"Who is the hero of the arrogant and unrestrained - A study of the New Youth Society as a literary association"

Author: Zhuang Sen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Zhang Shizhao proposed in Jiyin that the "only awakening" we should pursue in the future was "political awakening," highly valuing the "spirit of the political foundation." The Youth Magazine inherited this emphasis on the spirit of the political foundation from Jiyin. On the surface, it emphasized "not discussing politics" and did not directly comment on current affairs, but aimed to implement the spirit of the political foundation more specifically in young people through the infusion of academic theories. It promoted Western new thoughts and ideas such as individualism to young people, guided them in learning the "way of self-cultivation and governing the state," and fundamentally improved the consciousness of citizens. When The Youth Magazine was first launched, Yuan Shikai was dreaming of becoming an emperor. In the announcement of the first issue of The Youth Magazine, Chen Duxiu explicitly declared: "The national strength is declining, the way is declining, and learning is decadent. The responsibility of the future lies with the youth. The purpose of this journal is to discuss with the young people the way of self-cultivation and governing the state." Immediately following the announcement, Chen Duxiu published A Message to the Youth in the first issue, arguing that the rise and fall of a nation depend on the awakening and intelligence of its citizens, and that hope lies with the youth: "What I want to cry out and express is that I hope for fresh, lively youth who can awaken and strive!" He then outlined six criteria to measure such "young people who are quick to awaken and brave in striving," indicating that the purpose of founding The Youth Magazine was to cultivate "new youth": a new type of citizen, and to fundamentally explore the path to saving China. At this time, Chen Duxiu's "new youth" was still "based on the individual," and had not yet surpassed Liang Qichao's theory of "renewing the people." Chen Duxiu also discussed the six "ways of self-cultivation and governing the state" for the "new youth": "autonomous, not servile," "progressive, not conservative," "enterprising, not reclusive," "worldly, not isolated," "pragmatic, not nominal," and "scientific, not imaginative." He loudly called for: "If the people of our country want to break free from the age of ignorance and avoid being shallow and ignorant, they must quickly catch up and give equal importance to science and human rights." He emphasized that science and human rights are "like the two wheels of a boat and carriage."
Chen Duxiu's emphasis on these "ways of self-cultivation and governing the state" reflects a human rights equality view based on the individual in terms of political form, an evolutionary belief in terms of social and historical view, an enterprising spirit in terms of life view, a concept of connection with the world in terms of national view, a utilitarian concept in terms of ethical view, and a scientific concept in terms of belief view. Essentially, it is a complete negation of traditional Chinese political culture, a thorough excavation of the ideological and cultural foundation of Yuan Shikai's restoration of the monarchy, and a preliminary raising of the banner of the "anti-traditionalism" and "science" and "democracy" of the New Culture Movement.
Gao Yihan's The Republic and the Consciousness of Youth even more directly declared in his critique of the fundamental requirements of civic quality: "In any country, if one wants to slightly consider the principles of establishing a state to seek long-term stability and peace, it is inevitable that civil rights will be the essence." Gao Yihan's words were certainly directed at the restoration of the monarchy by Yuan Shikai. Chen Duxiu also refuted the absurdity of the monarchy in the form of "correspondence" and a "record of domestic major events." Therefore, The Youth Magazine did not actually avoid politics.
The Youth Magazine focused on "transforming the thoughts of youth," promoting Western democratic politics and new thoughts and ideas to young people to improve their "ways of self-cultivation and governing the state." While cultivating a generation of youth with modern democratic political awareness, it further concretized the "political awakening" of Jiyin as the "ethical awakening" of youth.
Chen Duxiu inherited Zhang Shizhao's political philosophy, pointing out that even if the majority of citizens achieved "political awakening," it was merely the first step in possessing the "true spirit" of a republic. The most important step after that for the majority of citizens to achieve the "true spirit" of a republic was "ethical awakening." Because only with "political awakening" and without "ethical awakening," "constitutional monarchy" would not be "born from the consciousness and initiative of the majority of citizens—it would be a false republic, a false constitution."
Chen Duxiu further emphasized: Since Western civilization was introduced into our country, the first thing that awakened us was learning, which is now known throughout the country; second was politics, which has proven over the years that it cannot maintain stagnation and preservation. From now on, what the people of our country doubt and are undecided about should be ethical issues. If one cannot awaken to this, then what was previously called "awakening" is not a thorough awakening—it is still in a state of confusion and uncertainty. I dare to say: "Ethical awakening is the last awakening after the last awakening."
Chen Duxiu inherited Zhang Shizhao's thoughts, proposing that after the Xinhai Revolution, the people of our country had already achieved political awakening. The reason why the republic was still "in a state of confusion and uncertainty" was entirely because the people of our country had not yet achieved ethical awakening, and he further concretized the "political awakening" as the "ethical awakening" of youth. Therefore, The Youth Magazine placed the cultivation of youth at the forefront, guiding them in governing the state and self-cultivation, and consciously carrying out a revolution in ethical thought.
The editorial purpose of The Youth Magazine was the inheritance and development of the editorial thoughts of Jiyin. P016-017