[Vietnam] Vi CôngĐú’c, Minzu University of China
The year 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Communist Party of China. Although I am not a Chinese citizen, I feel equally proud and honored as a person of Chinese descent, and my excitement cannot calm down for a long time. And on this special occasion, I seem to hear the voices of the awakened a century ago, and feel their great spirit. This urges me to think about what youth means.
The roar of the October Revolution guns brought China Marxism-Leninism. At the same time, it also brought a revolutionary mentor to China. His family name is Li and first name is Dazhao, also called Shouchang. Li is the earliest disseminator of Marxism in China. I was lucky to meet him when I was reading the article Youth, written by Li.
I first read the article when I was a freshman in college. At that time, I could already deeply feel the mood and ideals of Li when he was facing the crisis of national survival a hundred years ago. The Youth is not only an article of 8,000 words, but also the splendid life of a number of forerunners at that time. Li Dazhao, Chen Yannian, Chen Qiaonian, Chen Duxiu, Liu Bannong, Zhao Shiyan and Xia Minghan, unfortunately fell before the dawn while searching for brightness for China during its darkest period.
Some of them were killed by counter revolutionaries, others had to face old age, sickness and sacrifice... but they had sown the seeds of revolution to the country! The May Fourth Movement and the New Culture Movement came to my mind, as if I had traveled through the time tunnel to meet these young revolutionaries one hundred years ago. I seem to hear Li Dazhao delivering a speech in the Zhongshan Park with a voice that shakes the whole country. People’s faces were all smiling with happiness, their eyes full of energy. It seemed that they were able to topple the mountains and drain the seas, their youth blooming with dazzling light!
When I was studying in Beijing, I often went to Tian'anmen Square. For me, the most beautiful part of Beijing is here. It not only boasts of a famous monument, but also represents a milestone in history. On Tian'anmen Rostrum, Chairman Mao solemnly announced the establishment of the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China. China terminated its humiliating history of being invaded and enslaved for more than 100 years. And this year is the 100th anniversary of the founding of the CPC. Time passes but their spirit lives on. I respectfully raise my hand in salute for the millions of heroes who fell before the dawn!
We must learn from history, hold our pens and books aloft, inherit the spirit of our predecessors and continue to strive for our whole life.
In the course of their repeated efforts to find the remedy for the salvation of the country, Li and other predecessors never forgot to think of the future generations. Their efforts have left us two valuable spiritual treasures.
One is the spirit of Marxism. Throughout the history of various countries of the world, only the Communist Party stands on the side of the people and only the socialist system could save China. It was only through the continuous efforts of those predecessors living 100 years ago that Marxism spread to this sleeping Eastern country. And the arduous task of awakening the times was accomplished by Li and others of New Youth magazine.
Their endeavor inspired countless Chinese people and pushed forward the awakening of China. In 2018, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee Xi Jinping solemnly declared to the world: “On the way forward, we must continue to hoist the great banner of Marxism, so that the bright future of human society envisioned by Marx and Engels will continue to be displayed on the Chinese land!” You can imagine how important Marxism means to China.
The other treasure is the books and writings that contain the light of wisdom. Li and his colleagues of New Youth were the first to systematically translate and publish Marxist works into Chinese.
It turned out these two treasures were timely rain, shooting stars and rainbow for the old China.
I would like to say that, as an international student studying in China, we should, as General Secretary Xi noted, to understand today’s China, understand the CPC first. I am very fortunate to be able to come face to face with Li Dazhao in his Youth and feel the red flag and hot blood of Chinese youths! I also felt the youth of China’s revolutionary forefathers for a brand-new China. The youths of China today are also taking practical actions to continue this spirit, turning it into a lamp to expel darkness and find brightness, so that the spirit of China will continue to shine in the hearts and minds of every Chinese people.
The story is from "My Beautiful Encounter with China" Essay Competition organized by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchanges (CSCSE).
