Ataturk in Republican China: Representations of modernization and anti-imperialism in Shenbao (1919-1939)

Abstract

Ataturk's influence on Asian liberation movements is well known, yet his reception in China is underexplored. How did Chinese intellectuals and the public engage with Ataturk's example, and how did these perceptions intersect with China's struggles for independence and reform? This study offers the first systematic, theme-driven content analysis of Chinese press coverage of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and the Turkish Revolution, showing how Shenbao ((sic)(sic)) and other newspapers actively appropriated Ataturk's legacy to frame China's debates on national liberation, modernization, and leadership. Focusing on 1919-1939, from T & uuml;rkiye's liberation struggle to Ataturk's death and World War II's onset, the study highlights a period when both nations pursued nation-building and reforms, making T & uuml;rkiye's experience resonant for Chinese discussions on sovereignty and modernization. Using qualitative content analysis of Shenbao, known as the 'encyclopedia of modern Chinese history', the study identifies four themes: anti-imperialist struggle and liberation, modernization and reform, international recognition, and Ataturk's leadership and symbolic legacy. These reveal the multifaceted ways Ataturk and the Turkish Revolution were understood in Republican-era China, illustrating how Shenbao used T & uuml;rkiye's example to reflect, debate, and inspire China's quests for independence, reform, global stature, and transformative leadership, shedding light on cross-cultural exchanges in nation-building.