與帝國的腳步俱進──高橋鏡子的跨界、外地經驗與國家意識

In Step With the Empire: The Cross-boundary, Overseas Territory Experiences, and National Consciousness of Takahashi Kyouko

本文嘗試以個案的方式，追探一位中間層女性高橋鏡子（1884-?）的移動背景、軌跡、經驗，以及隨著移動帶來的「跨界」與國家觀、教育觀之轉變，藉此思考女性在日本帝國擴張過程中扮演的角色。鏡子生於士族之家，受女子高等教育，遊學東京後走入家庭，婚後足跡遠及內蒙古、臺灣、滿洲。這些移動的軌跡背後，存在著明治維新帶來的社會變動、學校教育灌輸的開拓意識、丈夫工作的不順遂、女子教育培養的能動性，以及日本帝國政治、經濟與疆域擴張等諸多內外在動能的交織及作用。在蒙古開學堂、活躍於殖民地的在臺日人社會、參與女子高等教育機關的設置，隨著外地經驗的累積與教化團體的接觸，鏡子的國家意識與教育觀也不斷強化。在日本本土屬於中間層中被排除的社會邊緣者，帝國邊陲之地卻提供了一個得以接近權力中心、自我實現的場域。蒙古與臺灣經驗的發酵與延長，左右了其返日後的活動，更串起向滿洲的移動；移動的方式，也出現了從「從夫」、「從兄」，到「婦唱夫隨」的變化。乘著時代之風，鏡子將其外地經驗撰寫成書，重新解釋自己的作為，鼓吹女性向外開拓，主動參與了帝國的擴張，也從帝國的邊緣看到了日本帝國。鏡子的移動，不僅是地理疆界上的移動、跨界，亦是社會階層的流動、男性∕女性社會規範的越界，同時，也顯示了國與家之間的連結、兩難與界線的游移。

This paper looks at the “Middle Class” woman, Takahashi Kyouko (1884-?), and reflects on the role of women in the process of Japanese Imperial expansion. Through case studies, this paper attempts to seek and explain the movement background, trajectory, and experiences, as well as the “cross boundary” and the transformation of national concepts and educational views brought about by Kyouko's movement. Kyouko was born into a family with samurai antecedents, and received higher education for women. After studying in Tokyo, she married and traveled as far as Inner Mongolia, Taiwan, and Manchukuo. Behind trajectory of this movement, lay the social changes brought about by the Meiji Restoration, the pioneering consciousness of school education, a husband facing difficulties with work, and the initiative for women's education. At the same time, Japanese Imperial politics, economics, and territory expansion, were interwoven and impacted by the above internal and external forces. Kyouko opened a school in Mongolia, was active in the colonial society of Japanese living in Taiwan, and took part in establishing institutions of higher education for women. Along with accumulating experiences in overseas territory (gaichi), and coming into contact with various cultural and educational associations, Kyouko's national consciousness and educational views were increasingly strengthened. When the “Middle Class” was removed from the fringes of society within Japan, the border lands of the empire provided an area for one to come close to the power center and reach self-actualization. Cultivating and expanding her experiences in Mongolia and Taiwan also influenced her activities after returning to Japan, and they became more intertwined in the movement to Manchukuo. The movement also presented the transformation from “following the husband” and “following the older brother” to “the husband following along with the wife.” Riding on the winds of the time, Kyouko also wrote a book about her experiences abroad, once more explaining her own beliefs and encouraged women to go abroad to break new ground. Kyouko herself also actively took part in the expansion of the empire, and viewed the Japanese Empire from the fringes of the empire itself. Kyouko's movement was not only cross-boundary and followed the shift of geographical borders, but at the same time it also was one of social mobility, and crossing over the boundaries of male / female social norms. At the same time, the link between and the dual dilemma of wavering between “home” and “country” can also be seen.