Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v1.c7.s9.t7.5

v1.c7.s9.t7.5

However, later in his life, and particularly after witnessing the terrible destruction wrought by World War I, Liang Qichao became disillusioned about Western civilisation and what he saw as its emphasis on material progress at the cost of great destruction and of spiritual wellbeing. He wrote that “of the methods of relieving spiritual famine, I recognise the Eastern – Chinese and Indian – to be, in comparison, the best.” His changed stance brought him into conflict with many young Chinese intellectuals of the May Fourth generation (participants in May 4, 1919 demonstrations and the radical New Culture movement of the time). This formed the background to Liang Qichao’s role during Rabindranath Tagore’s visit to China.