How is the New Life Movement part of a quest for modernity?

P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q s )

“ E S S E N T I A L S O F T H E N E W L I F E M O V E M E N T ” ( S P E E C H , 1 9 3 4 ) 
 B y C h i a n g K a i - s h e k 
 I n t r o d u c t i o n In 1934 the Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek (Jiang Jieshi, 1887-1975) called for China to carry out a “New Life Movement.” At the time, Chiang was leader of the Republic of China, with his government in Nanjing. Chiang’s government, seriously underfunded, had only nominal control over vast areas of the country, which were actually run by warlords who had allied with Chiang and acknowledged the authority of his ROC government in theory while retaining substantial power (backed by their own armies) in practice. Chiang’s government was notoriously corrupt and not averse to cooperating with organized crime on projects such as opium “suppression” (i.e., monopoly), kidnapping, and assassination of political enemies. Japan had taken over northeastern China, or Manchuria, in 1932- 1933 and renamed it “Manchukuo.” Within China, intellectuals had debated (and attacked) traditional Chinese values in the New Culture or May Fourth Movement, and the Communist Party, although driven underground in the cities, was active in the countryside. It was in this context that Chiang Kai-shek delivered this speech in September 1934 in the city of Nanchang, thus inaugurating the New Life Movement. D o c u m e n t E x c e r p t s w i t h Q u e s t i o n s (Longer selection follows this section) From Sources of Chinese Tradition: From 1600 Through the Twentieth Century, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Richard Lufrano, 2nd ed., vol. 2 (New York: Columbia University Press, 2000), 341-344. © 2000 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

“Essentials
of
the
New
Life
Movement”
(Speech,
1934)
 By
Chiang
Kai‑shek



 The
New
Life
Movement
aims
at
the
promotion
of
a
regular
life
guided
by
the
four
virtues,
 namely,
li
[ritual/decorum],
yi
[rightness
or
duty],
lian
[integrity
or
honesty],
and
chi
[sense
of
 shame].
Those
virtues
must
be
applied
to
ordinary
life
in
the
matter
of
food,
clothing,
shelter,
 and
 action.
 The
 four
 virtues
 are
 the
 essential
 principles
 for
 the
 promotion
 of
 morality.
 They
 form
the
major
rules
for
dealing
with
men
and
human
affairs,
for
cultivating
oneself,
and
for
 adjustment
to
one’s
surroundings.
Whoever
violates
these
rules
is
bound
to
fail,
and
a
nation
 that
neglects
them
will
not
survive.


…


By
the
observance
of
these
virtues,
it
is
hoped
that
rudeness
and
vulgarity
will
be
got
rid
of
and
 that
the
life
of
our
people
will
conform
to
the
standard
of
art.
…


P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t , w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q ) o n “ E S S E N T I A L S O F T H E N E W L I F E M O V E M E N T ” ( S P E E C H , 1 9 3 4 ) , B Y C H I A N G K A I - S H E K

A s i a f o r E d u c a t o r s | C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y | h t t p : / / a f e . e a s i a . c o l u m b i a . e d u P a g e 2 o f 5

By
the
observance
of
these
virtues,
it
is
hoped
that
beggary
and
robbery
will
be
eliminated
and
 that
the
life
of
our
people
will
be
productive.
The
poverty
of
China
is
primarily
caused
by
the
 fact
that
there
are
too
many
consumers
and
too
few
producers.
Those
who
consume
without
 producing
usually
live
as
parasites
or
as
robbers.
They
behave
thus
because
they
are
ignorant
of
 the
four
virtues.
…


By
observance
of
these
virtues,
it
is
hoped
that
social
disorder
and
individual
weakness
will
be
 remedied
and
that
people
will
become
more
military‑minded.
If
a
country
cannot
defend
itself,
 it
has
every
chance
of
losing
its
existence.
…
Therefore
our
people
must
have
military
training.
 As
a
preliminary,
we
must
acquire
the
habits
of
orderliness,
cleanliness,
simplicity,
frugality,
 promptness,
 and
 exactness.
 We
 must
 preserve
 order,
 emphasize
 organization,
 responsibility
 and
discipline,
and
be
ready
to
die
for
the
country
at
any
moment.



 Q u e s t i o n s :

1. What philosophical traditions does Chiang Kai-shek draw on in this speech?

Do you think that his use of those philosophical traditions is true to the intent of the philosophers themselves?

2. Reading these passages, what impression do you get of the relationship of the individual to the state?

3. In making the recommendations in the passages above, Chiang is clearly implying that something is wrong with China and the Chinese people — something that his recommendations is intended to fix. What flaws or weaknesses in the Chinese people do Chiang’s suggestions imply?

4. How does Chiang’s understanding of the sources of Chinese weakness (as implied in these comments) compare to the understanding of other Chinese intellectuals during earlier periods — Liang Qichao, for example, or Feng Guifen?

L o n g e r S e l e c t i o n From Sources of Chinese Tradition: From 1600 Through the Twentieth Century, compiled by Wm. Theodore de Bary and Richard Lufrano, 2nd ed., vol. 2 (New York: Columbia University Press, 2000), 341-344. © 2000 Columbia University Press. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

“Essentials
of
the
New
Life
Movement”
(Speech,
1934)
 By
Chiang
Kai‑shek



 The
Object
of
the
New
Life
Movement


Why
is
a
New
Life
Needed?


The
general
psychology
of
our
people
today
can
be
described
as
spiritless.
What
manifests
itself
 in
behavior
is
this:
lack
of
discrimination
between
good
and
evil,
between
what
is
public
and
 what
 is
 private,
 and
 between
 what
 is
 primary
 and
 what
 is
 secondary.
 Because
 there
 is
 no
 discrimination
 between
 good
 and
 evil,
 right
 and
 wrong
 are
 confused;
 because
 there
 is
 no


P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t , w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q ) o n “ E S S E N T I A L S O F T H E N E W L I F E M O V E M E N T ” ( S P E E C H , 1 9 3 4 ) , B Y C H I A N G K A I - S H E K

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discrimination
between
public
and
private,
improper
taking
and
giving
[of
public
funds]
occur;
 and
because
there
is
no
distinction
between
primary
and
secondary,
first
and
last
are
not
placed
 in
the
proper
order.
As
a
result,
officials
tend
to
be
dishonest
and
avaricious,
the
masses
are
 undisciplined
and
calloused,
youth
become
degraded
and
intemperate,
adults
are
corrupt
and
 ignorant,
 the
 rich
 become
 extravagant
 and
 luxurious,
 and
 the
 poor
 become
 mean
 and
 disorderly.
Naturally
it
has
resulted
in
disorganization
of
the
social
order
and
national
life,
and
 we
are
in
no
position
either
to
prevent
or
to
remedy
natural
calamities,
disasters
caused
from
 within,
 or
 invasions
 from
 without.
 The
 individual,
 society,
 and
 the
 whole
 country
 are
 now
 suffering.
…
In
order
to
develop
the
life
of
our
nation,
protect
the
existence
of
our
society,
and
 improve
the
livelihood
of
our
people,
it
is
absolutely
necessary
to
wipe
out
these
unwholesome
 conditions
and
to
start
to
lead
a
new
and
rational
life.





The
Content
of
the
New
Life
Movement


1.

 The
Principles
of
the
New
Life
Movement


The
New
Life
Movement
aims
at
the
promotion
of
a
regular
life
guided
by
the
four
virtues,
 namely,
li
[ritual/decorum],
yi
[rightness
or
duty],
lian
[integrity
or
honesty],
and
chi
[sense
of
 shame].

Those
virtues
must
be
applied
to
ordinary
life
in
the
matter
of
food,
clothing,
shelter,
 and
 action.
 The
 four
 virtues
 are
 the
 essential
 principles
 for
 the
 promotion
 of
 morality.
 They
 form
the
major
rules
for
dealing
with
men
and
human
affairs,
for
cultivating
oneself,
and
for
 adjustment
to
one’s
surroundings.
Whoever
violates
these
rules
is
bound
to
fail,
and
a
nation
 that
neglects
them
will
not
survive.


There
are
two
kinds
of
skeptics:


First,
some
hold
that
the
four
virtues
are
merely
rules
of
good
conduct.
No
matter
how
good
 they
 may
 be,
 they
 are
 not
 sufficient
 to
 save
 a
 nation
 whose
 knowledge
 and
 technique
 are
 inferior
to
others.


Those
 who
 hold
 this
 view
 do
 not
 seem
 to
 understand
 the
 distinction
 between
 matters
 of
 primary
and
secondary
importance.
People
need
knowledge
and
technique
because
they
want
 to
 do
 good.
 Otherwise,
 knowledge
 and
 technique
 can
 only
 be
 instruments
 of
 dishonorable
 deeds.
Li,
yi,
lian,
and
chi
are
the
principal
rules
alike
for
the
community,
the
group,
or
the
entire
 nation.
Those
who
do
not
observe
these
rules
will
probably
utilize
their
knowledge
and
ability
 to
the
detriment
of
society
and
ultimately
to
their
own
disadvantage.
Therefore,
these
virtues
 not
only
can
save
the
nation
but
also
can
rebuild
the
nation.


Second,
 there
 is
 another
 group
 of
 people
 who
 argue
 that
 these
 virtues
 are
 merely
 formal
 refinements
 that
 are
 useless
 in
 dealing
 with
 hunger
 and
 cold.
 …
 [Yet]
 when
 these
 virtues
 prevail,
even
if
food
and
clothing
are
insufficient,
they
can
be
produced
by
human
labor;
or,
if
 the
 granary
 is
 empty,
 it
 can
 be
 filled
 through
 human
 effort.
 On
 the
 other
 hand,
 when
 these
 virtues
are
not
observed,
if
food
and
clothing
are
insufficient,
they
will
not
be
made
sufficient
 by
fighting
and
robbing;
or,
if
the
granary
is
empty,
it
will
not
be
filled
by
stealing
and
begging.


P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t , w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q ) o n “ E S S E N T I A L S O F T H E N E W L I F E M O V E M E N T ” ( S P E E C H , 1 9 3 4 ) , B Y C H I A N G K A I - S H E K

A s i a f o r E d u c a t o r s | C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y | h t t p : / / a f e . e a s i a . c o l u m b i a . e d u P a g e 4 o f 5

The
four
virtues,
which
rectify
the
misconduct
of
men,
are
the
proper
methods
of
achieving
 abundance.
Without
them,
there
will
be
fighting,
robbing,
stealing,
and
begging
among
men.
…


2.

 The
Meaning
of
Li,
Yi,
Lian,
and
Chi


Although
li,
yi,
lian,
and
chi
have
always
been
regarded
as
the
foundations
of
the
nation,
yet
the
 changing
 times
 and
 circumstances
 may
 require
 that
 these
 principles
 be
 given
 a
 new
 interpretation.
As
applied
to
our
life
today,
they
may
be
interpreted
as
follows:


Li
means
“regulated
attitude.”


Yi
means
“right
conduct.”


Lian
means
“clear
discrimination.”


Chi
means
“real
self‑consciousness.”


The
word
li
(decorum)
means
li
(principle).
It
becomes
natural
law
when
applied
to
nature;
it
 becomes
a
rule
when
applied
to
social
affairs;
and
it
signifies
discipline
when
used
in
reference
 to
national
affairs.
A
man’s
conduct
is
considered
regular
if
it
conforms
with
the
above
law,
 rule,
and
discipline.
When
one
conducts
oneself
in
accordance
with
the
regular
manner,
one
is
 said
to
have
the
regulated
attitude.


The
 word
yi
means
 “proper.”
 Any
 conduct
 that
 is
 in
 accordance
 with
 li
—
 i.e.,
 natural
 law,
 social
rule,
and
national
discipline
—
is
considered
proper.
To
act
improperly,
or
to
refrain
from
 acting
when
one
knows
it
is
proper
to
act,
cannot
be
called
yi.


The
word
lian
means
“clear.”
It
denotes
distinction
between
right
and
wrong.
What
agrees
with
 li
and
yi
is
right,
and
what
does
not
agree
is
wrong.
To
take
what
we
recognize
as
right
and
to
 forgo
what
we
recognize
as
wrong
constitute
clear
discrimination.


The
word
chi
means
“consciousness.”
When
one
is
conscious
of
the
fact
that
his
own
actions
are
 not
in
accordance
with
li,
yi,
lian,
and
chi,
one
feels
ashamed.


From
the
above
explanations,
it
is
clear
that
chi
governs
the
motive
of
action,
that
lian
gives
the
 guidance
for
it,
that
yi
relates
to
the
carrying
out
of
an
action,
and
that
li
regulates
its
outward
 form.
The
four
are
interrelated.
They
are
dependent
upon
each
other
in
the
perfecting
of
virtue.





Conclusion


In
 short,
 the
 main
 object
 of
 the
 New
 Life
 Movement
 is
 to
 substitute
 a
 rational
 life
 for
 the
 irrational,
and
to
achieve
this
we
must
observe
li,
yi,
lian,
and
chi
in
our
daily
life.


1.

 By
the
observance
of
these
virtues,
it
is
hoped
that
rudeness
and
vulgarity
will
be
got
rid
 of
and
that
the
life
of
our
people
will
conform
to
the
standard
of
art.
By
art
we
are
not
referring
 to
 the
 special
 enjoyment
 of
 the
 gentry.
 We
 mean
 the
 cultural
 standard
 of
 all
 the
 people,
 irrespective
 of
 sex,
 age,
 wealth,
 and
 class.
 It
 is
 the
 boundary
 line
 between
 civilized
 life
 and
 barbarism.
 It
 is
 the
 only
 way
 by
 which
 one
 can
 achieve
 the
 purpose
 of
 man,
 for
 only
 by
 artistically
 controlling
 oneself
 and
 dealing
 with
 others
 can
 one
 fulfill
 the
 duty
 of
 mutual


P r i m a r y S o u r c e D o c u m e n t , w i t h Q u e s t i o n s ( D B Q ) o n “ E S S E N T I A L S O F T H E N E W L I F E M O V E M E N T ” ( S P E E C H , 1 9 3 4 ) , B Y C H I A N G K A I - S H E K

A s i a f o r E d u c a t o r s | C o l u m b i a U n i v e r s i t y | h t t p : / / a f e . e a s i a . c o l u m b i a . e d u P a g e 5 o f 5

assistance.
…
A
lack
of
artistic
training
is
the
cause
of
suspicion,
jealousy,
hatred,
and
strife
that
 are
prevalent
in
our
society
today.
…
To
investigate
things
so
as
to
extend
our
knowledge,
to
 distinguish
between
the
fundamental
and
the
secondary,
to
seek
the
invention
of
instruments,
 to
excel
in
our
techniques
—
these
are
the
essentials
of
an
artistic
life,
the
practice
of
which
will
 enable
us
to
wipe
out
the
defects
of
vulgarity,
confusion,
crudity,
and
baseness.



2.

 By
 the
 observance
 of
 these
 virtues,
 it
 is
 hoped
 that
 beggary
 and
 robbery
 will
 be
 eliminated
and
that
the
life
of
our
people
will
be
productive.
The
poverty
of
China
is
primarily
 caused
 by
 the
 fact
 that
 there
 are
 too
 many
 consumers
 and
 too
 few
 producers.
 Those
 who
 consume
without
producing
usually
live
as
parasites
or
as
robbers.
They
behave
thus
because
 they
are
ignorant
of
the
four
virtues.
To
remedy
this
we
must
make
them
produce
more
and
 spend
 less.
 They
 must
 understand
 that
 luxury
 is
 improper
 and
 that
 living
 as
 a
 parasite
 is
 a
 shame.



3.

 By
 the
 observance
 of
 these
 virtues,
 it
 is
 hoped
 that
 social
 disorder
 and
 individual
 weakness
will
be
remedied
and
that
people
will
become
more
military‑minded.
If
a
country
 cannot
defend
itself,
it
has
every
chance
of
losing
its
existence.
…
Therefore
our
people
must
 have
military
training.
As
a
preliminary,
we
must
acquire
the
habits
of
orderliness,
cleanliness,
 simplicity,
 frugality,
 promptness,
 and
 exactness.
 We
 must
 preserve
 order,
 emphasize
 organization,
responsibility,
and
discipline,
and
be
ready
to
die
for
the
country
at
any
moment.