The May Fourth Movement

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Recommended: Chinese communist revolution

Hestia Hyun Sim
HIST 382B Research Paper
7 May 2014
The May Fourth Movement
Many Chinese scholars depict the May Fourth Movement as a very significant movement, considering how it contributed creating a new cultural atmosphere in China. Also, often times, the May Fourth Movement refers to be the birth of Chinese communism. The May Fourth Movement arose by the cause of the Treaty of Versailles and Japanese imperialism; sparkling the Chinese nationalism to fight against the foreign power within the China’s sovereignty. This movement remarks as the beginning of China’s modern period, or the process of transformation from anti-traditionalism to new cultural movement, with intellectuals’ proposal to construct a modern China: including new ideals along with science, democracy, and Chinese nationalism to Chinese youth.
Literature Review
Chen (1970) introduces the May Fourth Movement’s remark as the opening of China’s modern revolution era, and goes on agreeing that it had the idea of both anti-imperialist and anti-warlord. Anti-imperialist ideals emerged from Chinese anger upon Japanese imperialism, against the conditions of ‘Twenty-one Demands’, and mass student demonstrations occurred denouncing the pro-Japanese government, or the weak warlord government (Chen, 1970). The author supports the anti-Japanese ideas by providing evidence of nationwide boycotting of Japanese goods, the general strikes, and refusal of the signing of the Peace Treaty of Versailles nation widely (Chen, 1970). Chen further states that “the movement had served as the dividing line between ‘old democracy’ and ‘new democracy’ in China” (1970). This mobilized demonstrations had awakened consciousness and determination because students’ strikes appeared all over ...

... middle of paper ...

...entions and reflection” (2009). Previously mentioned Chinese Renaissance on the first use of vernacular writing is very important as well as the use of Chinese patriotism (Li, 2014).
Conclusion
The May Fourth Movement did not directly result China to be a communist regime. Indeed, no studies or evidences support the claim of which the May Fourth Movement was inspired by the Soviets or led by the communist leaders. Despite, this movement had awaken Chinese consciousness and new nationalism; moreover, Chinese started to realize the fault of warlord systems, and traditional ways of thinking; being pushed out toward new ways of thinking. Besides, New Youth magazines, Chen Duxiu, and Hu Shi played important roles in the May Fourth Movement in view of how these encouraged Chinese to think outside of box, away from Confucianism, but encouraged to seek and adapt new ideas.

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