Chen Lifu and Characteristics of Wartime Higher Education in China (1937-1944)

Abstract

The development and change of wartime higher education significantly impacted China's modern history, and its evolution was closely related to the advocacies and ideas of Chen Lifu, who served as the Minister of Education from 1938 to 1944. This paper first analyzes the merger and relocation of universities with examples such as the Southwest United Nations University and the National Central University, arguing that relocations ensured the continuity and development of higher education in China and nurtured many professional talents. The paper also focuses on the loan and publicly-funded student system, which Chen Lifu adopted mainly to compete for the youth with the Communist Party and the Japanese forces. The system helped a large number of economically disadvantaged students to complete their studies, enhanced young students' sense of responsibility towards the country, stabilized society, and increased the public's trust in the government. Besides, the paper analyzes the military recruitment of young people, briefly describes the recruitment of medical, engineering, and translation students, the peak of military recruitment, and the participation of young expeditionary force in the war, as well as the critical role of these recruitments in the victory of the war.