A hundred years of the New Culture Movement have passed. Where are "Chen of the South and Li of the North" today? Descendants of Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao recently met in Hefei, drawing attention at home and abroad. According to Anhui Chen Clan sources, on the evening of November 26, 2016, Chen Entian, former Chairman of the International Seven Three Society, Lifetime Senior Advisor of Hong Kong Federation of Literary and Art Circles and great-grandson of Chen Duxiu, met with Li Hongta, Vice Chairman of Anhui Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Vice Chairman of China Charity Federation and direct grandson of Li Dazhao, in an alley in Hefei. The two enjoyed a pleasant meeting. Chen Entian also recited Preface to Leting, his famous contemporary work written in 1998.
A hundred years ago, revolutionary pioneers including Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao launched the vigorous New Culture Movement. In 1916, Chen Duxiu took office as Dean of the Faculty of Arts at Peking University. In the same year, Li Dazhao returned home after studying political science at Waseda University in Tokyo and was appointed Director of the Library and Professor of Economics at Peking University. The two shared a deep bond and mutual respect, and actively spread Marxism. On the evening of November 26, 1916, Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao, close comrades-in-arms, had a candlelit conversation in an alley beside Peking University, which laid a solid foundation for the later joint efforts of "Chen of the South and Li of the North" to found the Communist Party.
A hundred years later, the grandsons of "Chen of the South and Li of the North" met in Hefei. It was both a historical coincidence and a destiny arrangement. Both of them are distinguished figures. After stepping down as Chairman of the International Seven Three Society, the world’s largest academic society, Chen Entian actively supports the initiatives of Chinese leaders. He is committed to promoting the International Day of the Belt and Road worldwide and establishing an international non-governmental operation mechanism for the Belt and Road. Li Hongta once served as Director of the Department of Civil Affairs of Anhui Province and later held the posts of Vice Chairman of Anhui Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and Vice Chairman of China Charity Federation.
Media at home and abroad interpreted Chen Entian’s visit to Anhui as a gratitude tour. Relevant provincial and municipal leaders welcomed his visit. November 24 is the Western Thanksgiving Day. After meeting Chen Yujun, Chairman of the Special Zone of Xiangkhouang, Laos, in Jiujiang, Jiangxi, Chen Entian attended the opening ceremony of the movie Dragon Emerging in All Directions about Yimen Chen. Afterwards, he brought descendants of Yimen Chen together with crew members Chen Zhilin and Chen Yingchun to lay flowers at Chen Duxiu’s Cemetery in Anqing, to express gratitude for the founding of the Communist Party of China by pioneers such as Chen Duxiu and Li Dazhao.
