as the leaders believe this is the trade lacking in the country. In terms of an economy, Modernization includes the realization and openness towards science and technology. The investment into science and technology impacts traditional values and brings new ideas to health, trade, technological development, supply chains and much more. Politically, the process of Modernization alters the decision making of certain regulations and law. In addition, the participation of people and specific events sets a precedent for future individuals. By becoming more accepting of citizens’ opinions, Modernization leads to a more democratic consciousness among people. As China traverses through modernization, new questions arise such as “What is the difference between Westernization and Modernization?” and “Do the benefits of modernity outweigh the opportunity costs?”.
The 1900s was an era where many intellectuals challenged Chinese society and its leadership.
Zou Rong, a revolutionary marty of the anti-Qing movement, studied the Japanese way of modernization at an early age and published many essays on how to free the Chinese from the Manchus. In “The Revolutionary Army”, Rong lists many proposals for countrymen to consider: “Drive out Manchus who live in China or kill them to take revenge”, “Such freedoms as the freedom of speech, thought, and publication cannot be violated”(Rong, 200). Rong believed that the Qing’s government was an obstacle to China’s path towards Modernity. Due to calls to overthrow the Qing’s system, Rong was arrested and later died due to illness at the age of 20. In a time where intellectuals could be arrested for speaking their minds, Rong’s influence set off a precedent for future intellectuals challenging the norms of Chinese …show more content…
society.
Another attempt to challenge the Qing dynasty and to advocate for the liberation of Chinese women was by Qiu Jin, or China’s ‘Joan of Arc’. In “An Address to My Two Hundred Million Women Compatriots In China”, Jin brings upon her listeners, or women, to become independent of men and to strive towards modernity: “If you have a good husband who wants to establish a modern school, you should not stop him, and if you have a worthy son who wants to study overseas, you should not stop him”(Jin, 187). Jin argues that in order to improve the lives of women and to abolish practices such as foot binding , women must not “content to be lazy and take it easy”. On 1907, Jin was beheaded publicly due to refusing to release information about a planned uprising. Jin’s tenacious belief of women’s rights led many Chinese to become resentful of the Qing Dynasty.
The May Fourth Movement’s legacy, or the highest point in the New Culture Movement, influenced the future generation for Chinese Modernity, youth involvement, nationalism, and open mindedness and faith into science and technology. In 1919, it was announced that the Allied powers announced that they would be giving German possessions in the Shandong province to the Japanese instead of China. On May 4th of the same year, thousands of university students and workers came to protest about China’s response and treatment to the Treaty of Versailles after World War 1 in Beijing. They demanded for Chinese independence and called for a change from Confucian values to a society based on democracy. Specifically, they called for an end to the “Twenty One Demands”, the ownership of Shandong, and a boycott of Japanese items. The movement led to a re-building and new branding of Chinese society and culture as well as the birth of intellectuals.
The New Culture Movement involved writers such as Lu Xun abolishing the ideals of Confucianism and the introduction of Western politics and concepts like democracy.
In his essay, “What Happens after Nora Walks Out” by Lu Xun, Lu Xun compares the play “A Doll’s House” to the republic of China. In the play, Nora is living in a house and eventually she is “awakened” to realize that she’s existing in a puppet world. The story ends with Nora walking out of the front door, or an inconclusive decision. Xun states, “Unfortunetly, it’s too difficult to change China: blood will flow just by moving a table or mending a stove. And even if blood does flow, the table isn’t necessarily going to be moved or the mending carried out.”(7). In his essay to the Beijing Women’s National College, Xun refers Nora’s leaving to the existing gender inequalities issues. Xun’s hopelessness for the destiny of China raises questions to women such as “What should we do to fix these issues?”. The tone of the essay almost brings a certain realness to women inequality and sparks a conversation about the future of
China.
To end a lasting tradition and to strive towards modernity requires many revolutionists to entice a discourse among many others. In the 1900s, authors, revolutionists, and supporters functioned together to end the Qing Dynasty. Although, some planned events were not successful, the constant struggle for modernization created a standard and inspired future generation to take action. Many questions were left unanswered but created a discussion to simple terms of what is right, and what is not.