On July 26, 1916, I announced to all my friends in America that

Listen now to the words of Hu Shih, who, in an act of deep cultural and artistic rebellion, declared: “On July 26, 1916, I announced to all my friends in America that from now on I resolved to write no more poems in the classical language, and to begin my experiments in writing poetry in the so-called vulgar tongue of the people.” In these words, Hu Shih marks a pivotal moment in both his life and in the history of Chinese literature. This statement is not merely about a personal shift in artistic direction; it is a declaration of his belief in the power of the vernacular, the language of the common people, and his desire to break free from the constraints of classical Chinese, which had long dominated the world of literature and poetry.

The classical language of China was highly formalized, elegant, and laden with historical and cultural significance. For centuries, poetry in China had been written in Classical Chinese, a language that was used by scholars, elites, and poets alike. This form was rich with allusions to ancient texts and literary traditions, demanding a deep knowledge of cultural heritage and formal education to fully appreciate. Yet, in many ways, Classical Chinese was also a barrier to the masses, as it was a language that many ordinary people did not speak or understand. The common folk, the laborers, the farmers, and the merchants were separated from the world of literary creation by the very language that dominated the arts. Hu Shih’s revolutionary act was not simply an artistic choice, but a move toward accessibility, a way of inviting the common people to engage with poetry and literature on their own terms.

This decision echoes the sentiments of countless artistic and cultural movements throughout history. In ancient Greece, Homer’s epic poetry was originally performed in a dialect of the Greek language that was accessible to the people, even though it was elevated and poetic. In Rome, poets like Virgil used Latin, but they spoke to the Roman populace, exploring universal themes of duty, honor, and loss, which resonated deeply with the common man. Similarly, in the Renaissance, artists like Dante Alighieri, who originally wrote The Divine Comedy in Italian, sought to bring the great poetic tradition into the hands of the common people by writing in the vernacular, rather than in Latin, which was reserved for the scholarly elite. Hu Shih’s decision to write in the vulgar tongue is a continuation of this age-old tradition—a desire to make poetry and art accessible to all, rather than confined to a select few.

By writing in the vernacular, Hu Shih was also engaging in a deeper philosophical and political act. He was calling for the democratization of literature, advocating for the idea that poetry should reflect the lived experiences of ordinary people, not just the cultural ideals of the elite. This was a period of profound change in China. The May Fourth Movement of 1919, which sought to modernize China and break from the constraints of traditional Confucian values, was still in its early stages. Hu Shih’s shift to the vernacular was aligned with the broader intellectual revolution that was taking place in China, one that sought to bring forth new ideas about language, society, and politics. It was an act of breaking away from old structures and embracing a new, more inclusive vision of cultural expression.

The decision to use the vulgar tongue was, therefore, not simply an artistic choice; it was a cultural rebellion. It was a move to strip away the elitism that had long characterized Chinese poetry and to make the art accessible, relevant, and resonant with the struggles, joys, and realities of the common people. This change allowed poetry to become a vehicle for social change, a platform for raising awareness about issues that affected ordinary people, and a means for expressing emotions that were often silenced by the formal constraints of Classical Chinese.

Through his decision, Hu Shih helped to lay the groundwork for a new era in Chinese literature. His work encouraged other poets to experiment with the vernacular language and find ways to express the full range of human emotion and experience. This era saw the rise of modern Chinese poetry, which used the common language of the people to convey messages of personal struggle, political discontent, and societal transformation. Hu Shih’s legacy can be seen in the work of later poets, such as Bai Juyi, whose poetry was praised for its simplicity and accessibility, or Xu Zhimo, who used the vernacular to express his personal feelings of love and loss.

The lesson we take from Hu Shih’s revolutionary choice is one of inclusivity and empowerment. True art and poetry are not meant to be confined to the elite, nor should they be spoken in a language that only a few can understand. Poetry—and art in general—should be a reflection of the lived experiences of all people, accessible to everyone, regardless of their background or education. Whether in China, Italy, or Greece, the great poets and artists of history understood that the power of art lies in its ability to connect people, to speak to the universal, to transcend the boundaries of class and culture.

Practical actions follow. As creators, we must consider who our art serves. Are we writing for an elite few, or are we writing for the world? Poetry can and should be a universal language, one that connects the heart of the artist with the hearts of all those who hear or read it. As readers and consumers of art, we must also seek out those voices that speak to us in our own language—the language of our daily lives, the language of our struggles, our joys, and our dreams. Let us embrace the vernacular, the language of the people, and seek to make our poetry and art something that resonates with all, not just with a select few.

In this way, Hu Shih’s bold move, made on July 26, 1916, reverberates through history. His decision to write in the vulgar tongue has not only shaped the course of Chinese literature but has become a testament to the power of language to bring people together, to make the personal universal, and to give voice to those who have long been silenced.