The New Culture Movement was an intellectual and cultural movement in China during the early 20th century, primarily from 1915 to 1921. It aimed to modernize Chinese society by promoting ideas such as democracy, science, and individualism. The movement challenged traditional Confucian values and sought to reform education, literature, and language, advocating for the use of the vernacular instead of classical Chinese. Key figures in the movement included writers and thinkers like Lu Xun and Chen Duxiu, who emphasized the importance of critical thinking and cultural renewal. The New Culture Movement laid the groundwork for later political movements, including the May Fourth Movement, which further pushed for social and political change in China.