The May Fourth Movement

The May Fourth Movement

The May Fourth Movement (simplified Chinese: 五四运动; pinyin: wǔ sì yùn dòng) was an anti-imperialist, cultural, and political movement growing out of student demonstrations in Beijing on May 4, 1919 protesting the Chinese government's weak response to the Treaty of Versailles, especially the Shandong Problem. These demonstrations sparked national protests and marked the upsurge of Chinese nationalism, a shift towards political mobilization and away from cultural activities, and a move towards populist base rather than intellectual elites.