In a public lecture titled "Youth Culture in Contemporary China," delivered by Assoc. Prof. Loreta Poškaitė from the Institute of Asian and Transcultural Studies, we learned many interesting facts and insights related to youth culture and its development in China, particularly in the 20th and 21st centuries. Let's briefly overview the key points that were highlighted.
First of all, the lecture discussed the topic of loneliness, which plays a profound role in the lives of today's young people. The reason can be traced back to the "one-child policy" implemented from 1979 to 2015. It was used as a measure to curb population growth. This may prompt teenagers to become increasingly exposed to the Internet and become addicted to it. Today, mini karaoke booths are set up for single individuals, and hiring strangers for activities such as shopping or cozy dinner has become a popular everyday activity.
But is it possible to understand the present without traveling through the corridors of the past?
Until the early 20th century, youth was not considered a separate social category, and the very concept of "youth" as a political category appeared in 1919 during the "May Fourth Movement" in China, which aimed to reform Chinese society by adopting Western ideas, rejecting Confucianism and modernizing various areas of Chinese life. During this movement, young people, who have demonstrated their patriotism and endless activity, seemed to have become the catalyst of these changes and spreaders of new ideas.
However, the tumultuous Cultural Revolution of 1966- 1976 occupies a particularly important place in history. Mao Zedong's call to arms mobilized the youth into the rebellious ranks of the Red Guards. With creative fervor, the Red Guards were given the freedom to express themselves creatively in reshaping society, thus playing a central role in Mao's radical agenda.
After the Cultural Revolution, young people gained more of the coveted freedom they had yearned for, although the political transformation occured slowly, leading to the evolution of underground youth culture. It included a new wave of fashion and self-expression in the early 1990s such as cultural t-shirts with provocative slogans and illustrations expressing the hooliganism of youth. Of course, we should not forget to mention other forms of expression, including rap, break, exhibitions exposing the naked body, cosplay and others.
In conclusion, all these elements illustrate the dynamic nature of Chinese youth culture, tracing its evolution from political activism to various forms of self-expression and its continuous influence on contemporary Chinese society.
Thank you to those who participated and we look forward to seeing you at our next events!