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To commemorate the 95th anniversary of the May Fourth Movement, the Macao Museum of Art (under the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau), in collaboration with the Beijing New Culture Movement Memorial Hall and the Beijing Lu Xun Museum, presents the "Questioning Antiquity and Innovation" special exhibition. This exhibition features 176 sets of cultural relics related to Qian Xuantong, a key promoter of the New Culture Movement.
The exhibition is divided into four thematic sections:
The New Culture Movement erupted in the early 20th century alongside the May Fourth Movement. It was a movement of ideological, cultural, and literary revolution initiated by Western-educated scholars, characterized by its stance against tradition, Confucianism, and classical Chinese. To save the nation from crisis, Chinese intellectuals sought solutions from Western civilization, championing the banners of "Science" and "Democracy" to dispel ignorance and enlighten reason.
Qian Xuantong was an outstanding Chinese linguist and philologist. Grounded in profound knowledge of phonology, ancient history, and classical studies, he dedicated himself to the Literary Revolution. He worked tirelessly to promote the national language (Mandarin), standard pronunciation, phonetic symbols, the National Romanization system, and simplified Chinese characters.
The vernacular Chinese (Baihua) we use today began its widespread adoption in the early 20th century. The popularization and improvement of literacy among Chinese people led to more effective knowledge dissemination—a direct or indirect legacy of the New Culture Movement.
Qian Xuantong used the sobriquet "疑古" (Questioning Antiquity), reflecting his scholarly courage to question ancient academic traditions. Simultaneously, he possessed a spirit of cultural innovation. Hence, the exhibition title "Questioning Antiquity and Innovation" aims to present this pioneer of the New Culture Movement and the essence of his era to contemporary audiences.
Culture & Heritage Exhibitions
Macao Communications Museum
