Based on the Japanese archives and literatures and the Chinese magazines and newspapers about the social works in Guandong Province, Manchuria and Dalian City, this paper explores the socio-economic problems in Dalian City under the Japanese colonial rule since 1905, and examines the social works, organizational structure, operation, development, and social impact of the following eight representative funds and social organizations which served the Chinese including the Manchurian to deal with the problems effectively in 1919-1945. To cope with the upheavals and improve governance over the Chinese in northeastern China, the Japanese Guandong Office adopted the so-called “Coexistence and Mutual Prosperity”(Gongcun Gongrong) policy of social assimilation to promote the development of various social works. Under this policy, Charity Funds(Cihui Zijin) and Children Scholarship Funds(Ertong Jiangxue Zijin) of Imperial Gift Foundation(Enci Caituan) and Guandong Drug Addiction Treatment Centre(Guandong Jiuliaosuo) which were run by the Japanese Guandong Province Office provided services to the Chinese covering basic needs, medical and health care, life protection, women and children education, economic life, social service coordination and drug rehabilitation. The services stabilized their livelihood and facilitated the Japanese assimilation and colonial rule to a certain extent. General Relief Benevolent Institute(Dalian Hongji Shantang) and Chinese Young Men’s Association of Dalian(Dalian Zhonghua Qingnianhui) which were found and operated by the Chinese succeeded in offering services to the Chinese in terms of hospital treatment, adopting orphan, caring for the elderly and widow, charity, free funeral service and primary school and tuition school education, sports, etc. The former was criticised for its import and sale of opium for Guandong Office, while the latter was highly recognized for promoting the Chinese culture and nationalism, and became an important force to contend against the Japanese colonial assimilation.
The two religious organizations, the Dalian Branch of the Red Swastika Society(Shijie Hongwanzihui Dalianfenhui) with the faith of localized world religions and Dalian Chinese YMCA with the faith of Christ also provided services to the Chinese including disaster relief, baby adoption, nursery, hospital for the disabled, schools for the blind and dumb and poor, free congee, tea, cloth, medicine, medical fee, midwifery, repatriation of the poor, library, business loans and school education, community works and sports, etc. Due to the western-cultured Christian faith, the latter could not fully integrate into the traditional Chinese society and therefore made less social contribution than the former, despite the fact that it slightly reformed the social ethos with the faith. Similarly, the Normal Schools(Fangmian Putong Xueguan) which were run by the Manchurian organization could provide only education at public school level to the poor Manchurian children with limited funds. Through the studies of these eight social funds and organizations, it is evident that the social works of Dalian City succeeded in helping the Chinese who lived in straitened circumstances and resolving the socio-economic crises caused by the Japanese occupation.
In short, the social works apparently stabilized the social order of the city and even Guandong Province as a whole, and therefore had a great social significance.