The Chinese Cultural Renaissance or the Chinese Cultural Renaissance Movement () was a movement promoted in Taiwan by the Republic of China in opposition to the cultural destruction perpetrated by the Chinese Communist Party during the Cultural Revolution.Wachman, Alan M. (1994). Taiwan: National Identity and Democratization. M.E. Sharpe publishing. . pg 274. The Chinese Cultural Revival Movement was an ideological and cultural movement launched by the Government of the Republic of China with the aim of reviving Chinese culture, in order to maintain traditional Chinese culture and carry forward the revolutionary spirit of the Three Principles of the People and to contend with the Cultural Revolution movement of the Chinese Communist Party, in order to show that the true Republic of China is the representative of orthodox Chinese culture. In November 1966, 1,500 people—including Sun Ke, Wang Yunwu, Chen Lifu, Chen Qitian, Kong Decheng, and Zhang Zhiben—wrote a letter to the Executive Yuan: the "Chinese Cultural Revival Movement" was proposed and the "Chinese Cultural Revival Festival" was designated as occurring on November 12 each year. On July 28, 1967, people from all walks of life in Taiwan held the initiation meeting of the Chinese Cultural Revival Movement Implementation Committee (now known as the Chinese Cultural Federation), with the President of the Republic of China, Chiang Kai-shek, as the president; the movement was implemented in Taiwan and overseas.
Origin Because the Chinese mainland was in the midst of the Cultural Revolution at that time, under the slogan of "shattering the old and building the new", a significant amount of Chinese cultural heritage was greatly damaged, and mainland Chinese cultural and intellectual circles were destroyed. The Government of the Republic of China then raised the banner of reviving Chinese culture, in an attempt to establish itself as the successor and defender of Chinese culture.
Aims and objectives of the movement
Taking ethics and morality as the foundation of a virtuous society. The most specific behavioral representations are loyalty, filial piety, Ren, love, letters, Yi, and peace; its most important philosophical foundation is contained in the word Ren. Taking democracy and liberty as the underlying principles that benefit the country, there is a great law that the whole country adheres to, namely the Constitution of the Republic of China. Keep political initiatives on track. The Legislative Yuan should be able to exercise its powers freely, so that the effectiveness of the law can be eternal, establishing the rule of law under the rule of the people. The ultimate goal of using science and technology as a moral principle for the benefit of the people. Raising the people up involves the six aspects of clothing, food, Domicile (law), transportation, education, and happiness. Therefore, the scientific construction of these six aspects is specially designed as the foundation of zhengde, utilization, and good health.
Rules and results of sports behavior
Lay the foundation for cultural revival from educational reform To promote the general improvement through education and increasing national employment opportunities.
In terms of education, it calls for attaching equal importance to moral, intellectual, physical, and social education; attaching importance to life education and revising textbooks on life education for primary and middle school students; and focusing on ethics in students' daily life. At the same time, increase the scientific and technological education of students, in addition to cultivating vocational skills in national middle schools and high schools. Develop vocational schools, so as to meet the needs of construction and production work. The Chinese Cultural Renaissance Association established the Scientific and Technological Research and Invention Award to support scientific and technological inventions made by ordinary people.
In terms of sports, the committee focused on the advocacy and implementation of sports for all, the cooperation and application of teams, the improvement of sports facilities in schools and society, the strengthening of training and activities of sports organizations and teams, and the frequent organization of international sports activities and contacts, as well as encouraging sports academic research.
From academic consolidation to cultural renewal
Chiang Kai-shek stated that "harmony between mind, matter, group and oneself, resulting in the New China's Three Principles of ethics, democracy, scientific social blueprint, is to lead to cultural integration."
In the whole Chinese cultural Renaissance movement, the committee's goal was "to sort out the traditional culture and save the weeds. At the same time, the essence of Western culture is selected, absorbed and adopted, and the Chinese and Western cultures are integrated, so as to create a new neutral culture that can benefit mankind. Under the supervision of Chiang, the committee established a number of specialized organizations and committees, such as the Committee for the Promotion of Academic Publication, which was responsible for editing and publishing ancient Chinese books and popularizing academic study for the younger generation. For example, Zhouyijin, Laozi, The Book of Songs, Menzi, Baihua Historical Records, and Zizhi Tongjian were given new vernacular translations. In addition, a large number of ancient books were edited to make the text plain and easy to understand, so that ordinary people could understand them. A large number of ancient Chinese classics were photocopied and published, contributing to the preservation of the achievements of Chinese civilization.
To compile an overview of Chinese culture, a goal was to publish the works of 100 Chinese thinkers of all dynasties, comment on their lives, thoughts, activities, and their influence, so as to enable the Chinese people to have a deeper understanding of the evolution of Chinese academic thought. The movement compiled and printed stories of loyal and filial figures in the past dynasties of China (100) and selected writings of loyal and filial piety to carry forward the style of national cultural humanistic spirit. To re-translate the Four Books from English and distribute them overseas to enhance international scholars' understanding and appreciation of Chinese culture.陳鐵健、黃鐵炫著，《蔣介石與中國文化》，香港：中華書局，1992年4月，第175頁
To translate and publish western classics, about politics, economics, society, science, and other fields, such as Science and Civilisation in China by the English historian Joseph Needham.
The Chinese Science and Technology Series, the Bibliography of Zhou-Qin, Han and Wei Scholars, the Selected Essays on Chinese History, the History of Chinese Humanities and Social Sciences Series, The Legal System in Modern China, the Western Translation Bibliography of Chinese Literature, the Album of Modernization and Chinese Cultural Renaissance, the General Bibliography of Chinese Culture, the Collection of Essays on Chinese Cultural Renaissance, and the Research and Development of the standard Template book, and other books have been published.
Introduce new science and technology and absorb new scientific knowledge to strengthen the modernization of the country. Academic collaboration is necessary to promote Chinese culture and a necessary method to integrate Chinese and Western cultures.
From the study of literature and art to the development of a cultural renaissance emperor
Encourage literature and art: one goal is to promote the specific behavior of ethics and morality, in order to show the national spirit of loyalty, filial piety, and kindness. Another goal is to advocate the democratic consciousness of anti-communism, anti-slavery, and anti-persecution in order to stabilize the democratic thought and system. A third goal is to develop science and technology and promote scientific and technological progress in order to realize national modernization and modern civilization. The specific plan is as follows:
Establish a National Foundation for literature and Art. Formulate cultural policies. The Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Opera was responsible for the improvement and promotion of Chinese opera, such as giving regular performances, creating and arranging librettos, training of scenery personnel, designing courses on Chinese opera and improving textbooks, and the holding of summer Chinese opera workshops for junior colleges and universities. Establishment cultural centers at the central and the local level; in conjunction with literary and art circles throughout the country, they hold symposiums on literature and art, reward literary and art creation, set up literary and art research classes, and guide various literary and art activities, such as painting and calligraphy exhibitions, drama performances, dance performances, music performances, literary and artistic creation competitions, to continue and improve the traditional arts. Organize international cultural and artistic exchanges and study international literary and artistic creation skills. Compile and print the history of Chinese literature and art to correct part of the destruction of traditional Chinese literature and art. Produce a large number of cultural and artistic programs using mass communication, to promote literature and art. Print fine-art albums of famous contemporary Chinese painting and calligraphy.
From national life-coaching to cultural renewal The committee set forth the proposition that culture is the representation of life, and that the cultivation of ethics and the development of morality should start with the guidance of people's lives, so that the people understand the principle of living, acting, and treating others. The true meaning of ethics should be embodied in the daily life of the people. An establishment of relevant norms is so that the interaction between people will have a certain standard scale and appropriate basis.
The committee also promulgated and implemented the Guidelines for National Life, which set out 99 specific rules covering such areas as clothing, food, housing, travel, and entertainment as guidelines for national life.陳鐵健、黃道炫著，《蔣介石與中國文化》，香港：中華書局，1992年4月，第123頁 The National Life Counseling Committee was responsible for promoting ethics and morals, initiating the "Youth Practice Campaign to Revitalize Chinese Culture" and formulating the "Instructions for National Life", which sets out basic requirements for People's Daily life, with a view to promoting the civilization of a country of rites and ceremonies. The Model of National Etiquette was revised and formally issued in 1970, expanding the cultivation of young people as the ideal of social life.
To achieve the goal of cultural innovation by integrating Chinese and Western cultures
To carry forward the cultural tradition of the Chinese nation and promote the continuous innovation and development of Chinese culture. The committee formulated the "Implementation Plan for the Integration and Development of Chinese Culture and Modern Western Academic Thought" and the "Implementation Plan for the Compilation and Publication of Chinese Culture Series" to affirm the value of Chinese culture.
Movement process Chiang Kai-shek, the then President of the Republic of China launched the movement in November 1966—on the 100th anniversary of Sun Yat-sen's birthday—by publicly announcing the official start of the renaissance movement.Guy, Nancy. (2005). Peking Opera and Politics in Taiwan. University of Illinois Press. . It was the Kuomintang's first structured plan for cultural development on Taiwan. Chiang himself was the head of the movement promotion council. Future president Lee Teng-hui was also involved in the movement and served as the president for the cultural renaissance.
Chiang announced ten goals: