Fine Arts Revolution

After the 1911 Revolution, the first modern intellectuals emerged in China. Their introspection on China’s failures in the nineteenth century and their understanding of Western civilization led to a new understanding of human civilization. With the influence of Western science and humanistic thought, Chinese began to take the initiative to understand the world outside of China. During his time at Peking University, Cai Yuanpei not only implemented the concept of modern education, but also promoted changes in the field of art, with the emergence of new artistic vocabulary (such as “fine arts,” a term borrowed from the Japanese). With Chen Duxiu’s introduction to Western thought and his advocacy of the “Fine Arts Revolution” through the journal New Youth, which formed the basis for people’s understanding of new art, European art concepts began to spread further in China.