May Fourth: An Incident. A Movement. A Revolution?

What impacts and legacies has the May Fourth revolutionary movement brought to the American and Chinese intellectuals? After a century passed, is it still relevant today?  

2019 marks the centennial anniversary of the May Fourth Movement of 1919, which was an epoch-making event in modern Chinese history. The movement is commonly portrayed as a key development in the history of the Chinese revolution, but the nature of the movement and its legacy are still debated today. In this program Dr. Brett Sheehan, Professor of Chinese History and Director of the East Asian Studies Center, Dr. Xu Tao, Associate Professor at the Institute of History, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, and Dr. Ken Klein, Head of the East Asian Library will discuss American and Chinese scholarship and resources on the May Fourth Movement. What impacts and legacies has this revolutionary movement brought to the American and Chinese intellectuals? After a century passed, is the May Fourth Movement still relevant today?  

This program is co-organized by the USC East Asian Library and East Asian Studies Center, and tied to the East Asian Library exhibit titled East Asia’s Centennial: China and Korea in the Modern World which is on view at the entrance to the East Asian Reading Room in the Doheny Memorial Library from March to May.  All are welcome. Light refreshments will be provided.