In September 1915, Chen Duxiu founded "Youth" magazine in Shanghai (renamed "New Youth" in September 1916), which was the starting point of the New Culture Movement. In the subsequent historical development, "New Youth" became the centerpiece of the New Culture Movement. In September 1921, "New Youth" announced the suspension of publication, bringing an end to the New Culture Movement. It can be said that "New Youth" runs through the entire process of the New Culture Movement and has always played the most important and fundamental role. The New Culture Movement was an ideological enlightenment movement against feudal culture initiated by a group of patriotic advanced intellectuals with "New Youth" as its main content.
When referring to the "New Culture Movement", Dr. Sun Yat-sen said: "Since the May 4th Movement among Peking University students, the average patriotic young people have all used innovative ideas to prepare for future innovative undertakings; thus, they have flourished , to express their opinions, public opinion from all walks of life in the country unanimously advocated it, and various new publications were organized by enthusiastic young people and came out in succession... This new cultural movement has caused unprecedented changes in the ideological circles in our country today. … If our party wants to achieve success in the revolution, it must rely on changes in thinking, … Therefore, this new cultural movement is actually the most valuable thing.” It can be seen that the new cultural movement is of great significance. So I want to find out its value through understanding and researching this movement.
As the starting point and position of the New Culture Movement, "New Youth" coincided with the closure of "Jiayin" magazine in the year of its founding. It is necessary to mention "Jiayin" here. The political literature of the "Jiayin" school almost became an important literary school in the early years of the Republic of China. However, the writing of this school is neither easy to write nor popular. In terms of practicality, it still has to fail. Therefore, the masters of this school, such as Gao Yihan, Li Dazhao, Li Jiannong, etc., later became the authors of vernacular prose. Hu Shi said that this period of history in which consulting studies struggled to apply itself was an inevitable stage in the transition between old and new literature. Since the authors of "New Youth" at the beginning were almost all the old people of "Jiayin", at the beginning of its publication, it just continued the old route of "Jiayin" and used the logic literature of "Jiayin" style to publish it as "Jiayin". It’s just a Yin style argument.
Therefore, we can see that the early "New Youth" had a strong flavor of the Mandarin Duck and Butterfly School. Moreover, the novels translated by Hu Shi that were published in the early period, such as Daudet's "The Siege of Berlin" and Strindberg's "Love and Bread", were also novels in classical Chinese. Moreover, in China at that time, the response from all walks of life was very cold. Lu Xun said: "At that time, it seemed that not only did no one agree, but also no one opposed it."
One of the most important contents of the early "New Youth" was the literary revolution.
In November 1916, Hu Shi published "Literary Reform" in the fifth volume of the second volume of "New Youth". He first put forward the idea of ??literary reform and advocated the replacement of classical Chinese with vernacular literature and the replacement of imitation with vernacular literature. literature. He put forward 8 suggestions in the article: 1. What you say must be meaningful; 2. Do not imitate the ancients; 3. Pay attention to grammar; 4. Do not make unnecessary complaints; 5. Do not use clichés; 6. Do not use allusions; 7. Do not talk about confrontation; 8. Do not avoid common words and sayings. As for why he opposes classical Chinese, Hu Shi believes that classical Chinese is a "half-dead language" because there are many words in classical Chinese that are still in use today, and there are also some words that have become obsolete. For example, the word "dog" is still used, but the word "dog" is no longer used; "horse riding" is still a daily term, while "horse riding" is a dead word and is actually no longer used.
Immediately afterwards, in response to "Literary Reform", Chen Duxiu wrote "On Literary Revolution" in "New Youth" to openly support the literary revolution, advocate new literature, and oppose old literature. And carried out three major slogans: 1. Overthrow the polished and flattering aristocratic literature; build a civilian and lyrical national literature. 2. Overthrow the stale and extravagant classical literature; build fresh and honest realistic literature. 3. Overthrow the obscure and difficult mountain and forest literature; build clear and popular social literature. and the "three major doctrines": overthrowing aristocratic literature and building national literature; overthrowing classical literature and building realistic literature; overthrowing mountain and forest literature and building social literature.
Subsequently, calls for stylistic reform and literary revolution became increasingly louder.
Hu Shi and many literati at that time called this literary reform the "Renaissance Movement", which was in line with the Italian Renaissance Movement and intended to overthrow feudal literature. Under the call of "New Youth", people with lofty ideals published articles in the magazine to express their progressive opinions. Among them, Lu Xun must be mentioned. In May 1918, Lu Xun's first vernacular novel "Diary of a Madman" was published in "New Youth". This was his first cry during the New Culture Movement that shocked China's ideological circles. This work profoundly criticized and exposed the essence of feudal society and feudal ethics, which immediately aroused strong repercussions in society. This was the first spring thunder of the Chinese literary revolution and the beginning of a new stage in which Lu Xun participated in the New Culture Movement. The article made bloody accusations and ruthless lashings against the cannibalistic feudal ethics, setting an example of combining the form and content of the literary revolution and opening up the path for new Chinese literature. Lu Xun published 54 articles written in vernacular in "New Youth". A large part of his excellent works played a decisive role in the movement and Chinese people at that time.
In this vigorous cultural reform movement, literary reform should be said to have achieved a large degree of victory. Starting from Volume 4, No. 1 (January 1918), "New Youth" switched to vernacular and adopted new punctuation marks. Vernacular writing has a long history, and a large number of excellent vernacular novels have emerged as early as the Ming and Qing Dynasties. However, this is the beginning when vernacular became a language with widespread social influence. After the May 4th Movement in 1919, young people across the country became active. Not only college students, but even middle school students also need to write small newspapers and periodicals to express their opinions. Wherever they found a movable type printing press, they used it to publish tabloids. Between 1919 and 1920, there were about 400 kinds of student publications across the country, all written in the vernacular. In 1920, the Ministry of Education of the Beijing government officially issued a nationwide order that starting in the fall of that year, all first and second grade textbooks in elementary schools must be in vernacular. After 1922, all primary school textbooks must be based on the vernacular.
Let’s explore. One of the reasons why the modern Chinese literary revolution is relatively easy to succeed is that the advantages of China’s living writing itself are enough to promote the success of the movement, because China’s stylistic writing itself is a great and A language with simple grammar. The grammar of vernacular Chinese is simple, sensible and logical. This language can be taught by oneself without a teacher, and there is no need to go to school to learn vernacular. I believe that the widespread promotion of vernacular writing was a major turning point for Chinese people at that time to get rid of the remnants of feudalism ideologically. The promotion of vernacular Chinese plays a promoting role in both literature and politics. Vernacular Chinese is more in line with people's daily thinking and speaking patterns. Those who can write articles have greater enthusiasm to devote themselves to it, and those who can't can easily learn it. This allows more people to find ways to create literary works and express opinions. easy road.
In the second half of the New Culture Movement, it developed into a movement of completely different nature from the first half.
In early 1917, Chen Duxiu became dean of liberal arts at Peking University. During his time at Peking University, Chen Duxiu seemed to have experienced an ideological change. New Youth gradually deviated from the track of avoiding direct political criticism and increasingly criticized the Beiyang government and advocated the launch of mass movements.
In 1917, the October Revolution broke out, and a series of new terms and ideas such as the proletarian party and Marxism were gradually spread to China, attracting the attention of patriots.
In May 1919, the month when the May 4th Movement broke out, Li Dazhao began to publish his long paper "I "The View of Marxism" systematically expounds the three components of Marxism - historical materialism, political economics and scientific socialism. This was the first relatively systematic and complete introduction to Marxism in a Chinese work, and it had an important impact at the time.
After that, Chen Duxiu and other patriotic overseas students also actively spread Marxism. Marxism is gradually becoming known to the people, and they regard it as the guiding light for China's future.
However, the widespread spread of Marxism after the May 4th Movement caused divisions within the New Culture Movement. The May 4th New Culture Movement was an anti-feudal ideological and cultural united front action of communist intellectuals, petty bourgeois intellectuals and bourgeois intellectuals. They agreed with the opposition to feudal ideas and culture, but then As the New Culture Movement developed in depth and Marxism increasingly became the mainstream of the movement, right-wing bourgeois intellectuals such as Hu Shih rose up to oppose the correct direction of the movement.
In order to oppose the transformation of this "cultural movement into a political movement", Hu Shi published the article "Study more issues and talk less about "isms"". The article points out: First, it is extremely easy to talk about pleasant "isms"; second, "isms" that focus on foreign imports are of no use to China's problems. All isms are practical solutions proposed by thoughtful people at a certain time and place to practical problems at that time and place. If we do not conduct on-the-spot research on our own existing social, political and cultural needs, it is useless to just talk about some imported abstraction; thirdly, it is very dangerous to prefer "isms" on paper.
Hu Shi always believed that "since this cultural movement is called the 'Renaissance Movement', it should put aside politics and consciously lay a non-political cultural foundation for New China. We should be committed to what we believe The most basic issues related to Chinese knowledge, culture and education.”
Finally, as the movement deepened, the May Fourth New Cultural United Front sharply differentiated. In 1921.7, the Communist Party of China was formally established in Shanghai. In September of the same year, "New Youth" announced that it would cease publication. The next year, communists represented by Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao founded the "Guide" weekly newspaper to actively promote communism and the anti-imperialist and anti-feudal revolutionary program. Right-wing bourgeois intellectuals represented by Hu Shi founded the weekly newspaper "Effort" to promote the political ideas of bourgeois reformism and oppose the Communist Party of China and the workers and peasants. The new cultural united front composed of the original three groups of intellectuals officially broke down. A group of radical petty bourgeois intellectuals represented by Lu Xun continued to fight against imperialism and feudalism in the cultural field.
The spread of Ma Yi in "New Youth" and the debates on Ma Yi from all sides have promoted its spread and found new hope for China. Without the efforts of activists from all parties, China might not have achieved such great achievements today.
After the suspension of "New Youth" magazine, although the New Culture Movement continued, its momentum was far less than before.
The influence of the New Culture Movement is undoubtedly unprecedented. We can see that even today, people are still paying attention to the New Culture Movement, with both praise and criticism. The focus of criticism is whether it is correct or not in dealing with China's old traditions (national quintessence) and Confucianism, and whether its impact on China is positive or negative.
Propaganda of democracy and science, criticism of Confucianism, and promotion of vernacular literature and literary revolution are the three core propositions of the New Culture Movement. Chen Duxiu believed: "If you want to support Mr. Na De, you have to oppose the ethics, etiquette, chastity, old ethics, and old politics; if you want to support Mr. Na Sai, you have to oppose the old art and old religion; if you want to support Mr. De, you have to oppose To support Mr. Sai, you have to oppose the quintessence of the Chinese nation and old literature." As a result, many contents in our national tradition and Confucianism were ruthlessly criticized by the revolutionaries.
We say that for thousands of years, China’s feudal rulers have used Confucianism as the spiritual pillar of their reactionary rule, poisoning the people for a long time, imprisoning the people’s thoughts, and causing serious consequences for national and social reforms. harm. The New Culture School targets feudal ethics and patriarchal concepts, and Confucius is regarded as "Confucianism", and Confucianism is regarded as "Confucianism" and linked to feudal autocracy. This is undoubtedly correct.
Li Dazhao, Chen Duxiu and others believe that "Confucius is the remains and bones of thousands of years ago; Confucius is the talisman of the autocratic emperors of the past dynasties." "The morality advocated by Confucius, the etiquette taught by Confucius, and the politics advocated by Confucius all maintain the feudal system. Its scope does not exceed the privileges and reputations of a few kings and nobles, but it does not contribute to the happiness of the majority of the people." Coupled with the previous countercurrent following Yuan Shikai's restoration, a reactionary trend of respecting Confucius and restoring ancient ways appeared in society. Therefore, at that time, "Down with Confucius' shop" became a slogan put forward by many literati and scholars. This fierce attitude is undoubtedly historically justified. The positive image of Confucius that had always been formed in the hearts of the Chinese people was shattered.
However, the fierce non-academic attitude of the New Culture School objectively contributed to the cultural sabotage activities against Confucius and Confucianism in reality. As far back as the Spring and Autumn Period, the Confucian school had been formed. Confucius' thoughts have been circulating for thousands of years and have long been the ideology of China's feudal society. The remarks of Confucius and other representatives of Confucianism have long been ingrained in the minds of the Chinese people. People regard the basic doctrines of Confucianism as the standards and constraints for moral behavior. This movement overturned all these standards and the image of Confucius as people's spiritual idol at once, leaving people at a loss as to what to do.
In fact, there are many things in Confucianism that are worthy of reference and learning. This can be seen from the recent resurgence in society of studying the Four Books and Five Classics. In the near future, Confucius should be promoted to another level. He once again exists as the spiritual idol of the Chinese people.
Another aspect of the New Culture Movement that has been criticized by modern people is its attitude towards traditional Chinese culture. Some people vehemently believe that the New Culture Movement "was a total anti-tradition and caused a fault in traditional Chinese culture." I think this movement lacks scientific and specific analysis of certain parts of our country's traditional culture, fails to distinguish the dross from the essence of our ancient culture, and adopts a simple negative attitude towards these traditional cultures. This has caused the lack of some traditional culture in our country, and also caused some people to have a mentality of admiring foreign things. Nowadays, no one pays as much attention to my country's traditional festivals as before. On the contrary, festivals from the West are favored by more and more people.
In any case, the role played by the New Culture Movement in the historical process of our country cannot be ignored and is extremely important. There is a point of view that I think explains the role of this movement well: One of the historical contributions of the May Fourth New Culture Movement is to inject strong criticality into our nation’s thinking, thus making anti-tradition a new tradition . For the development and creation of culture, strong tradition is of course valuable, as it gives us a foothold and starting point for refuge; but anti-tradition is also indispensable, as it gives us the power to criticize and innovate. The key is that neither the thousands of years of tradition nor the criticism of tradition can be allowed to be interrupted. We should accommodate it and synthesize it with an open mind, and let traditional criticism become part of our great tradition.