Peking University, May 9, 2019: Chairman Mao praised Chen Duxiu as the “general commander of the May Fourth Movement”. That praise highlighted his significance in the protest that would shape modern Chinese history. Chen Duxiu’s role, however, predates the movement and began with his work organizing the New Culture Movement which would become the foundation for the protests on May 4, 1919. Here’s a look at some of his most important contributions:
Founding New Youth Journal
In 1915, Chen Duxiu founded Youth, a monthly journal. Although originally based in Shanghai, it would soon move its headquarters to Beijing and be renamed New Youth. On the first page of the magazine’s first edition Chen noted his expectations for the Chinese young people writing:“The youth ought to shoulder the responsibility for the revolution of China.” Those words inspired thousands of Chinese youth to participate in the revolution of the nation and stimulated enthusiasm for the principles of “science” and “democracy”.
Chen Duxiu
Chen used the journal to publicize his thoughts, share his values, and to introduce Chinese readers to advanced knowledge from all over the world. Chen was particularly enamored with France and highly praised French culture, even calling his magazine “La Jeunesse.” Chen also included dozens of articles highlighting the French Revolution and introduced the three main factors of French culture: human rights, evolutionism, and socialism. Those features on French culture and the French Revolution influenced many young people to go to France and study western theories. Chen’s advocacy of the French Revolution also stemmed from his desire to maintain the republican form of government and his belief, at the time, that France was a good example for China.
Promoting the New Culture Movement
The establishment of New Youth is commonly understood as the beginning of the New Culture Movement, but Chen’s ambitions went beyond simply founding a magazine. He yearned for a profound transition of Chinese culture and wanted a just society in which everyone was equal, regardless of their social status. In 1917, Chen was appointed the dean of the School of Letters at Peking University. In his new role, he gathered many great scholars, including Hu Shih, Lu Xun, Li Dazhao and Mao Zedong. With so many great professors and students, Chen and other scholars worked, and would ultimately be successful in prompting long term cultural change in China.
The New Culture Movement was significant both as a literary and social movement. After the chaos of the Beiyang Government, Chen realized that the most important factors to create change were neither economy nor policy, but culture and knowledge. As a result, he promoted the New Culture Movement with a focus on two solutions: political awakening and ethical awakening. The first meant that all the citizens should see themselves as stakeholders in China and thus have the right and obligation to participate in national affairs. The latter advocated the abolishment of transitional ethics and encourage people to embrace modern ethics such as “equality” and “liberty,” which constituted the spirit of the youth at that time. These ideas would be embodied in the popular protests of the May Fourth Movement.
Backing up the May Fourth Movement
After the movement began, Chen was a firm supporter – even when his own safety was threatened. From the first day of protests in May through June, the Weekly Critic, another magazine co-founded by Chen Duxiu along with Li Dazhao, reported on the events of the movement. Having seen numerous students arrested by the government for participating in the movement, Chen could not sit by. In the magazine, Chen published several articles to explain the Qingdao issue, reveal the traitorous actions of the Beiyang government, and the persecution of Beijing students. To raise public awareness about the plight of students in the jail, Chen wrote an article criticizing government tyranny. The piece, “Beijing on June 3rd”, documented the moment when students were arrested by the police. Chen Duxiu’s most sensational performance during the May Fourth Movement, however, was the famous article "Guide to Beijing Citizens", which proposed "the last requirements" of canceling secret agreements with Japan, calling for removal of bureaucrats, and for the guarantee of free speech for citizens. Later on, Chen was arrested for his radical speech while distributing flyers. The incident caused an uproar at that time and even Mao Zedong issued an urgent appeal to support Chen Duxiu, explaining that “Chen is the star of the Chinese culture.”
Chen possessed a deep and profound understanding of the May Fourth Movement Spirit. When asked to explain that spirit, he said that it was all about patriotism and based on the understanding that the heroic deeds of participants were dedicated to improving their country. Furthermore, Chen pointed out two things that differentiated the May Fourth Movement from other patriotic movements. One was “direct action” and the other was “the willingness to sacrifice.” In his opinion, the students and workers did not depend on other social forces but launched the movement on their own and did so with fearless determination in face of death. Chen Duxiu's explanation of the May Fourth Movement Spirit not only offered high praise for the patriotism of the movement but also offered spiritual and ideological encouragement to the youth who had joined the movement.
Incorporating the youth into the Communist Party
As one of the co-founders of the Communist Party of China, Chen was instrumental in bringing several outstanding young people to the party. Those efforts expanded the party and also provided young people with the opportunity to achieve their ideas. As a result of their unique experiences in both the New Culture Movement and the May Fourth Movement, these young people had a deeper understanding of the importance of an organization in the process of reviving the country.
Not only did Chen incorporate young people into the party, but he also directed his thoughts and ideology toward the Chinese Communist Party. After the May Fourth Movement, Chen Duxiu gradually denied the bourgeois democracy and turned to scientific socialism. In December 1919, for example, he explained in his article "Reporting the Beijing Labor Circle" that the democracy of the 18th century was the bourgeoisie's struggle against the feudal class, while the democracy of the 20th century was the struggle for the proletariat . Although Chen had previously advocated for China to emulate Europe and the United States and establish a bourgeois republic, he later abandoned this idea and argued that the idea that bourgeois democracy would bring happiness for the majority was an impractical delusion. Clearly, he had moved to the side of the proletariat and firmly advocated that the transformation of China must follow the revolutionary path guided by Marxism.
Chen was a fearless protester and a great scholar. He rejected traditional culture and regarded Marxism and modern values as the key to reviving China. The magazines he set up and the ideas he propagated were played an important role in sparking cultural transition. Chen was truly an authentic patriot and made a great contribution to the May Fourth Movement and China’s modern history.
Reference:
1.http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Chen_Duxiu
2.https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chen-Duxiu
3.http://www.chenduxiu.net/ReadNews.asp?NewsID=1122
4.https://www.iolaw.org.cn/showNews.aspx?id=29029
5.http://jds.cssn.cn/ztyj/gms/201605/t20160506_3324673.shtml
6.https://m.xzbu.com/1/view-293243.htm
7.https://www.xzbu.com/1/view-11800191.htm
8.http://www.sohu.com/a/238896313_728682
9.http://history.sohu.com/20160519/n450349618.shtml
Written by: Fang Jiangchen
Edited by: Erin Dunne
