Today marks the 90th anniversary of the May Fourth Movement.
It started off as a PKU student-led protest against the decision of the League of Nations at the Pasis Peace Conference in awarding Japan the control of German's concession in Tsingtao. This in turn unleash a series of patriotic protest against the imperial rule and also a debate on how China should be modernized. The two slogans then were Mr. Sai and Mr De - the epithet for science and democracy.
In that 90 years since 1919, China experience three phases, each lasting 30 years. First it was war against invaders and civil strive; the second was Mao's era of internal turmoil; the last is the reform and liberalization.
What has been accomplished in term of science and democracy?
The best answer is probably coming from the SCMP - the anniversary will largely pass unnoticed.
Such is the fate of what is probably the most significant cultural and political event in the last 100 years.
Actually there is a great deal of scientific progress made in China. Even the President Hu is theoretising his governing philosophy introducing the concept of scientific development pespective (科学发展观).
Yet, everything in China yields to politics. Any high profile celebration of the May Fourth Movement may be seen as giving encouragement to the liberal forces. June 4 is only a month away. Further, nothing can take away the glory of the founding of PRC 60 years ago - to be celebrated on October 1.
I am endeavoured to see the PRC as the second republic following the ROC as opposed to a clean break from the past.
Two weeks ago, I visited the little Red Chamber of Wuhan. This was were the first Republican meeting was convened following the successful Xinhai Revolution (辛亥革命) that ended the milenium imperial rule.
There were many unnamed hero but they all belong to the ages.
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When I was back to Hong Kong, my wife brough home from the library the book the Founding Brother by Joseph Ellis.
The most markedly difference between the two revolutions is the almost absence of political violences in the America founding experience.
The only violence among the American founders were the the bullet released in a duel in which Alex Hamilton was struck by Aaron Burr.
In contrast,the violence in China from the inception of the first republic went on for almost 65 years ended only in 1976.
Chimerica or Amechina?
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2 comments:
Let us all spend a moment with the unsung and unnamed heroes who lived and some who perished in the spirit of the May 4th Movement.
KY, thank you for this important post.
May be it get romanticised, but I really admire those idealistic youths as truest patriots who saw China not as it was but as what it could be with modernisation. The only regret is that unlike Japan's Meiji restoration, such progressive forces failed to be matched by benign political forces to bring constructive change to the nation.
Their cause spanned not just science and democracy, but also encompassed liberalism, socialism, social justice, constitutionality, equality - even nationalism - and other progressive ideas.
It shows the power of ideas. A cause based on nothing but "ideas" could inspire an entire people - even when the nation was crushing under feudalism, superstition and narrow-mindedness - spread over violence, chaos, hunger, wretched poverty, corruption, national demise and suffering on a grand scale. In the midst of all that, the May 4th generation created a beautiful period in Chinese consciousness that has not been matched ever since; the passionate flowering of culture, literature, social reform and education.
My own appreciation of the May 4th movement lies with its impact on the overseas Chinese especially in SEAsia. Between 1910-1930s, SEAsia went through a tremendous period of change when Chinese population were growing fast both in number and in wealth. The wealthier members of Chinese society began to devote themselves to starting schools for the community. Different dialect groups started their own study halls. Then 1919 and the May 4th movement came and there was a new consciousness for the "Chinese" nation, people began to look beyond their clans and dialect groups. With the political persecution that followed Chinese intellectuals in 1920s and 30s, large numbers of May 4th generation of educated youths fled China and as exiles and refugees many of them ended up teachers in these new Chinese schools in SEAsia. So in SEAsia, entire generations of childrens of uneducated peasants and coolies suddenly came in contact with some of the intellectual cream of China. And instead of teaching in dialects, these new teachers began teaching in this modern language of one China - plain spoken Mandarin. That is why if the language of my grandparents were dialects, the language of my parents (and their siblings and peers) are all Mandarin. It all happenned within the space of one short generation.
So I disagree that May 4th will be forgotten. Its too soon to tell. I believe once history is recalled in 100 years from now, May 4th could well be seen as the true Chinese revolution of the 20th century. All others were changes of government but I believe May 4th drew a veil over "old" China and brought forth the modern China. A change in the nation is easily bigger than change in its government.
the ceremony held by the CCP yesterday emphasized just the patriotism - so narrow an idea.
i think you comment is more than worthy of a post by itself. I take liberty to post on your behalf.
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