REKIHAKU

No.107 A Witness to History

Related Materials from the Japanese School in Tsientsin, China

Tsientsin is a key transportation center near Beijing. After the Japanese-Manchurian War (1894-1895), a Japanese Concession was established along with concessions of other nations. Concessions were areas where foreign nations made the Chinese government enter agreements to hand over administrative power in order to secure political authority for trade and residence, such as with the opening of China's ports by the powers in the US and European. Following the Giwadan Incident in 1900, the population of the Japanese Concession in Tsientsin began to increase in earnest and a self-governing residents' foreign settlement corporation was formed.This foreign-settlement corporation also put a lot of effort into children's education and from 1902 several types of schools were established, in addition to elementary schools. After the Japanese military advancement into the Chinese continent intensified in the 1930s, the number of Japanese residents grew rapidly and subsequently the number of schools also increased. (see accompanying graphs and diagrams)

Changes in population of Japanese residing in Tsientsin and the establishment of schools.	Location of the Japanese Concession and schools.

All of these schools were shut down on August 15, 1945 and the number of graduates who can talk about the Japanese concession and the Japanese schools there decreases every year. In 1993, the National Museum of Japanese History received a donation of materials relating to the Tsientsin Matsushima Japanese All-Girl High School. This served as a catalyst to also acquire materials from the Tsientsin Junior High School, Tsientsin Miyajima Japanese All-Girl High School and other schools. Since it had become a rather consolidated collection of materials, some of these were exhibited at this year's "Exhibition of New Materials from the Museum's Collection" from January 16 to February 18. Furthermore, it was decided that the collection would be introduced in this magazine as well, although due to space limitations the materials introduced are limited to the three schools previously mentioned and Fuyou Elementary School and Hashidate All-Girl High School.

Following disarmament by American forces in October, 1945, the students returned home to Japan with their families from November to May of the following year. Because the returnees could only bring back what they could carry themselves, almost all school records were left behind, along with their other possessions. Thus among the collection of materials which were donated to the collection, materials such as individual diplomas, graduations albums, school flags, school badges and other items that would not be considered rare for schools in the homeland are quite valuable in this case.

Moreover, the inventory of the school's property which was confiscated by the Chinese government and students' scholastic records after the end of the war, military drills, student mobilizations, documents and materials related to nursing for one's country comprise many precious records that allow us to learn about the lives of Japanese living outside the country during war time. For the main collection, which includes exhibits on the Pacific War, it is a meaningful collection of materials.

However, even the youngest of those who were involved with the Tsientsin Japanese schools are now in their mid-sixties. When the topic of conversation turns to Tsientsin, everyone's eyes light up and their expressions are as fresh and lively as back in the days when they were school children. There are many individuals who had all their possessions confiscated when they left China and who suffered many hardships after returning to Japan. There are also those who have strong memories of hatred towards the war. Even still, the recounts by the graduates, particularly those who attended the two all-girl high schools and Tsientsin Junior High School, tell of adequate amounts of food and certainly are not bleak when compared to the recounts from Japanese who returned from Manchuria. Perhaps after 55 years, the painful memories have begun to sublimate. Even today, there are many who say they would like to revisit Tsientsin if presented with the opportunity. There were also those who have visited and were moved to see the buildings of their alma mater still standing.

In recent years, research on the Tsientsin Concession has been conducted by researchers both in Japan and China ("The History of Tsientsin", edited by the Tsientsin Region Historical Research Society, Toho Shoin, 1999). The lifestyles and actual conditions working conditions of the Japanese in the Tsientsin Concession, including reprehensible acts which were committed by adults that were not seen by the eyes of the children of that time, continue to be brought to light. This type of interview research will be indispensable in the future and it will not stop only at the recollection of fond memories. It is also certain that the memories of those people who lived in Tsientsin for three generations are different from those of the people who moved there in the latter half of the 1930s. There must also be differences depending on where people lived and the schools which they attended. The Museum of Japan History, which holds this collection of materials, has a great responsibility. It is urgent that extensive interviews be conducted with those who were involved with the schools and the remaining materials and records must be organized. There is not much time left to get this accomplished.

Hiroshi Kurushima
Main Collection Historical Research Dept.

The Tsientsin Matsushima Japanese All-Girl High School

Established in April, 1921 (Taisho 10) as a private school in Akashi-machi. Received assistance with capital for the Yamato Nadeshiko Group from the residents' foreign settlement corporation and rented classroom space from the residents foreign settlement corporation's Tsientsin Common High and Elementary Schools. Certified as a designated overseas all-girl high school by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1924. In 1927 (Showa 2), the school came under the administration of the foreign settlement corporation and new school buildings were constructed in Matsushima-machi. In 1930, the school came under the administration of the Tsientsin Common Profit Foundation and the school's name was changed to Tsientsin Japanese All-Girl High School. In 1941, together with the Tsientsin Miyajima Japanese All-Girl High School, the name was changed to Tsientsin Matsushima Japanese All-Girl High School.

School flag of the Tsientsin Matsushima Japanese All-Girl High School. There were no tassels on these school flags. It is said that Principal Fukazawa removed the tassels when he carried the flags back to Japan by wrapping them around his body.	School flag of the Tsientsin Japanese All-Girl High School. The school flag before the schools' names was changed to Tsientsin Matsushima Japanese All-Girl High School.

School building (presently the Second Affiliated Junior High School of Nankai University. Depicted in the circular photo is the school's last principal, Mr. Kazuo Fukazawa.	A diploma. After completion of two years of a specialized course, a teaching license for the elementary school level was acquired.	A scene of military drills. As the actual fighting became more violent, they were conversely no longer able to conduct these drills.

Tsientsin Miyajima Japanese All-Girl High School

Established in March, 1941 (Showa 16) in Nishimiyajima-machi. The Pacific War began in December and in the following year when the British Concession was seized, the school transferred to the Grammar School (Tsientsin Eibun Gakudo, established in 1905) and operated there through the end of the war. The school is now Tsientsin Junior High School No. 20.

	Nurse License Certificate. At both the Miyajima and Matsushima All-Girl High Schools, students were made to work at the freight factory and Morinaga confectionary factory during the student mobilization. Both schools also participated together in nurse training courses and practicums. At graduation, all students were presented with nurse license certificates. From March, 1945, all graduates of the schools were made to work as nurses at army hospitals. On August 15, fourth-year students in training at an army hospital were forced to stay there and were made to treat soldiers brought in from the battlefield.
	Diploma.
	School Outline Commemorating the Opening of the School (1941) School flag and school song.
	Spiritual Education Department Training Research Group materials (1944) This was different from the Spiritual Mobilization movement conducted in Japan. Commemorating the completion of four years since the founding of the school, this document is related to the organization of a research group with the goal of publicizing the ideals of autonomy and independence promoted by the Miyajima All-Girl High School, which had mottos such as "a school without bells" and "proctor-less tests".

Tsientsin Junior High School

Established in May, 1939 (Showa 14) using a building (Shigendo) on the campus of Nankai University. With the occurrence of the Second Otsu Incident in July, 1937, the Army's air force units air-bombed Nankai University as a center of the anti-Japanese movement. All that remained after the bombing was the Shigendo. One more building was constructed in addition to this and became a school building. Presently it is the site of Nankai University.

	The Tsientsin Junior High School flag. This school flag was brought back with the school register by the school's first and last principal Eiichi Maruyama.
	School Principal Eiichi Maruyama's personnel order from 1941. It was a change in position from principal of a women's teaching college at Lu Shun.
	School Principal Eiichi Maruyama's request for permission to resign. Principal Maruyama returned to Japan around January 1946 (Showa 21). After that, he continued his work as school principal in order to prepare the record of the then-current students' and such. He worked under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
	Grade Report. Because of the student mobilization, classes were not held so grades could not be assigned. However, with this report students were eligible to take entrance exams and transfer to other schools.

Tsientsin Fuyou Japanese Common Elementary and High School

Established on December 1, 1902 (Meiji 35), as a private Tsientsin Japanese elementary school by Kaijiro Okita and other volunteers. It had 14 students. In 1908 it became a designated overseas school, with a six-year common elementary school program and a two-year high school program. In 1930, it came under the administration of the Tsientsin Common Profit Foundation. In April 1936, the Tsientsin Second Common Elementary School was established and the name of this school was changed to the Tsientsin First Common Elementary and High School. In 1941 it became the Fuyou National School. It is presently Tsientsin Junior High School No. 19.

A diploma from the Tsientsin Common Elementary and High School era. It is the oldest document in the collection. A	A picture from the 1935 graduation album.

Tsientsin Hashidate Japanese All-Girl High School

Established in September 1944 as a new school building of the Kasuga Japanese National School in Yu Wei Road in He Bei province, for the safety of students living in north of Bai He who attended the Miyajima and Matsushima All-Girl High Schools. In November the school moved to Ma Gong Si on Huan Wei Road. At present Ma Gong Si no longer exists. There is an elementary school on the original site now.

Record of school property.