The May Fourth Movement of 1919 has been referred to as mainland China's cultural awakening and its political salvation. The intellectuals at the heart of the movement introduced scientific and democratic thought to post-revolution China. These individuals, who held that study should not preclude devoting oneself to the service of the nation, set alight the fires of nationalism and anti-imperialism.
1919 年發生的「五四運動」，大陸上稱作是文化上的「啟蒙」與政治上的「救亡」，當時扮演要角的知識分子，為革命後的中國帶來科學、民主的新思想；「讀書不忘報國」的他們，燒起「反帝」與民族主義的火焰之餘，卻也接生了中國的共產主義。