Mao was an avid reader of Chen Duxiu’s journal, New Youth. In 1917, Mao made his first contribution to the magazine, an essay on physical education. Mao’s essay spoke to a lifelong obsession with physical and mental strength. He did extensive work to strengthen his mind and body, swimming in icy rivers and taking pride…
As a person and a politician, Chiang could be violent, erratic, domineering and full of contradiction. According to American journalist Theodore White, he was prone to sudden rages, leading to casual beatings, even killings. Politically, Chiang preached Sun Yat-sen’s Three People’s Principles, but also hawked traditional Confucianism, a strong dictatorship, and a blend of neo-Confucianism… Read more »
As the popularity of New Youth grew, Chen expressed a growing interest in democracy. He associated democracy closely with science, going so far as to anthropomorphize the two concepts as heroes of the New Culture Movement, Mr. Science and Mr. Democracy. When it came to applying democracy in China, however, Chen confronted some of the same… Read more »