The Spirit of the May 4th Movement

                    Patriotism, Progress, Democracy and Science  

The Spirit of the May 4th Movement refers to the patriotic spirit of concerning about the country and the people, loving the motherland, actively innovating and exploring science, which was formed in the May 4th Movement. After the first world war, China’s diplomatic failure at the Paris Peace Conference triggered a national revolution movement (China’s diplomatic failure at the Paris Peace Conference caused strong dissatisfaction among the people of the whole country). On May 4, 1919, the students in Beiping (Beijing) took the lead in making slogans such as “refusing to sign on the Paris Contract, abolishing Article 21, contending for national rights outside the city, and being a traitor inside the city”, in order to save the national crisis.

It was a great social revolutionary movement to save the nation from danger, defend national dignity and gather national strength. It is also a great ideological enlightenment movement to spread new ideas, new culture and new knowledge.

It promoted the spread of Marxism in China and prepared for the founding of the Communist Party of China both in thought and in action.

President Xi Jinping pointed out that the May 4th Movement gave birth to the great May 4th spirit with patriotism, progress, democracy and science as its main content. Its core is the great spirit of patriotism. It contains the patriotic spirit of showing concern and affection of the country and the people, the high sense of social responsibility of selfless dedication, the progressive spirit of publicizing democracy and science, the great spirit of pursuing the trend of the times and grasping the destiny of the times.

五四精神是指在五四运动中形成的忧国忧民，热爱祖国，积极创新，探索科学的爱国主义精神。第一次世界大战后，中国在巴黎和会上的外交失败，引发全国民众的强烈不满。1919年5月4日，北平爱国学生率先打出“拒绝在巴黎和约上签字，废除二十一条，外争主权，内惩国贼”等口号，为拯救民族危亡奔走呼号。

这是一次为拯救民族危亡，捍卫民族尊严，凝聚民族力量而掀起的伟大社会革命运动，也是一场传播新思想文化新知识的伟大思想启蒙运动，它促进了马克思主义在中国的传播，为中国共产党的成立做了思想上，行动上的准备。

习近平总书记指出：孕育了以爱国，进步，民主，科学为主要内容的伟大五四精神，其核心是爱国主义精神。它包含了忧国忧民的爱国主义精神，无私奉献的高度社会责任感，宣传了民主科学的进步精神，追寻时代潮流，把握时代命运的伟大精神。