May 4th: Legacy of 90 years still alive

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Source: CCTV.com | 05-04-2009 13:54

A legacy of 90 years is still alive. Modern Chinese history took a dramatic turn on May 4th 1919 after student-led protests against foreign control brought about a spiritual enlightenment and struggle for emancipation. As Xie Zheng reports, today's youth remain proud of their predecessors.

College student Ji Songyue says the patriotic movement of  90 years ago, in which Zhou Enlai was a leader, inspires  her.

Jin Songyue stops to pay tribute as she passes the statue of late Premier Zhou Enlai. She may be a major in Japanese, but the college freshman has a fever for Chinese history. She says the patriotic movement of 90 years ago, in which Zhou Enlai was a leader, inspires her.

College student Jin Songyue said, "I studied in Japan for a year before entering college. Although my schoolmates were generally friendly, I did hear mistaken views about China, which made me feel uneasy. I think it's entirely understandable that 90 years ago, people fought with their lives to defend their nation when foreigners tried to take away its sovereignty.

The May 4th Movement of 1919 started as a student protest of a decision at the end of World War One to give German controlled areas of China to Japan. The protests evolved into an unprecedented social movement, and forced the government's refusal to sign the Treaty of Versailles.