A Sociolinguistic Survey of Fourth Movement 1919 in Zhejiang: Participants’ Attitudes and Linguistic Perspectives

Abstract

The term “ideology” has always been accompanied by its connotation as it is evident in its dictionary meaning as ‘a system of ideas, ideals especially one which forms the basis of economic or political theory and policy’. Therefore, this sociolinguistic research tried to check attitudes and linguistic perspectives regarding 4th movement 1919 in Zhejiang. This article discusses little-known aspects of the May Fourth Movement of 4 May 1919 in the Chinese province. Traditionally, the May Fourth Movement and the connected New Culture Movement and the Literary Revolution are associated with Beijing and Shanghai. However, one of the most important intellectual centers of China at that time was Hangzhou, a city with close economic links to Shanghai. Radical students in Zhejiang in 1919-1920 were active in publishing, and the New Tide magazine they published was in demand in China's largest cities, and solidified the status of Zhejiang as the vanguard of revolution. Looking closely at this collision, we may easily ascertain that the traditional Confucian society during an opportunistic economic upturn caused by World War I was fueling radicalism and at the same time was the object of their struggle. Anarchism was the key ideology of the May Fourth Movement in Zhejiang. This study contributes to the literature on language and identity within ethnic minorities, while at the same time showing language that minorities are internally different and far from homogenous.