Research on Mao Zedong’s Early Physical Education Thought and Practice

This paper explores Mao Zedong’s early views on physical education and practice,focusing on the“Six-Section Exercise”he created.The exercise,which integrates elements from traditional health-preserving techniques,gymnastics,boxing,and military training,was designed to promote balanced physical development,be practical and effective,and require less time per session.The paper argues that Mao Zedong’s views on physical education were grounded in the belief that it could effectively transform individuals and contribute to the creation of a strong sports nation.The paper also discusses the historical context and social trends behind the creation of the“Six-Section Exercise”,including the New Culture Movement and debates between Chinese and Western,static and dynamic,and new and old approaches to physical education.The paper concludes by suggesting that Mao Zedong’s early sports thinking has significant academic value and can provide guidance for the construction of a healthy China today.

From Academic Nitpicking to a =New Culture Movement＇： How Newspapers Turned Academic Debates into the Center of ~May Fourth＂

Abstract In early 1919, people like Hu Shi and Chen Duxiu were regarded as members of an ivory-tower ＂academic faction＂ （xuepai）, embroiled in a debate with an opposing ＂faction.＂ After the May Fourth demonstrations, they were praised as the stars of a ＂New Culture Movement.＂ However, it was not obvious how the circle around Hu Shi and Chert Duxiu was associated with the May Fourth demonstrations. This link hinged on the way in which newspapers like Shenbao reported about the academic debates and the political events of May Fourth. After compartmentalizing the debating academics into fixed xuepai, Shenbao ascribed warlord-political allegiances to them. These made the Hu-Chen circle look like government victims and their ＂factional＂ rivals like the warlords＇ allies. When the atmosphere became hostile to the government during May Fourth, Hu Shi＇s ＂faction＂ became associated with the equally victimized May Fourth demonstrators. Their ideas were regarded as （now popular） expressions of anti-government sentiment, and soon this was labeled the core of the ＂New Culture Movement.＂ The idea and rhetoric of China＇s ＂New Culture Movement＂ in this way emerged out of the fortuitous concatenation of academic debates, newspaper stories, and political events.

How Not to Have Nostalgia for the Future： A Reading of Lu Xun＇s ＂Hometown＂

This essay rereads Lu Xun＇s 1921 story, ＂Hometown,＂ by focusing on its nostalgic character. Against the background of a modernizing historical moment in China, the story is about a city-dweller intellectual coming back to his homeland, only to find that nothing there corresponds to his somewhat nostalgic and romantic expectations. For a long period, students of modem Chinese literature have read this story either as a critique of the feudal Chinese culture whose vestige still loomed large in rural areas at the time, or as a literary representation of Lu Xun＇s hesitation toward the belief in progress embraced by those who passionately participated the cultural movement. Through a rereading of this text I argue that, instead of shedding a critical light on the economically and culturally backward rural China, here represented by the ＂homeland＂ of the protagonist, or showing his hesitation toward the New Cultural Movement, Lu Xun＇s narrative of ＂returning home＂ indicates how the political radicality of the movement points toward a hope beyond program and calculation.