In modern times (from 1840 to 1949), Zhejiang culture inherited and developed the traditional Chinese culture and furthered the development in a tune of innovation and reform. Thus Zhejiang culture kept a driving tendency in its development.

    In learning and ideology fields, from 1840 to 1949, there were lots of revolutionists, ideologists and scholars like Lin Qi, Zhang Taiyan, Cai Yuanpei, Tao Chengzhang, Sun Yirang, Lu Xun, Chen Wangdao and Zheng Zhenduo who were rich in knowledge, profound in learning, studious in educating the people and also with the thoughts of patriotism and democracy. Yu Yueand Sun 
 
 Cai Yuanpei
Yirang were great masters of the nation's tradition science; Zhang Taiyan was a famous thinker; Cai Yuanpei was a great educator; Lu Xun was the banner-man of the China's New Culture Movement; Zhang Yuanji devoted all his lifetime to the education and publishing courses; Ma Yifu was considered the contemporary master of the Confucian school's idealist philosophy; Wu Han and Fan Wenlan were historians and Xia Chengtao was the master of the Ci poems; all of them were Zhejiang natives or had been staying in Zhejiang for quite long period. These scholars enjoyed very important positions in the modern history of China.

In literature fields, the banner-man of the China's New Culture Movement, Lu Xun published his first vernacular Chinese novel Bedlamite's Diary in the famous magazine New Youth. In 1921, Shen Yanbin initiated the Literature Research Committee to promote the theory that art was originated from the real life; Yu Dafu initiated the Creation Academy to promote the theory that art should manifest one's true self. The novel collection Sinking by Yu Dafu has been the first collection since the China's New Culture Movement. Later on, the trilogy, Spring Silkworms, Lin's Shop and Midnight by Mao Dun began the anti- imperialism and anti-feudal main theme then. Besides, the Zhejiang scholars contributed a lot to the development of the modern poems and prose of China. In 1920s, there were lots of new-type poets and prose writers of different styles and genres, such as the earliest new-type poem organization Lakeside Poem Society established in Hangzhou, 1922; the Crescent Style represented by the poet Xu Zhimo; the modern genre poem represented by Dai Wangshu, the Red Instigation poems by Yin Fu and the Whitehorse Lake prose genre represented by Zhu Ziqing and Xia Gaizun, etc. 
    In art field, there were famous ones like Li Shutong, Xia Yan, Zhou Xinfang, Gai Jiaotian and Yuan Xuefen who achieved their own successes in music, drama, movie and Yue Opera. Apart from these achievements, another outstanding facet of Zhejiang Modern Culture was fine arts.

 Mao Dun

 At the end of Qing Dynasty, most representatives of the Shanghai Painting Genre were Zhejiang natives, such as Zhao Zhiqian, the three Rens (namely Ren Xiong, Ren Xun and Ren Bonian), Wu Changshuo, etc. In the Four Great Painters of Shanghai Painting Genre, there were three from Zhejiang, namely Ren Bonian, Wu Changshuo and Pu Hua. Besides, with the inherited cream of the traditional arts, the modern Zhejiang artists like Huang Binhong, Feng Zikai, Pan Tianshou and Lu Weizhao tried hard to make transformation and innovation to the modern arts, injected some new and modern elements into their works and finally created their own art characteristics. The Xiling Seal Society that was established in 1904 was the earliest research organization for the inscriptions books and Chinese seals art. The scenic spot Lanting (orchid pavilion) in Shaoxing County is the Holy Land of the Chinese calligraphy. The establishment of the National Academy of Fine Arts in Hangzhou, 1928 indicated that again Hangzhou became one of the centers for the fine arts creation and education of the nation.
    Zhejiang Culture is based on the long-standing traditions, profound accumulations, outstanding and unique local characteristics and spirits of the times. Furthermore, Zhejiang province is rich in the culture resources. The abundant culture heritage and prosperous culture course bring many advantages in the construction of a big cultural province.
 Feng Zikai

Culture is the centralized embodiment of the construction of spiritual civilization and the motivity of the development of social economy. Thanks to the cultural accumulation and tradition, Zhejiang becomes a big economic province too. During the long period social practices, the people of Zhejiang province have shown their perseverance, creativity and a kind of down-to-earth spirit that are fundamental to Zhejiang Spirit. In order to promote the Zhejiang Spirit, exploit the future, realize the dissemination goals of the modern Chinese language, improve the people's qualities both spiritual and cultural, improve the people's living standard and advance the social civilization, the government proposes a series of positive policies and regulations to achieve the goal of a big cultural province of the nation. 
    Stepping into the 21st century, the value of culture is increasing and so is cultural consumption. In accordance with Chairman Jiang’s Three Representatives Theory, we will keep promoting the advanced culture, keep up with the tides and trends, and try our best to attain the goal of building a big cultural province.
(Writer & editor: Jiang Zhongqi, Translator: Zhang Ying) 
 Zhejiang Symphony Orchestra