Lu Xun and the May Fourth Movement
The May Fourth movement happened in May 4th 1919 and was in fact one of one the most pivotal times in the history in China (Goldman, 4). At this time China was one of the most thriving economies in the world with trade, agriculture and culture governed by tradition. Some young students had gone abroad to further their studies. On coming back and influenced by the cultures of the countries in which they had studied they sought to revolutionize the country so that it could become more westernized and democratic (Goldman, 6). Over time people have argued that some hints of imperialism could be detected among the May fourth literature. With the fall of the ruling dynasty just a short time before this period, imperialism and social war were the two external and internal factors that held the country back from rapid development that could have been possible without westernization. Intellectuals like Lu Xun saw the solution for this to be studying and incorporating western cultures that could be used to help the country rise above traditional imperialism and social war (Goldman, 17). Lu Xun and other intellectuals of the time were the reason that China moved away from tradition and embraced aspects of western culture.
Lu Xun was the first intellect to write an article that gathered acclaim among the other intellect that had studied abroad. The reason for this was that after the fall of the dynasty the political atmosphere was accommodative of the alternative possibilities that were not bound by traditional ideologies. This article resonated well with the intellects of the times since it was published in one of the most famous journals of the time. One of the most relevant themes of the May Fourth movement was communalism. Lu Xun was and is still considered to be the person who introduced the country to communalism. This first article called the Atarashiki Mura was one that portrayed the advantages of communalism in a Utopia like manner (Pankaj, 117). This article is considered to be the first literal work of many in the May Fourth movement. It sparked interest among other intellectual who had gone to study abroad and got to see other forms of government that could replace the feudalism way that the country had been subjected to for so long. Without the first article in the May Fourth Movement, communism could not have been established in China.
Another reason that the May Fourth movement did a lot of good for the country was that it was the first major uprising that could transform the country for the better. Former rebellions like the treaty of Versailles portrayed the people as weak entities who could not o much for their country or for themselves. On the other hand, literal works such as the Atarashiki Mura and Regret from the past by Lu Xun showed that the people were the ones that had all the power. For instance the students that had studied abroad like Lu Xun were the pioneers of the movement. Instead of the army leading the demonstrations in former demonstrations, the working class was the ones that led the movement (Mills and Tse-Tsung, 617). Under such pressure, the government had no choice but to do whatever the people wanted. This shows that the May Fourth movement was the birth place of democracy.
Another factor that showed that the May fourth movement was advantageous to the country was the transformation of education. Before 1919, traditional methods of education were adopted throughout the country. This is probable the reason why most intellectuals that started the movement were travelling abroad to further their studies. Intellectuals such as Xun and Hu Shi introduced concepts of science and democracy that replaced traditional educational concepts such as Confucianism. The introduction of science and democracy as educational concepts gave the people the platform in which they could liberate themselves from oppressive educational and political traditions. Traditional concepts were not easily replaced and intellectuals such as Lu Xun described this in his works.
For instance the work “Mad man’s diary” by Li Xun wrote about a mad man who thought that everyone else around him was mad (Chen, 67). Some of the literature in the book was used to describe the state of the nation and the oppressive nature of the government on the people. For instance, the author describes the nation using similes such as “brave as a lion” to portray the savageness of the government and “timid as a rabbit” to show the nature of the people who accepted the traditional rule. At the end of the story, the character tried to convince the rest of the town to partake in cannibalism. The mad man symbolic of the traditional concepts such as feudalisms which was intent on remaining with the old ways that could did not benefit either itself or its citizens. The mad man trying to temp the villagers into cannibalism is implies that the society of the time did not realize its folly. By pointing out the society, Xun and other intellectuals transformed the society into the modern more accommodative society that is today’s China (Chen, 79). The clarity through which the Lu Xun describes his main character shows the intent in which the author tries to discourage the traditional ways such as feudalism that is retrogressive for the society (Pankaj, 117).
Another work of fiction by Lu Xun that addresses the May Fourth movement is “Regret for the past”. This book is about a young couple that is in love and as a result of opposition, runs away so as to move in together. The first theme that is seen from this text is one of westernization. The young couple running away from normal traditions so as to be together symbolizes the youth of the May Fourth, demonstrating in order to move away from traditions that oppressed their country. The author’s description of the contempt that the young couple was facing as they tried to run away symbolizes the opposition that the intellects received as they tried to move the country from traditional concepts to better westernized concepts. The author was using this form of writing to warn the intellectuals about the struggles that they would face in during the revolution they were undertaking. Failure to succeed they would be rejected by the traditional society which they rejected in the first place. Li Xun was instrumental to the May Fourth literature as much as the May Fourth movement was vital in the transformation of China (Chen, 23). The book also does a lot to dispel the criticisms against the fourth literature that say that women were exempt from the May fourth movement. The role the woman plays in the story shows that the movement advocated for the inclusion of women into the society than they were traditionally.
Conclusion
May fourth literature was the turning point for almost all significant aspects. Some of the key areas in the society that the movement made significant impact are education, politics and culture. One of the authors that made a significant impact to this movement was Lu Xun. He wrote the first particle that could be considered to be the beginning of the May Fourth Movement. The literary works that characterized this period did a lot to motivate the people and in so doing bring the change that has moved China from traditional feudalism to modern communism. Thus despite the criticism that faced the movement, it did well for the benefit of both the country and the people.
Works Cited
Chen, Mao. Hermeneutics and the Implied May Fourth Reader: A Study of Hu Shih, Lu Xun and Mao Dun. 1992. Print.
Goldman, Merle. Modern Chinese Literature in the May Fourth Era. Cambridge: Harvard UP, 1977. Print.
Mills, Harriet C., and Chow Tse-Tsung. 'The May Fourth Movement: Intellectual Revolution In Modern China.'. Political Science Quarterly 75.4 (1960): 617. Web.
Pankaj, N.M. 'Lu Xun: A Cultural Movement'. China Report 18.2-3 (1982): 113-120. Web.
