"Who is the hero of the unrestrained pride?" (as a study by the New Youth Society, a literary club)

Author: Zhuang Sen
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Zhang Shizhao proposed in Jiyin that the "only awakening" we should have in the future was "political awakening," placing great emphasis on the "spirit of political fundamentals." The Youth Magazine inherited this focus on the spirit of political fundamentals from Jiyin. While it appeared to emphasize "not discussing politics" and not directly commenting on current affairs, it aimed to implement the spirit of political fundamentals more concretely in young people through the dissemination of academic theories. It promoted Western new thoughts and ideas such as individualism to young people, guiding them in learning the "way of self-cultivation and governing the state," thereby fundamentally improving citizens' sense of awareness. When The Youth Magazine was first launched, Yuan Shikai was dreaming of becoming an emperor. In the ad in the first issue of The Youth Magazine, Chen Duxiu explicitly declared: "The nation is declining, and the way and learning are in decline. The responsibility for the future lies with the youth. The purpose of this journal is to discuss with the youth the way of self-cultivation and governing the state." Immediately following the ad, Chen Duxiu published A Call to the Youth, arguing that the rise or fall of a nation depends on the awakening and intelligence of its citizens, and that hope lies with the youth: "What I want to weep and cry about is only the hope for fresh and lively youth who can awaken and strive!" He then outlined six criteria to measure such "youth who are quick to awaken and brave in striving," indicating that the purpose of founding The Youth Magazine was to cultivate "new youth": new citizens, and to fundamentally explore the path to saving China. At this time, Chen Duxiu's "new youth" was still "individual-centered," 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 enslaved," "progressive, not conservative," "enterprising, not reclusive," "worldly, not isolated," "pragmatic, not hollow," and "scientific, not imaginative." He loudly called for: "If the Chinese people want to break free from the age of ignorance and avoid being shallow and ignorant, they must quickly catch up, placing equal emphasis on science and human rights." He emphasized that science and human rights are "like the two wheels of a boat and a carriage."
Chen Duxiu's emphasis on these "ways of self-cultivation and governing the state" reflects a human rights equality view centered on the individual in terms of political form, an evolutionary belief in terms of social and historical views, an enterprising spirit in terms of life views, a concept of connection with the world in terms of national views, a utilitarian concept in terms of ethical views, and a scientific concept in terms of belief views. Essentially, it was 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 Self-Awakening of Youth even more directly declared in his critique of the fundamental requirements of citizens: "In any country, if one slightly considers 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 anti-democratic tide of Yuan Shikai's monarchy. Chen Duxiu also refuted the fallacy of the monarchy through the form of "correspondence" and a "record of domestic major events." Therefore, The Youth Magazine did not avoid politics in essence.
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" without "ethical awakening," "constitutional monarchy" would not be "born from the conscious and voluntary actions of the majority of citizens—it would be a false republic, a false constitution."
Chen Duxiu further emphasized: Since Western civilization was introduced to our country, the first to awaken us was scholarship, which is now known throughout the country. Next came politics, which has proven over the years that it cannot maintain stagnation and preservation. From now on, what the Chinese people doubt and are undecided about will be ethical issues. If one cannot awaken to this, then the awakenings previously mentioned are not thorough awakenings, and one is still in a state of confusion and uncertainty. I dare say: "Ethical awakening is the last of the last awakenings."
Chen Duxiu inherited Zhang Shizhao's thoughts, proposing that after the Xinhai Revolution, the people's political awakening had already occurred. The reason why the republic was still in a state of confusion and uncertainty was entirely because the people's ethical awakening had not occurred, 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 awakening them to 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