• CONCEPT AND COMMUNICATION
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• no.23
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• pp.69-103
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• 2019

This essay explores Chinese literary circles of 1919, specifically the New Youth literary coterie. The changes which occurred during this period are examined through a chronological account of the tensions and interactions which arose between contributors to New Youth and other literary publications, especially The Weekly Review and Renaissance. The founding of The Weekly Review by some of the New Youth literary coterie displayed their competitive ethos as well as their hopes for the "new era" as a expression of "mutual assistance." Renaissance was founded by Peking University students, and the editors of New Youth saw it as a useful platform to promote their ideas to the younger generation. The editors of Renaissance described themselves as "night cats" and "brazier flames," and they distinguished themselves from earlier generations through their relentless academic fervor. These three publications, New Youth, The Weekly Review, and Renaissance, together formed an influential triangle which successfully dominated Chinese literary circles by scapegoating traditional intellectuals in their quest to establish the new era. After the May Fourth Movement, however, their paths divided. Following the arrest of Chen Duxiu, Hu Shi sought to change the direction of The Weekly Review by focusing on "problems." This reinforced the academic emphasis of Renaissance, and in contrast New Youth became politically more radical, starting with a "Special Issue on Marxism," and also relocated from Shanghai to Beijing. Chinese literary circles subsequently became increasingly concerned with academic trends and political issues. Interestingly, the New Youth literary coterie became ashamed of their former stance, which encouraged their role in the independence movement of Choson Korea.