The May Fourth Movement, also known as the New Culture Movement, was a period of political and cultural transformation in China that lasted from 1919 to 1923. The movement has a rich and complex history with various interpretations, but it is generally agreed that the movement was initiated by an uneasy reaction to the Versailles Treaty’s decision to place Germany’s territories in China under Japanese control. This act of foreign aggression and humiliation further exacerbated the weakened state of Chinese sovereignty and signified the official opening of the “Century of Humiliation” period for China. As a result, it stimulated a wave of political and social reform throughout the country and launched China onto its new century of modernity.
At its core, the May Fourth Movement was a call for a deep reformation within Chinese society. On the surface, it was a response to the political humiliation of foreign imperialism and the weakening of Chinese sovereignty. But at its core, the May Fourth Movement represented an attempt to redefine the relationship between individual and nation, as well as how individuals could express themselves and their culture. The evolution of discourse on the May Fourth Movement would thus lead to the emergence of New Culture and the articulation of a modern Chinese identity.
The seeds of the May Fourth Movement began to sprout in late 1918, when student protests started to appear in Beijing. At the time, most Chinese intellectuals had become increasingly demoralized by the apparent inability to maintain sovereignty in the face of increasing foreign aggression. The Versailles Treaty seemed to be a final blow to the commitment of Chinese sovereignty and gave way to a feeling of deep humiliation. This sense of humiliation soon evolved into a call for direct action from intellectuals, and protests began to occur in the streets of Beijing. On May 4th, 1919, the protests reached their peak when thousands of students, many of whom had been galvanized by the recent publication of the New Youth magazine, gathered in front of Tiananmen Square and demanded the government take against further foreign encroachment.
The response to the May Fourth Movement was immediate and far-reaching. It certainly became a central force in Chinese politics, with the boycotting of Japanese products, scholars calling for a re-examination of traditional Chinese beliefs and values, and a renewed spirit of nationalism emerging in even the most remote provinces. But its significance goes beyond just political change. On an intellectual level, it was a moment where one could see the beginning of the articulation of a distinctively modern Chinese identity, which drew on traditional Chinese beliefs while emerging into a new and cosmopolitan era.
On the political side, the May Fourth Movement brought about substantive changes in Chinese politics, such as the formation of the Chinese Communist Party in 1921. And though the movement eventually dissipated, it left behind a legacy of intellectual and political reform that shaped the path of China for decades to come.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the writings of New Culture intellectuals like Hu Shi, Chen Duxiu, and Lu Xun challenged traditional Confucian values and argued for a social system based on the notion of equality and human rights. These views eventually influenced the formulation of Mao Zedong’s three principles of the people, which shifted the focus away from traditional ideals and towards a more modernist direction. The creation of this new vision of society also had implications on the Communist movement, allowing it to capture the imagination of the people and provide an ideology that could be used to unify the diverse factions of Chinese society.
The May Fourth Movement also had an immense impact on the world of art and literature. During this period, a group of literary authors known as the “May Fourth Generation” emerged, whose works challenged traditional conventions and explored the changing nature of modern life. Their works soon became so popular that they influenced the development of genres like poetry and short stories, as well as popular literature such as films and plays. This period also saw the rise of consumer culture, as people’s tastes searched for something new and different from what was available from the past.
But perhaps the most lasting legacy of the May Fourth Movement lies in its legacy of cultural revolution. The movement signified the beginning of an era of deep reform and renewal within Chinese culture, one that would lead to the emergence of a unique and distinctly modern Chinese identity. In addition, it opened the door to an era of political and intellectual liberation, which allowed China to explore new possibilities and possibilities for its development.
As a whole, the May Fourth Movement marked an epochal moment in Chinese history. It was a period of great tumult and transformation, but one that ultimately helped to shape the course of modern China. It provided a space for the emergence of a new political, intellectual, and cultural identity, and it sparked a wave of reform that set back Chinese culture by centuries. Despite its various interpretations, the May Fourth Movement helped to shape much of Chinese history in the 20th century and continues to remain an important source of inspiration and reflection for citizens today.