Chen Duxiu 92855 219353289 2008-06-14T20:45:46Z Shoeofdeath 961280 rm <big> {| cellpadding=3px cellspacing=0px width=250px bgcolor=#f7f8ff style="float:right; border:2px solid; margin:5px" | colspan=2 align=center style="border-top:2px solid" | [[Image:Chen.jpg|center|Chen Duxiu]] |- !style="background:#ccf; border-bottom:2px solid" colspan=2|Chen Duxiu |- |align=right style="border-top:1px solid" width=50%|[[Traditional Chinese]]: || style="border-top:1px solid"| 陳獨秀 |- |align=right style="border-top:1px solid"|[[Simplified Chinese]]: || style="border-top:1px solid" | 陈独秀 |- |align=right style="border-top:1px solid"|[[Pinyin]]: || style="border-top:1px solid" | Chén Dúxiù |- |align=right style="border-top:1px solid"|[[Wade-Giles]]: || style="border-top:1px solid" | Ch'en Tu-hsiu |- |align=right style="border-top:3px solid"|Original name: || style="border-top:3px solid" | Qìngtóng (慶同) |- |align=right style="border-top:3px solid"|[[Courtesy name]]: || style="border-top:3px solid"| Zhòngfǔ (仲甫) |- |align=right style="border-top:3px solid"|[[Chinese family name|Family name]]: || style="border-top:3px solid"| [[Chen (surname)|Chen]] (陳) |} {{chinese-name|Chen}} '''Chen Duxiu''' ([[October 8]], [[1879]] &ndash; [[May 27]], [[1942]]) played many different roles in [[Chinese history]]. He was a leading figure in the anti-imperial [[Xinhai Revolution]] and the [[May Fourth Movement]] for Science and Democracy. Along with [[Li Dazhao]], Chen was a co-founder of the [[Chinese Communist Party]] in 1921. He was its first [[Chairman of the Communist Party of China|Chairman]] and first [[General Secretary of the Communist Party of China|General Secretary]]. Chen was an [[educator]], [[philosopher]], and [[politician]]. His [[ancestral home]] was in [[Anqing]] (安慶), [[Anhui]], where he established the influential [[vernacular Chinese]] [[periodical]] ''[[La Jeunesse]]''. ==Chronology== [[Image:Chen2.jpg||right|frame|Chen's caption to this photo read ''Taken in the First Nanjing Prison in the spring of the 26th year of the Republic'' <nowiki>[1937]</nowiki>]] *October 9, 1879: Birth in [[Anqing]], [[Anhui]]. *1879 to 1901: Early life and education in China. *1901 to 1908: Study in Japan, organising Republican revolutionary groups. *1908 to 1911: Working as a teacher. *1911 to 1915: Participation in the [[Xinhai Revolution]], the post-revolution Republican government, the anti-[[Yuan Shikai]] revolution. *1915 to 1920: Leading figure in the [[May Fourth Movement]]. *1920 to 1927: Founding and leading the [[Communist Party of China]] *1927 to 1932: Leading Communist forces participating in the [[Northern Expedition]], conflict with [[Chiang Kai-shek]] leading to the [[April 12 Incident]] and massacre of Communists, conflict with [[Comintern]] leading to expulsion from Communist Party. Becomes leader of [[Troskyist]]s in China. *1932 to 1937: Arrest by [[Kuomintang]] authorities and imprisonment. *1937 to 1942: Retires from public life. *May 27, 1942: Death due to heart attack. == Early life== Chen Duxiu was born in the city of [[Anqing]] (安慶) in [[Anhui]] (安徽) province. His father died when Chen was very young, and he was raised primarily by his grandfather and later by his older brother. Chen had almost no formal education, but his grandfather tutored him in classical Chinese literature, especially the [[Four Books]] (四書) and the [[Five Classics]] (五經). A thorough knowledge of these literary and philosophical works were the pre-requisites for civil service in Imperial China. Chen was an exceptional student, but this lack of formal education resulted in a lifelong tendency to advocate unconventional beliefs and criticize traditional ideas. Chen took and passed the county-level [[imperial examination]] (鄉試) in 1896, but he failed the provincial-level examination (省試) the following year. 1898, he passed the entrance exam and became a student of Qiushi Academy (now [[Zhejiang University]]) in Hangzhou. He moved to [[Shanghai]] in 1900 and then to [[Japan]] in 1901. It was in Japan where Chen became influenced by [[socialism]] and the growing Chinese dissident movement. ==Politics== ===Foundation of the Chinese Communist Party=== {{Infobox_President | name=Chen Duxiu | image= | nationality=[[China|Chinese]] | order=[[General Secretary of the Communist Party of China|1st General Secretary of the Communist Party of China]] | term_start=[[1921]], [[1922]] | term_end=[[1925]], [[1928]] | predecessor=none | successor=[[Xiang Zhongfa]] | birth_date={{birth date|1879|10|8|df=y}} | birth_place= | death_date={{death date and age|1942|5|27|1879|10|8|df=y}} | death_place= | spouse= | party=[[Communist Party of China]] | vice_president= | order2=[[Chairman of the Communist Party of China|1st Chairman of the Communist Party of China]] | term_start2=[[1922]] | term_end2=[[1925]] | predecessor2=none | successor2=[[Mao Zedong]] }} At the turn of the century, the [[Qing Dynasty]] (清朝) had suffered a series of humiliating military defeats against the colonial foreign powers, namely the First [[Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895)]] and the war against the [[Alliance of Eight Nations]] in the 1901 [[Boxer Rebellion]]. At the same time, widespread corruption within the Qing bureaucracy had left the empire in a state of total economic paralysis. Against this background Chen Duxiu became an increasingly influential activist in the revolutionary movement against both foreign imperialism and the Qing government itself. Influenced by his time in Japan, Chen founded the [[Anhui Patriotic Association]] (安徽愛國會) in 1903 and the [[Yuewang Hui]] (岳王會) in 1905. He was an outspoken writer and political leader by the time of the [[Wuchang Uprising]] (武昌起義) of 1911, which led to the abdication of the last Qing emperor and the collapse of the Qing Dynasty. Chen fled to Japan again in 1913 following the short-lived "Second Revolution" of [[Yuan Shikai]] (袁世凱), but returned to China in time to take part in the [[May Fourth Movement]] of 1919. In 1921, Chen Duxiu, [[Li Dazhao]], and other prominent revolutionary leaders founded the [[Chinese Communist Party]] (中国共产党/中國共産黨). Because of more or less biased Chinese historiography and lack of knowledge elsewhere, it has been generally asserted that Chen, Li and the other Chinese radicals of the time (including future chairman [[Mao Zedong]]) formed the CCP out of diligent study of [[Marxist]] theories, inspired by the [[Russian Revolution of 1917]]. However, it is now clear that for this generation of Chinese radicals, Chen included, the road to [[Marxism]] was a long one, with several of their number being more or less [[anarchist]] or [[anarcho-communist]] even at the time of the birth of the Party; several of the prominent members at that time didn't even understand the fundamental premises of [[Marxist]] theory. Because of severe persecution and failed attempts at a more anarchistic social revolution, these prominent Chinese revolutionaries finally turned to communism, and were organized through the influence of a [[Comintern]] advisor by the name of [[Grigori Voitinsky]] who made a tour of China during 1920-21. At the First Congress of the Communist Party in Shanghai, Chen was elected (in absentia) as the party's first general-secretary, and with the assistance of Li Dazhao, he developed what would become a crucial co-operative relationship with the international communist movement, the [[Comintern]]. However, this co-operation with the Comintern would prove to be a problem for the fledgling CCP over the next decade, as aggressive foreign Comintern advisors would try to force policy according to the wishes of Moscow and against the will of many prominent CCP leaders.<ref>[http://www.bartleby.com/65/co/Cominter.html "Comintern"], entry in ''The Columbia Encyclopedia'' (6th edition).</ref> ===Expelled by the Party=== At the direction of the Comintern, Chen and the Chinese Communists formed an alliance with [[Sun Yat-sen]] and the [[Kuomintang]] (Nationalist party; {{zh-tp|t=中國國民黨|p=Guómíndǎng}}) in 1922; almost every prominent member of the CCP was against this decision. China had disintegrated into an era of violent [[warlord era (China)|warlordism]] following the [[Wuchang Uprising]], and the Nationalists were attempting to re-unify the nation under a Republican government. However, Chen became increasingly disillusioned with the Nationalists, which he perceived as rivaling the Qing dynasty in corruption. He also resented the foreign influence of the Comintern over the Chinese Communists. Chen was forced to resign as secretary-general in 1927 due to his dissatisfaction with the Comintern order to disarm during the [[April 12 Incident]], which had led to the deaths of thousands of Communists, and his disagreement with the Comintern's new focus on peasant rebellions. Afterwards, Chen became associated with the [[International Left Opposition]] of [[Leon Trotsky]]. Like Chen, Trotsky opposed many of the policies of the Comintern. Trotsky publicly criticized the Comintern's effort to collaborate with the Nationalists. Chen eventually became the voice of the Trotskyists in China, which caused him to be forced out of the pro-Comintern CCP in 1929. Chen continued to oppose nationalist measures like "New Democracy" and the "Bloc of Four Classes" advocated by [[Mao Zedong]]. In 1932, Chen was arrested by the Nationalist-controlled government during the anti-Communist purges of President [[Chiang Kai-shek]] (Jiǎng Jièshí, 蔣介石, or 蔣中正). Chen was released in 1937, but his political organization had been shattered in interim. The CCP had been almost completely destroyed in the purges. Both the supporters of Chen and the pro-Comintern leaders who opposed him had been either killed or fallen out of favor with the Communist membership. The Chinese Communist Party only managed to survive the purges by fleeing to the Northern frontier in the [[Long March]] of 1934, under the leadership of a new party chairman, [[Mao Zedong]]. Mao and this new generation of communists would lead the party in China for the next fifty years. Chen was one of the few early leaders of the Communist party to survive the turmoil of the 1930s, but he was never able to regain any influence within the party he had founded. For the last decade of his life, he faded into obscurity. Chen later embraced [[liberalism]],{{Fact|date=June 2008}} and refused to side either with the Nationalists or CCP. Chen Duxiu died in 1942 at the age of 62 in [[Sichuan]] province, and is today buried at his birthplace of Anqing. ==Literature== [[Image:The work.jpg||middle|frame|Jinfen Lei (金粉淚), A poem which he wrote in jail.]] ===Writing style=== Chen felt his articles must reflect the needs of society. He believed that the progress of society cannot be achieved without those who accurately report social weaknesses and sicknesses. Chen's articles were always expressive. He criticized the traditional Chinese officials as [[Political corruption|corrupt]] and guilty of other wrongdoing. He was under constant attack and frequently persecuted by conservatives and had to flee to Japan four times. Chen's articles strove to attract publicity, and often arouse discussion by using [[hyperbole]]. For instance, he emphasized his sadness about the backwardness and corruption in China, so that people suffering would be willing to send him their opinions. In ''New Youth'', he even wrote different articles by using different nicknames to form a 'discussion', so that the public could be aroused.{{Fact|date=February 2008}} Chen's newspapers emphasized the responses from the audience. For instance, there were forums and [[citizen]]s' columns in ''New Youth''. On average, there were 6 letters from the public in each publication. Whether in praise or strong opposition, Chen encouraged all to write. He also thought that teamwork was very important in journalism and consequently asked help from many talented authors and journalists, including [[Hu Shih]] and [[Lu Xun]]. ===Journalistic works=== ====''Anhui Suhua Bao''==== On [[March 31]], [[1904]], Chen founded ''[[Anhui Suhua Bao]]'' (安徽俗話報), a newspaper that he established with [[Fang Zhiwu]] (房秩五) and [[Wu Shou]] (吴守) in Tokyo to promote revolutionary ideas using [[vernacular Chinese]], a language which was simpler and easier to read for the general public. While Chen was the chief secretary of the newspaper, the circulation increased from only a thousand copies to more than three times that figure in less than half a year to become one of the most popular [[vernacular Chinese]] newspapers. During 1904 and 1905, a total of twenty-three periodicals were published. Each had 40 pages - about 15,000 words. However, due to political pressures the paper was barred from publishing in 1905. Chen had three main objectives in publishing ''Anhui Suhua Bao'' (安徽俗話報): *To let his villagers (Anhui) keep abreast of the politics of [[Qing Dynasty]]. *To inject knowledge to the readers through vernacular Chinese. *To promote the revolutionary ideas to the public. Chen found out that Chinese often ranked families at a prior position than the country. Furthermore, most of them were in his view too [[superstitious]]. Thus, Chen tried to urge Chinese people to participate in politics through the publication of Anhui Suhua Bao (安徽俗話報). After the sixteenth publication, the newspaper added an extra 16 topics, including military, Chinese philosophy, hygiene, astronomy, etc. Almost all of the added topics were written by Chen. His pen-name was San'ai (三愛). At least 50 articles were published under this name. ====''Tokyo Jiayin Magazine''==== In early 1914, Chen went to Japan and was an editor and wrote critical articles in the ''Tokyo [[Jiayin Magazine]]'' (甲寅雜誌) for [[Zhang Shizhao]] (章士釗). Chen once wrote an article entitled "Self consciousness on patriotism" (愛國心與自覺) which conveyed a strong sense of patriotism and instigated people to fight for their freedom. It spread the idea that those who love their country would spare no pains to protect the country and strive for the rights which the people deserve. This group of people should work together towards the same goal [[harmonious]]ly. The article was threatening to the central government as it tried to arouse the self-consciousness of the Chinese people. This preliminary magazine was released for 10 issues in total before it was stopped from publishing. The magazine was resumed in 1925 in [[Beijing]] with the new name ''[[Tokyo Jiayin Weekly]]'' (甲寅周刊). ====''New Youth'' magazine==== In 1915, Chen started an influential monthly periodical in [[Shanghai]], ''The Youth Magazine'' (青年雜誌), which was renamed ''[[La Jeunesse]]'' (新青年, literally ''New Youth'') from 1916 to 1919. This became one of the most influential magazines in the May Fourth Movement. Chen was the chief editor of this periodical. It was published by [[Qunyi shushe]] (群益書社) and stopped in 1926. The magazine mainly advocated the use of [[plain language]], [[socialism]] and [[Marxism]] and was strongly against [[feudalism]]. Chen in fact had become the Chinese lecturer of [[Chinese literature]] and also the president of the [[school of Arts]] in [[Peking University]](北京大学) since 1917. Having the approval from the principal of the Peking University, Chen collected writings of [[Li Dazhao]] (李大釗), [[Hu Shih]] (胡適), [[Lu Xun]] (鲁迅) and [[Qian Yuan]] (錢沅) etc. In order to expand the editorial department, ''New Youth'' was moved to [[Beijing]]. And in February of the same year, Chen used ''New Youth'' in promoting [[science]], [[democracy]] and new [[literature]], as well as against [[paleography]] and old literature. They advocated the use of [[Scientific method|scientific means]] and [[rationality|rational]] [[Logical argument|proof]]s in judgement and the achievement of [[political]], [[economic]], [[social]] and [[ethic]]al [[democracy]] as their goals. ''New Youth'' was divided into different phases: *1915 to 1918: it opposed the Chinese conservatism (Confucianism) and promoted the development of democracy. So it became the centre of the [[New Culture Movement]]. *1919 to 1921: (until the formation of the Communist Party), its nature turned from democratic to socialist, aiming at promoting Marxism. *1921 to 1926: it became the theoretic base for the Communist Party. ====Other publications==== The Shanghai local government banned the sale of ''Guomin Ribao'' (國民日報) on [[December 1]], [[1903]]. After this, Chen twice planned to found ''[[Aiguo Xinbao]]'' (愛國新報), but failed because of pressure from different groups. Yet, Chen continued to express his discontent towards the government, for instance, when ''[[Anhui Suhua Bao]]'' (安徽俗話報) was published on [[March 31]] [[1904]], Chen was responsible for all editing and distribution. On [[November 27]] [[1918]], Chen started another magazine, the ''[[Weekly Review]]'' (每週評論) with [[Li Dazhao]] (李大釗) so as to criticize politics in a more direct way and to promote democracy, science and new literature (baihua). Chen also edited ''Tokyo Jiayin Magazine'' (甲寅雜誌) and ''Science Magazine'' (科學雜誌). Later, he became the Editor-in-Chief of ''Minli Bao'' (民立報) and ''Shenzhou Daily'' (神州日報). From 1908 to 1910, students at [[Beijing University]], namely [[Deng Zhongxia]] (鄧中夏) and [[Xu Deheng]] (許德珩) founded the [[Guomin magazine|''Guomin'' magazine]] (國民雜誌) and invited [[Li Dazhao]] (李大釗) as consultant. From 1912 to 1913, Chen asked for assistance from [[Luo Jialun]] (羅家倫) and [[Fu Sinian]] (傅斯年) and they founded ''[[Xinchao She]]'' (新潮社). ====Chen's contribution to Chinese journalism==== Chen made many contributions in the field of [[Chinese journalism]]. He insisted on telling the truth to the Chinese people and strengthening the Chinese media for later generations. By establishing the newspapers and magazines concerning political issues, Chen had provided a main channel for the general public to express their ideas or discontent towards the existing government. Chen believed that the purpose of mass media is to reveal the [[truth]]. At a young age, Chen had already established [[Guomin Ribao]] (國民日報), promoting the inefficiency of the [[Qing Dynasty]]. With a view to the things mentioned above, his contribition was said to be influential to [[journalism]] as a whole. To sum up, Chen was a famous revolutionary advocator and journalist in the modern Chinese history. His experiences in newspapers had born profound impacts in the journalistic arena in China. ===Poetry=== In 1918, ''New Youth'' published some new poems of [[Hu Shih]] (胡適)and Liu Bannong (劉半農), which were written in [[vernacular Chinese]] in order to conform with the above advocacy. Later on, all the articles in ''New Youth'' were written in vernacular Chinese and new punctuations marked his pioneer role in vernacular Chinese magazine publication. ==Intellectual contributions and disputes== ===Crisis with Cai Yuanpei=== In the second edition of ''New Youth,'' Chen published [[Cai Yuanpei]]'s speech, that is the "[[Speech of Freedom of Religion]]" (蔡元培先生在信教自由會之演說). He at that time criticized Chen for his misinterpretation about his speech on religion. As he puts it, "The publication of my speech on ''[[New Youth]]'' committed a number of mistakes." Fortunately, Cai did not become angry with Chen and the publication was then amended before publishing. ===Crisis with Hu Shih=== [[Image:Chen Duxiu.jpg||right|frame|Chen Duxiu (left) and Hu Shih (right)]] This crisis was about the political stand of ''[[New Youth]]''. [[Hu Shih]] insisted that ''[[New Youth]]'' should be politically neutral and the publication should be more or less concerned with [[Chinese philosophy]]. However, Chen attacked his rationale by publishing "Talking Politics" (談政治) in the 8th edition. At that time, Chen was invited by [[Chen Jiongming]] (陳炯明) to be the [[Education officer]] in [[Guangzhou]] in mid-December of 1920. He decided to assign the publication to [[Mao Dun]] (茅盾), who belonged to the [[Shanghai Communist Party]]. Hu Shih was dissatisfied with this and their partnership then crumbled. Later, Chen wrote Hu Shih about his dissatisfaction with Hu’s intimacy with the research [[Faculty (university)|faculty]]. He mentioned, "Please note your close relationship with the research faculty". Others felt that the faculty was advocated by [[Liang Qichao]] (梁啟超), a supporter of the [[Duan Qirui]] (段祺瑞) government and their anti-new wave [[ideology]]. All of this made Chen greatly dissatisfied. ===Anti-Confucianism=== Chen suggested six guiding principles in an article called "Warning the youth" (敬告青年) in ''[[New Youth]]'', which aimed at removing the old beliefs of [[Confucianism]]: #To be independent instead of [[servile]] #To be [[progressivism|progressive]] instead of [[Conservatism|conservative]] #To be [[aggressive]] instead of [[retrogressive]] #To be [[Cosmopolitanism|cosmopolitan]] instead of [[isolationist]] #To be [[utilitarian]] instead of [[impractical]] #To be [[scientific]] instead of [[visionary]] ''[[New Youth]]'' is one of the most influential magazines in the early modern Chinese history. Chen indoctrinated many new ideas such as [[individualism]], [[democracy]], [[humanism]] and scientific methods which compensate the removal of [[Confucianism]] in [[Communism]]. Seen in this light, ''New Youth'' then became in a position to provide the alternative [[intellectual]] influence for many young people. Under the banners of democracy and science, the traditional ethics represented by Confucianism became the target of attack from ''[[New Youth]]''. In the first issue, Chen called the young generation to struggle against the Confucianism by "theories of literary revolution" (文學革命論). To Chen, [[Confucianism]] was to be rooted out because: #It advocated superfluous ceremonies and preached the morality of meek compliance, making the Chinese people weak and passive, unfit to struggle and compete in the modern world #It recognized the familial values but not the individual as the basic unit of society #It upheld the inequality of the status of individuals #It stressed filial piety which made man subservient and dependent #It preached orthodoxy of thought in total disregard of freedom of thinking and expression. Chen called for the destruction of tradition and his attack on traditionalism opened a new vista for the educated youth. This magazine became the seed of the [[May Fourth Movement]]. ===Conflict with Mao=== Chen came into conflict with [[Mao Zedong]] in 1925 over Mao's essay "An Analysis of Classes In Chinese Society". Although Mao had been one of Chen's students, he had begun to question Chen's analyses of China. While Chen believed that the focus of revolutionary struggle in China should primarily concern the workers, Mao had started to theorize the primacy of the peasants. According to [[Han Suyin]] in ''Mortal Flower'', Chen "opposed the opinions expressed [in Mao's analysis], denied that a radical land policy, and the vigorous organization of the rural areas under the Communist party, was necessary; and refused the publication of the essay in the Central executive organs of publicity." Chen, sticking to the orthodox Marxist line (a position that was shared at the time by both [[Stalin]] and [[Trotsky]]), would not accept Mao's new theoretical analysis as properly communist. Conversely, Mao thought that Chen was incapable of providing a robust historical materialist analysis of China. This dispute would eventually lead to the end of Chen and Mao's friendship. ==External links== *Pierre Broué: [http://www.revolutionary-history.co.uk/backiss/Vol2/No4/chduxiu.html "Chen Duxiu and the Fourth International"], Revolutionary History, Vol. 2, No. 4, Spring 1990. (English) *Zheng Chaolin, [http://www.marxists.org/history/etol/document/china/zheng.htm "Trotskyism in China"], artcle on ''Revolutionary History'' Website. (English)] *[http://sangle.web.wesleyan.edu/etext/late-qing/chen-wang_guo.html Articles on the ''Anhui Suhua Bao'' 《安徽俗話報》] (Chinese) *[http://www.chenstudy.com. Chenstudy.com] (Chinese) *[http://www.chenduxiu.net Chenduxiu page] (Chinese) ==References== *Benton, Gregor, ed. ''Chen Duxiu's last articles and letters, 1937-1942''. [[University of Hawaii]] Press, 1998. ISBN 0-8248-2112-2 {{start box}} {{succession box | before=''none'' | title=[[General Secretary of the Communist Party of China]] | years=1921-1922; 1925-1928| after=[[Xiang Zhongfa]]}} {{succession box | before=''none'' | title=[[Chairman of the Communist Party of China]] | years=1922-1925| after=[[Mao Zedong]]}} {{end box}} {{CCPHeads}} {{Warlord era}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Chen Duxiu}} [[Category:1879 births]] [[Category:1942 deaths]] [[Category:Leaders of the Communist Party of China]] [[Category:Peking University faculty]] [[Category:People from Anhui]] [[Category:Zhejiang University alumni]] [[Category:Chinese philosophers]] [[Category:Chinese educators]] [[Category:Chinese Trotskyists]] [[de:Chen Duxiu]] [[es:Chen Duxiu]] [[fr:Chen Duxiu]] [[ko:천두슈]] [[nl:Chen Duxiu]] [[ja:陳独秀]] [[no:Chen Duxiu]] [[ru:Чэнь Дусю]] [[zh:陈独秀]]