents, and uniting the nation. Chapter 3 discusses the natural folklore and customs, Luo’s emotional recall of historical figures, and his patriotism and thoughts on the War of Resistance depicted in his poetry collection, Odes on the Journey to the Northwest, written during the period of investigation. | en_US |