| It is a core theme for Chinese since late Qing dynasty that how to understand and defend western civilization.At least after the dangerous situation along with the Sino-Japanese War and the Boxer Movement,a paradox understanding had arose among Chinese intellectuals.On the one hand,they admire the value of "freedom" and "democracy",but they afraid the strong power of the west on the other hand.In their opinion,western civilization has two opposite traditions:one is democracy and nationalism stem from the 18th century and 19th century,the other is national imperialism which will dominate the 20th century.In fact,the new culture movement since the year of 1915 was still covered by the themes appeared during the late Qing period.This movement is widely known as a Chinese enlightenment,and we always use the word of "democracy","cosmopolitanism","philanthropism" in French sense to describe it.Nevertheless,when we return to the complex history context,different judgment would be formed.Apart from the French way,the German way focused on the national power was also emphasized by the intellectuals.It is not just the French way,but also the German way that shaped the new culture movement.Actually,this paradox was linked closely with the complex political situation that time.When we try to understand history in a different perspective and focused on the international background,it is quite clear that the WWI had became a kind of metaphor in the political dispute.While the supporters of monarchy movement use the image of German to legitimate their claim,the opponents try to discover the French source and use it as an intellectual weapon to change the unacceptable situation.As Li Shiceng(李石曾)pointed out during this period,the two opposite faction can be regarded as French faction(友法派)and German faction(友德派)in a broad sense.The conflict between the French way and the German way faded away gradually when the war ended in 1918.On the one hand,German was regarded as a evil image just like the warlord in China that time which should be overthrew doubtlessly.On the other hand,the French way that the intellectuals shouted loudly before long had shifted its meaning in a different sense in dual structure between right and might.Finally,intellectuals return to the problematic that had appeared during late Qing period and developed during the early new culture movement to re-understand the mission of modern China. |
