It was a beautiful sunny day in late spring Beijing. Thousands of students from
thirteen different colleges and universities, mostly from Peking University,
marched toward the Gate of Heavenly Peace, the symbolic center of the country as well as the city. The light spring breeze that mixed with a fresh smell
of newly-budded flowers and green plants offered a sharp contrast with the
solemn atmosphere of the large student groups whose members held up tall
white banners, handed out flyers, and passionately shouted out slogans that
demanded the Chinese government fight for its sovereignty when dealing with
foreign imperial powers. That date was May 4, 1919. A series of strikes and boycotts was organized soon afterwards across the country by workers, merchants,
and like-minded students to support the Beijing protest, eventually forcing the
government to readjust its political stance and withdraw the troops sent to
crack down on the student protestors. This chain reaction of socio-political
activities was later collectively known as the May Fourth Movement.