张开平|Carry On the Legacy of the May 4th Movement, and Be Worthy of the New Era

读书嘉宾：清华大学政治学系助理教授，斯坦福大学传播学博士，仲英青年学者。兼任清华大学数据治理中心特聘研究员，曾任斯坦福大学协商民主中心研究员。主要研究领域包括信息政治、公共舆论与民主治理。研究成果发表于《Political Psychology》、《Japanese Journal of Political Science》等国际期刊。

英文文本：

Carry On the Legacy of the May 4th Movement, and Be Worthy of the New Era

Hard work paints a bright backdrop fora young life. As Mao Zedong said, “Should I have 200 years to spare, I will surely swim for 3,000 li(1,500 km).”The mission of national rejuvenation must be achieved through hard work, as must the ideals of life. Without an arduous popular struggle, carried out especially by generations of young people, there would have been neither the present new era of Chinese socialism nor a future in which we will realize national rejuvenation. Over thousands of years, the Chinese nation has suffered numerous hardships, but none of them could defeat us; instead, they have lifted our national spirit, willpower and strength. Today, our living conditions have improved, but we, especially our young people, must retain the spirit and fine tradition of hard work. There will definitely be daunting challenges and even perilous storms in the new journey towards national rejuvenation. The spirit of arduous struggle is especially needed during the process. Hard work is not just a ringing slogan;it is about doing small things, completing every task, and fulfilling every duty. The road of hard work will not be smooth, instead it will be cobbled with hardships and full of ups and downs. The strong can always rise from setbacks;they are never discouraged.

In the new era young Chinese must forge ahead as brave and devoted pioneers in the forefront of the times against all difficulties and obstacles, and work hard to blaze new trails, achieve successes and create miracles that will astonish the world.

Fifth, Chinese youths in the new era must have remarkable abilities.

Youth is a golden age for developing skills through hard work. “If you idle away your youth and achieve nothing, it’s no good lamenting in old age.”

In this new era, knowledge updates quickly, the social division of labor is becoming more refined, and new technologies,models, and forms of business are emerging one after another. This not only provides a broad stage for young people to display your talents, but also raises new and higher requirements for your abilities. To achieve your ideals or to shoulder the mission of the times, young people must cherish and do justice to the prime of youth, study hard to acquire scientific knowledge,improve your capabilities, hone your skills, and keep up with new developments around the world in terms of thinking, vision, ideas, and level of understanding.

Chinese youths in the new era must have a stronger sense of urgency in learning, and work hard on studying the Marxist stance, viewpoint and methodology. You must master knowledge of science and culture and professional expertise. You must improve your attainment inhumanities by educating yourselves and tempering your character through study.You must acquire more skills and become more professionally competent at work, so that you will be able to serve the people and make innovative and creative contributions to the country.

Sixth, Chinese youths in the new era should temper your moral character.

A person cannot succeed without virtues. This makes morality essential. The Chinese nation has been trying to attain moral qualities that repose in the heights of excellence. To build China into a strong modern socialist country, we must enrich ourselves not only materially but culturally and ethically. Cultural and ethical progress is more lasting,more profound and more powerful. Young people must integrate sound moral appreciation and conscious moral development with active moral practice, to improve yourselves and maintain moral integrity. This way you will travel further in the correct direction on the path of life.

Faced with a complex and changing international landscape, young people must differentiate between truth and falsehood and keep to the right path, and never blindly follow what others say or do. Facing temptation from the outside world, you must remain resolute, strictly abide by rules, create a better life with hard and honest work, and never be opportunistic or become conceited. While enjoying the good times, you should remember those who fought to make the present possible and work to repay them.You should be grateful to the Party, the country, the society and the people.You are expected to go through hardships, understand what life entails, get to know people’s concerns and real problems, and identify the true meaning and value of life and work.

In the new era young people must nurture and practice the core socialist values, draw nourishment from traditional Chinese virtues,learn from heroes and role models of the times, and enhance your moral integrity through introspection. You should recognize illustrious virtue,follow social ethics, and restrict personal desires, while guarding against temptations such as worship of money, self-indulgence, overly selfcentered pursuits, and historical nihilism. You should aim high and look far to pursue a more lofty and fulfilling life, so that integrity and vitality will prevail throughout our society.