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The May Fourth Movement RedefinedAuthor(s): Joseph T. ChenSource:
Modern Asian Studies,
Vol. 4, No. 1 (1970), pp. 63-81Published by: Cambridge University PressStable URL:
http://www.jstor.org/stable/311753
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ModernAsianStudies,4,I(I970),pp.63-81.Printed inGreatBritain.odernAsianStudies,4,I(I970),pp.63-81.Printed inGreatBritain.odernAsianStudies,4,I(I970),pp.63-81.Printed inGreatBritain.odernAsianStudies,4,I(I970),pp.63-81.Printed inGreatBritain.
TheMayFourthMovementRedefined*
BYJOSEPHT.CHENtITHEMayFourth Movement of1919wasanepochaleventinmodernChinesehistory.Itmarked thebeginningof China's modernrevolu-tionaryera,andanewstageafter theRepublicanRevolutionof1911.Itwas bothanti-imperialistandanti-warlord,andrepresentedthereaction of the Chinesepeopleto the turbulent new forces unleashedbytheFirst WorldWar.InspecificprotestagainstthetermsoftheVersailles PeaceTreatyastheyaffectedChina,andagainstthe terms ofJapan'sinfamous'Twenty-oneDemands',hugestudentdemonstra-tionswere heldinPekingon4May919to denouncethepro-JapanesePeking government.Thisrevolutionarytide soonspreadrapidlythrough-outChina,spearheadingarapid growthofmass consciousness andculturalchange,andculminatinginthefoundingofthe Chinese Com-munistPartyin192I,inthereorganizationoftheKuomintangin1924,and theestablishmentof aunited frontbetween theKuomintangandtheChineseCommunistParty.Itis thevery importanceof theMayFourthMovement(MFM)as well as its manifoldrepercussionsandramifications,whichhavecomplicatedtheproblemsofdefining,inter-preting,andevaluatingthe movementperse. The definition ofits truenature andcharacter,the clearidentification of itsactualleadership,andtherealisticappraisalof itsscopeandachievements have allbecomematters ofdispute.Ideologicalcommitment,politicalties,orprofessionalinteresthave toooften cloudedtheobjectivityofindividualswhohave studiedthemovement-and hence theirinterpretationsofit.InthispaperIshalltrytoclarifycertainpointsofview aboutthenature of themovement andtoestablish a basisuponwhichtheMFMmaybeunderstood asneitherthe sameas theNew CultureMovement(NCM),nor,asallegedbysome ofthe Communistwriters,amovementinspired bytheRussianRevolution and ledbytheCommunistintelli-gentsia.Rather,it isprimarilyapatrioticprotestmovement of the*Much oftheresearchuponwhich thispaperisbasedwas madepossiblebyasummerresearchgrantfromtheJointCommitteeonContemporaryChina ofthe
SocialScienceResearchCouncil(I965).
tJosephT. ChenisAssociateProfessorntheDepartmentofHistoryatthe SanFernandoValleyStateCollege,California.
TheMayFourthMovementRedefined*
BYJOSEPHT.CHENtITHEMayFourth Movement of1919wasanepochaleventinmodernChinesehistory.Itmarked thebeginningof China's modernrevolu-tionaryera,andanewstageafter theRepublicanRevolutionof1911.Itwas bothanti-imperialistandanti-warlord,andrepresentedthereaction of the Chinesepeopleto the turbulent new forces unleashedbytheFirst WorldWar.InspecificprotestagainstthetermsoftheVersailles PeaceTreatyastheyaffectedChina,andagainstthe terms ofJapan'sinfamous'Twenty-oneDemands',hugestudentdemonstra-tionswere heldinPekingon4May919to denouncethepro-JapanesePeking government.Thisrevolutionarytide soonspreadrapidlythrough-outChina,spearheadingarapid growthofmass consciousness andculturalchange,andculminatinginthefoundingofthe Chinese Com-munistPartyin192I,inthereorganizationoftheKuomintangin1924,and theestablishmentof aunited frontbetween theKuomintangandtheChineseCommunistParty.Itis thevery importanceof theMayFourthMovement(MFM)as well as its manifoldrepercussionsandramifications,whichhavecomplicatedtheproblemsofdefining,inter-preting,andevaluatingthe movementperse. The definition ofits truenature andcharacter,the clearidentification of itsactualleadership,andtherealisticappraisalof itsscopeandachievements have allbecomematters ofdispute.Ideologicalcommitment,politicalties,orprofessionalinteresthave toooften cloudedtheobjectivityofindividualswhohave studiedthemovement-and hence theirinterpretationsofit.InthispaperIshalltrytoclarifycertainpointsofview aboutthenature of themovement andtoestablish a basisuponwhichtheMFMmaybeunderstood asneitherthe sameas theNew CultureMovement(NCM),nor,asallegedbysome ofthe Communistwriters,amovementinspired bytheRussianRevolution and ledbytheCommunistintelli-gentsia.Rather,it isprimarilyapatrioticprotestmovement of the*Much oftheresearchuponwhich thispaperisbasedwas madepossiblebyasummerresearchgrantfromtheJointCommitteeonContemporaryChina ofthe
SocialScienceResearchCouncil(I965).
tJosephT. ChenisAssociateProfessorntheDepartmentofHistoryatthe SanFernandoValleyStateCollege,California.
TheMayFourthMovementRedefined*
BYJOSEPHT.CHENtITHEMayFourth Movement of1919wasanepochaleventinmodernChinesehistory.Itmarked thebeginningof China's modernrevolu-tionaryera,andanewstageafter theRepublicanRevolutionof1911.Itwas bothanti-imperialistandanti-warlord,andrepresentedthereaction of the Chinesepeopleto the turbulent new forces unleashedbytheFirst WorldWar.InspecificprotestagainstthetermsoftheVersailles PeaceTreatyastheyaffectedChina,andagainstthe terms ofJapan'sinfamous'Twenty-oneDemands',hugestudentdemonstra-tionswere heldinPekingon4May919to denouncethepro-JapanesePeking government.Thisrevolutionarytide soonspreadrapidlythrough-outChina,spearheadingarapid growthofmass consciousness andculturalchange,andculminatinginthefoundingofthe Chinese Com-munistPartyin192I,inthereorganizationoftheKuomintangin1924,and theestablishmentof aunited frontbetween theKuomintangandtheChineseCommunistParty.Itis thevery importanceof theMayFourthMovement(MFM)as well as its manifoldrepercussionsandramifications,whichhavecomplicatedtheproblemsofdefining,inter-preting,andevaluatingthe movementperse. The definition ofits truenature andcharacter,the clearidentification of itsactualleadership,andtherealisticappraisalof itsscopeandachievements have allbecomematters ofdispute.Ideologicalcommitment,politicalties,orprofessionalinteresthave toooften cloudedtheobjectivityofindividualswhohave studiedthemovement-and hence theirinterpretationsofit.InthispaperIshalltrytoclarifycertainpointsofview aboutthenature of themovement andtoestablish a basisuponwhichtheMFMmaybeunderstood asneitherthe sameas theNew CultureMovement(NCM),nor,asallegedbysome ofthe Communistwriters,amovementinspired bytheRussianRevolution and ledbytheCommunistintelli-gentsia.Rather,it isprimarilyapatrioticprotestmovement of the*Much oftheresearchuponwhich thispaperisbasedwas madepossiblebyasummerresearchgrantfromtheJointCommitteeonContemporaryChina ofthe
SocialScienceResearchCouncil(I965).
tJosephT. ChenisAssociateProfessorntheDepartmentofHistoryatthe SanFernandoValleyStateCollege,California.
TheMayFourthMovementRedefined*
BYJOSEPHT.CHENtITHEMayFourth Movement of1919wasanepochaleventinmodernChinesehistory.Itmarked thebeginningof China's modernrevolu-tionaryera,andanewstageafter theRepublicanRevolutionof1911.Itwas bothanti-imperialistandanti-warlord,andrepresentedthereaction of the Chinesepeopleto the turbulent new forces unleashedbytheFirst WorldWar.InspecificprotestagainstthetermsoftheVersailles PeaceTreatyastheyaffectedChina,andagainstthe terms ofJapan'sinfamous'Twenty-oneDemands',hugestudentdemonstra-tionswere heldinPekingon4May919to denouncethepro-JapanesePeking government.Thisrevolutionarytide soonspreadrapidlythrough-outChina,spearheadingarapid growthofmass consciousness andculturalchange,andculminatinginthefoundingofthe Chinese Com-munistPartyin192I,inthereorganizationoftheKuomintangin1924,and theestablishmentof aunited frontbetween theKuomintangandtheChineseCommunistParty.Itis thevery importanceof theMayFourthMovement(MFM)as well as its manifoldrepercussionsandramifications,whichhavecomplicatedtheproblemsofdefining,inter-preting,andevaluatingthe movementperse. The definition ofits truenature andcharacter,the clearidentification of itsactualleadership,andtherealisticappraisalof itsscopeandachievements have allbecomematters ofdispute.Ideologicalcommitment,politicalties,orprofessionalinteresthave toooften cloudedtheobjectivityofindividualswhohave studiedthemovement-and hence theirinterpretationsofit.InthispaperIshalltrytoclarifycertainpointsofview aboutthenature of themovement andtoestablish a basisuponwhichtheMFMmaybeunderstood asneitherthe sameas theNew CultureMovement(NCM),nor,asallegedbysome ofthe Communistwriters,amovementinspired bytheRussianRevolution and ledbytheCommunistintelli-gentsia.Rather,it isprimarilyapatrioticprotestmovement of the*Much oftheresearchuponwhich thispaperisbasedwas madepossiblebyasummerresearchgrantfromtheJointCommitteeonContemporaryChina ofthe
SocialScienceResearchCouncil(I965).
tJosephT. ChenisAssociateProfessorntheDepartmentofHistoryatthe SanFernandoValleyStateCollege,California.
 
JOSEPHT.CHENJOSEPHT.CHENJOSEPHT.CHENJOSEPHT.CHEN
Chinesepeoplefor directpoliticalaction,and in its collaborationwiththenewcultural'thought'movement,renderedaninvaluable servicetothefinal dissolutionofold Chinese traditionandthe birthof atrueChinesenation.IIThemisconceptionoftheMFM assynonymouswith the NCMbegan,Ibelieve,with the earliestliberalorindependentview of theMFM,oratleast theculturalaspectsoftheMFM,asa'ChineseRenaissance'.1 AsearlyasI915aleadingShanghai journalist, Huang Yuan-yung,hadbegunefforts topromotea newliteraturewhich would'bringChinesethoughtintodirectcontact with thecontemporarythoughtoftheworld,therebytoaccelerateits radicalawakening'.2ThisideaofreformingChineseliteratureinaccordancewithWesternmodels soon receivedfavourableresponsesfromChina'sleading youngintellectuals-menlikeCh'enTu-hsiu,LiTa-chao,andHu Shih.Theirsubsequentefforts tobringabout theadoptionofthevernacularinwriting,andto introduceWesternthoughttoChina,hadgraduallybroughtaboutgreatadvancesintheawakeningoftheChinese intellectualsall over thecountry.Soontherewasarapidexpansionof Chinesepublicationsof newbooks,translationsandperiodicals,and agrowingenthusiasmfornewthoughtsand newideasamongtheChineseyouth.By1919aChineseRenaissancewastrulyinthemaking.3However,thissignificantphenomenonofculturalandsocialchangeinthisperiodtookplacepriortotheoccurrence of theMayFourthIncident.Whenthescholars later referred to thisphenomenon, clearlytheywerenotreally discussingtheMFM,butthe
NCM,4
whichrejected
1Toacertaindegree,thecharacteristicsof China'snewculturemovementresembled those of theEuropeanRenaissance,namely:(a)bothfacedsemi-medievaleconomicand socialconditions;(b)both facedthe vernacularproblem; (c)bothexpressedthe need toemancipatetheindividual from thebondageoftraditionalideas,institutions andcustoms.SeeChowTse-tsung,TheMayFourthMovement,Cambridge,Massachusetts,
I960,
pp.338-9.
2
Huangremarked that'the basic idealsofworldthoughtmustbe relatedtothelife oftheaverageman.The methodseemstoconsistinusingsimple (plain)andsimplifiedlanguageandliteratureforwidedisseminationof theideasamongthepeople.Havewenot seen thathistoriansregardtheRenaissance asthefoundationoftheoverthrowofmediavalisminEurope?'Ibid.,p.272.
3
BothCh'en Tu-hsiuand HuShih,throughtheirwritingsduringtheperiod195-18,expressedinHsinch'ing-nienNewYouth)theirfeelingsthat aChinese Renaissancewas inthemaking,andtheypointedout thesimilaritybetweenthecurrent ChineseliterarymovementandtheRenaissanceinEurope.
4
Thedesignation'NewCulture Movement'gainedcommonusagein thehalf-year
Chinesepeoplefor directpoliticalaction,and in its collaborationwiththenewcultural'thought'movement,renderedaninvaluable servicetothefinal dissolutionofold Chinese traditionandthe birthof atrueChinesenation.IIThemisconceptionoftheMFM assynonymouswith the NCMbegan,Ibelieve,with the earliestliberalorindependentview of theMFM,oratleast theculturalaspectsoftheMFM,asa'ChineseRenaissance'.1 AsearlyasI915aleadingShanghai journalist, Huang Yuan-yung,hadbegunefforts topromotea newliteraturewhich would'bringChinesethoughtintodirectcontact with thecontemporarythoughtoftheworld,therebytoaccelerateits radicalawakening'.2ThisideaofreformingChineseliteratureinaccordancewithWesternmodels soon receivedfavourableresponsesfromChina'sleading youngintellectuals-menlikeCh'enTu-hsiu,LiTa-chao,andHu Shih.Theirsubsequentefforts tobringabout theadoptionofthevernacularinwriting,andto introduceWesternthoughttoChina,hadgraduallybroughtaboutgreatadvancesintheawakeningoftheChinese intellectualsall over thecountry.Soontherewasarapidexpansionof Chinesepublicationsof newbooks,translationsandperiodicals,and agrowingenthusiasmfornewthoughtsand newideasamongtheChineseyouth.By1919aChineseRenaissancewastrulyinthemaking.3However,thissignificantphenomenonofculturalandsocialchangeinthisperiodtookplacepriortotheoccurrence of theMayFourthIncident.Whenthescholars later referred to thisphenomenon, clearlytheywerenotreally discussingtheMFM,butthe
NCM,4
whichrejected
1Toacertaindegree,thecharacteristicsof China'snewculturemovementresembled those of theEuropeanRenaissance,namely:(a)bothfacedsemi-medievaleconomicand socialconditions;(b)both facedthe vernacularproblem; (c)bothexpressedthe need toemancipatetheindividual from thebondageoftraditionalideas,institutions andcustoms.SeeChowTse-tsung,TheMayFourthMovement,Cambridge,Massachusetts,
I960,
pp.338-9.
2
Huangremarked that'the basic idealsofworldthoughtmustbe relatedtothelife oftheaverageman.The methodseemstoconsistinusingsimple (plain)andsimplifiedlanguageandliteratureforwidedisseminationof theideasamongthepeople.Havewenot seen thathistoriansregardtheRenaissance asthefoundationoftheoverthrowofmediavalisminEurope?'Ibid.,p.272.
3
BothCh'en Tu-hsiuand HuShih,throughtheirwritingsduringtheperiod195-18,expressedinHsinch'ing-nienNewYouth)theirfeelingsthat aChinese Renaissancewas inthemaking,andtheypointedout thesimilaritybetweenthecurrent ChineseliterarymovementandtheRenaissanceinEurope.
4
Thedesignation'NewCulture Movement'gainedcommonusagein thehalf-year
Chinesepeoplefor directpoliticalaction,and in its collaborationwiththenewcultural'thought'movement,renderedaninvaluable servicetothefinal dissolutionofold Chinese traditionandthe birthof atrueChinesenation.IIThemisconceptionoftheMFM assynonymouswith the NCMbegan,Ibelieve,with the earliestliberalorindependentview of theMFM,oratleast theculturalaspectsoftheMFM,asa'ChineseRenaissance'.1 AsearlyasI915aleadingShanghai journalist, Huang Yuan-yung,hadbegunefforts topromotea newliteraturewhich would'bringChinesethoughtintodirectcontact with thecontemporarythoughtoftheworld,therebytoaccelerateits radicalawakening'.2ThisideaofreformingChineseliteratureinaccordancewithWesternmodels soon receivedfavourableresponsesfromChina'sleading youngintellectuals-menlikeCh'enTu-hsiu,LiTa-chao,andHu Shih.Theirsubsequentefforts tobringabout theadoptionofthevernacularinwriting,andto introduceWesternthoughttoChina,hadgraduallybroughtaboutgreatadvancesintheawakeningoftheChinese intellectualsall over thecountry.Soontherewasarapidexpansionof Chinesepublicationsof newbooks,translationsandperiodicals,and agrowingenthusiasmfornewthoughtsand newideasamongtheChineseyouth.By1919aChineseRenaissancewastrulyinthemaking.3However,thissignificantphenomenonofculturalandsocialchangeinthisperiodtookplacepriortotheoccurrence of theMayFourthIncident.Whenthescholars later referred to thisphenomenon, clearlytheywerenotreally discussingtheMFM,butthe
NCM,4
whichrejected
1Toacertaindegree,thecharacteristicsof China'snewculturemovementresembled those of theEuropeanRenaissance,namely:(a)bothfacedsemi-medievaleconomicand socialconditions;(b)both facedthe vernacularproblem; (c)bothexpressedthe need toemancipatetheindividual from thebondageoftraditionalideas,institutions andcustoms.SeeChowTse-tsung,TheMayFourthMovement,Cambridge,Massachusetts,
I960,
pp.338-9.
2
Huangremarked that'the basic idealsofworldthoughtmustbe relatedtothelife oftheaverageman.The methodseemstoconsistinusingsimple (plain)andsimplifiedlanguageandliteratureforwidedisseminationof theideasamongthepeople.Havewenot seen thathistoriansregardtheRenaissance asthefoundationoftheoverthrowofmediavalisminEurope?'Ibid.,p.272.
3
BothCh'en Tu-hsiuand HuShih,throughtheirwritingsduringtheperiod195-18,expressedinHsinch'ing-nienNewYouth)theirfeelingsthat aChinese Renaissancewas inthemaking,andtheypointedout thesimilaritybetweenthecurrent ChineseliterarymovementandtheRenaissanceinEurope.
4
Thedesignation'NewCulture Movement'gainedcommonusagein thehalf-year
Chinesepeoplefor directpoliticalaction,and in its collaborationwiththenewcultural'thought'movement,renderedaninvaluable servicetothefinal dissolutionofold Chinese traditionandthe birthof atrueChinesenation.IIThemisconceptionoftheMFM assynonymouswith the NCMbegan,Ibelieve,with the earliestliberalorindependentview of theMFM,oratleast theculturalaspectsoftheMFM,asa'ChineseRenaissance'.1 AsearlyasI915aleadingShanghai journalist, Huang Yuan-yung,hadbegunefforts topromotea newliteraturewhich would'bringChinesethoughtintodirectcontact with thecontemporarythoughtoftheworld,therebytoaccelerateits radicalawakening'.2ThisideaofreformingChineseliteratureinaccordancewithWesternmodels soon receivedfavourableresponsesfromChina'sleading youngintellectuals-menlikeCh'enTu-hsiu,LiTa-chao,andHu Shih.Theirsubsequentefforts tobringabout theadoptionofthevernacularinwriting,andto introduceWesternthoughttoChina,hadgraduallybroughtaboutgreatadvancesintheawakeningoftheChinese intellectualsall over thecountry.Soontherewasarapidexpansionof Chinesepublicationsof newbooks,translationsandperiodicals,and agrowingenthusiasmfornewthoughtsand newideasamongtheChineseyouth.By1919aChineseRenaissancewastrulyinthemaking.3However,thissignificantphenomenonofculturalandsocialchangeinthisperiodtookplacepriortotheoccurrence of theMayFourthIncident.Whenthescholars later referred to thisphenomenon, clearlytheywerenotreally discussingtheMFM,butthe
NCM,4
whichrejected
1Toacertaindegree,thecharacteristicsof China'snewculturemovementresembled those of theEuropeanRenaissance,namely:(a)bothfacedsemi-medievaleconomicand socialconditions;(b)both facedthe vernacularproblem; (c)bothexpressedthe need toemancipatetheindividual from thebondageoftraditionalideas,institutions andcustoms.SeeChowTse-tsung,TheMayFourthMovement,Cambridge,Massachusetts,
I960,
pp.338-9.
2
Huangremarked that'the basic idealsofworldthoughtmustbe relatedtothelife oftheaverageman.The methodseemstoconsistinusingsimple (plain)andsimplifiedlanguageandliteratureforwidedisseminationof theideasamongthepeople.Havewenot seen thathistoriansregardtheRenaissance asthefoundationoftheoverthrowofmediavalisminEurope?'Ibid.,p.272.
3
BothCh'en Tu-hsiuand HuShih,throughtheirwritingsduringtheperiod195-18,expressedinHsinch'ing-nienNewYouth)theirfeelingsthat aChinese Renaissancewas inthemaking,andtheypointedout thesimilaritybetweenthecurrent ChineseliterarymovementandtheRenaissanceinEurope.
4
Thedesignation'NewCulture Movement'gainedcommonusagein thehalf-year
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