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China in 1911

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Submitted By sunnyxia
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During the time period from 1898 to 1911 to 1919, the Chinese intellectuals worked really hard to save China from being colonized by western countries. In general, they are all defined as the pioneers of the ideological liberation movement, however, they are different in some ways. ‘Wu Xu Bianfa’ which is also called the Reform Movement of 1898 or ‘Hundred Days’ Reform’ always regarded as the first enlightenment movement in China. Though it ended in failure, it started a new ideological generation. Liang Qichao and Kang Youwei are the representatives of this movement, their proposition of this movement is to use the foreign technology and science along with the classic imperial system. In this generation, the Chinese intellectuals began to question about the tradition, however they were taught by the traditional way. As a result of this, they try to save the tradition with adding new things in it. Unfortunately, it didn’t work in China. The Xin Hai Revolution, broke out in 1911, is regarded as the end of the Qing Dynasty. People defined this revolution as a half successful movement, because even though it ended the Qing Dynasty and the feudal system, it didn’t change the situation which China faced at that time. Sun Zhongshan, is one of the most famous person during this period. Most of the Chinese intellectuals at this time is the hider of the tradition, the majority of them had the experience of study abroad, and they brought new ideas back to China, they tried to spread the idea of freedom and science in the society. However, they also failed to change the society. As a result, they became to teach these new ideas at school, and began to focus on the new generation. The May 4th Movement in 1919 was the beginning of the Chinese New Culture Movement, it was also the beginning of the New Democracy. This ideological emancipation movement waked up the people who were in the ‘iron house’. The Chinese intellectuals of the May 4th Movement were very initiative. These intellectuals were the disciples of the 1911 generation; they were taught by an integration of Chinese and Western culture; they knew they have the mission of changing China’s situation. As a result, the May 4th Movement was quite successful, somehow, it changed Chinese people’s mind. Even though these three generations of Chinese intellectuals are different in some ways, the ultimately goal of all these three generation are the same, that is try to change China’s current situation at that time. Today, we regard all of them as national heroes.

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