20世纪初，商务印书馆凭借其资金、技术、人才和发行能力的优势，率先开启了儿童文学的出版实践和探索，由点及面地建构起中国现代儿童文学的发生机制。从出版史的角度来看，20世纪初商务印书馆的儿童文学出版活动经历了积累、实验和自觉三个阶段：第一阶段以1902年《最新教科书》的编辑出版为标志，商务印书馆在教科书编译的过程中学习、借鉴外国儿童文学作品，发掘古代典籍中的儿童文学资源，积累编辑出版经验；第二阶段以1908年《童话》丛书的编译出版为标志，商务印书馆开始系统地、自觉地为儿童读者编译专门性的、区别于教科书的儿童读物；第三阶段以1921年《儿童文学丛书》的出版，及1923年叶圣陶的《稻草人》出版为标志，大型儿童丛书和原创儿童文学作品开始出现，商务印书馆的儿童文学出版活动进入自觉时代，以商务印书馆为中心的儿童文学出版业初具规模。从儿童文学本体建构的角度来看，20世纪初商务印书馆在儿童读物的出版活动中，逐渐厘清了儿童文学与教科书、成人文学的关系，使儿童文学具备了独立的出版形态，并探索出按读者年龄分类的出版模式，彰显了儿童文学的本体特征；在域外儿童作品的编译活动中，探索儿童文学的本土化路径，确立了中国现代儿童文学的审美规范，促进了文体观念的自觉；在儿童文学的编写和创作实践中，塑造了中国现代儿童文学具有启蒙色彩的教育品格，以及“童心”、“美”与“真实”并重的、具有现实主义色彩的美学品格；从文化生态的角度来看，商务印书馆凭借其文化影响力和成熟的商业运作模式，建立和培养了一支出色的儿童文学编创队伍；塑造了一批热爱阅读和写作，具备一定的媒介素养的儿童文学读者群；将出版市场、学校与图书馆连接起来，形成一套相对完备的传播机制。从生产、传播和接受环节，促进了中国儿童文学发生期的“文学场”的生成。

In the early 20th century, the Commercial Press, with its advantages in capital, technology, talents and distribution capabilities, pioneered the publishing practice and exploration of Chinese children's literature, and constructed the occurrence mechanism of Chinese children's literature from a comprehensive perspective. From the perspective of publishing history, the children ’s literature publishing activities of the Commercial Press in the early 20th century experienced three stages of learning, consciousness, and maturity. The first phase was marked by the editing and publication of the “Newest Textbook” in 1902. The Commercial Press In the process of compiling textbooks, learn from foreign children ’s literary works, explore the resources of children ’s literature in ancient classics, and accumulate editing and publishing experience; the second phase is marked by the compilation and publication of the "Fairytale" series in 1908. Consciously compile special children's books that are different from textbooks for children's readers; the third stage marks the publication of "Children's Literature" in 1920 and the publication of "The Scarecrow" in 1923, opening up the practice and theory of Chinese children's literature creation Research, most of the children's books, children's literature theoretical works began to be published, and the children's literature publishing industry centered on commercial presses began to take shape. From the perspective of the ontology construction of children's literature, in the publishing activities of children's books in the early 20th century, the Commercial Press gradually clarified the relationship between children's literature, textbooks, and adult literature, so that children's literature had an independent publishing form and explored The publishing model by age of readers highlights the noumenal characteristics of children ’s literature; in the compilation of children ’s works outside the territory, it explores the localization of children ’s literature, establishes the aesthetic standards of Chinese children ’s literature, and promotes the consciousness of stylistic concepts; In the writing and creation of children's literature, it has shaped the enlightening educational character of Chinese children's literature and the aesthetic character of "childlike innocence", "beauty" and "truth"; from the perspective of cultural ecology, the Commercial Press With its cultural influence and mature business operation model, it has established and cultivated an excellent team of children's literature creation; it has formed a group of children's literature readers who love reading and writing and have certain media literacy; it will publish the market, schools and The libraries are connected to form a relatively complete communication mechanism. From the production, dissemination and acceptance links, it has promoted the formation of a "literary field" during the period of Chinese children's literature.