Abstract
This paper presents the motivation, exploration, and growing outcome of the project “Finding Jiang Jian”—a forgotten heroine who was called the “Mother of Wounded Warriors,” “Mother of Refugee Children,” and “The Chinese Nightingale” during WWII. After an expanded and unexpected development, this project evolved from a visual design practice to a scholarly research. Not only does this project portraits Ms. Jiang Jian’s extraordinary life, but also entails the overlooked Mothersʼ Movement—a major achievement of the Chinese Womenʼs Movement in the first half of the 20th century—to a wider audience. During its eight years of operation, about 30,000 refugee children were saved and educated in over 60 Refugee Schools throughout China, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia organized by the Chinese Wartime Refugee Childrenʼs Relief and Education Association supported mainly by donations. Because of its large scale and sophisticated operation system, perhaps the Mothersʼ Movement, which reflects universalistic ethical and social values, is an unprecedented accomplishment in the human history.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
2020 Special Focus - Advocacy in Design: Engagement, Commitment, and Action
KEYWORDS
Design, Practice, Social, Advocacy, Women, Movement, Research, Storytelling, Ethical, Values
