In Beijing on May 4, 1919 outbreaks of the Chinese people against imperialism and feudalism patriotic movement. In 1914 the first world war broke out, Japan an excuse to declare war on Germany, invasion of Qingdao and jiaoji railway across the board, held in shandong province, to the various rights and interests of Germany in shandong seized. The end of the war of 1918, Germany was defeated. On January 18, 1919, the victors "peace conference" held in Paris.
The government in Beijing and guangzhou military coalition of the Chinese delegation, to the victors identity to participate in and all the privileges in China, put forward to cancel powers cancel out Japanese imperialism and yuan shikai to conclude "article 21" unequal treaties, return the war Japan away from the control of the German rights in shandong and other requirements. Paris peace conference in the imperialist powers under control, not only refused to the requirements of China, and to sign the peace treaty, Germany enshrined the privilege of Germany in shandong, all transfer to Japan. The Beijing government was ready to sign the "contract", which aroused the Chinese people's strong opposition.
On May 4 in the afternoon, Beijing university, such as 13 higher normal school, more than three thousand students, broke through the police blocked to the front of the tiananmen square rally speech, held after the demonstration, put forward "for sovereign, except the kleptocratic", "cancel" article 21, slogans such as "refuse to sign contract", at the same time requirements concerning pro-japanese elements Cao Rulin, ZhangZongXiang, at Luzon and. The procession moved to the willow road, from the embassy on the block, and came to the house of zhaojialou community hutong Cao Rulin. Students into Cao Zhai Cao Rulin quickly went into hiding, is the place ZhangZongXiang thrashed by students, Cao Zhai also burned, police arrested more than 30 students on the spot. Beijing students a strike, and electricity to protest across the country.
1919年5月4日在北京爆发的中国人民反对帝国主义、封建主义的爱国运动。1914年第一次世界大战爆发，日本借口对德宣战，攻占青岛和胶济铁路全线，控制了山东省，夺去德国在山东强占的各种权益。1918年大战结束，德国战败。1919年1月18日，战胜国在巴黎召开 “和平会议”。
北京政府和广州军政府联合组成中国代表团，以战胜国身分参加和会，提出取消列强在华的各项特权，取消日本帝国主义与袁世凯订立的 “二十一条”不平等条约，归还大战期间日本从德国手中夺去的山东各项权利等要求。巴黎和会在帝国主义列强操纵下，不但拒绝中国的要求，而且在对德和约上，明文规定把德国在山东的特权，全部转让给日本。北京政府竟准备在 “和约”上签字，从而激起了中国人民的强烈反对。
5月4日下午，北京大学、高等师范学校等十三所学校的三千多名学生，冲破军警的阻挠到天安门前集会演讲，后举行游行示威，提出 “外争主权、内除国贼”、 “取消二十一条”、 “拒绝和约签字”等口号，同时要求惩办亲日派曹汝霖、章宗祥、陆宗舆。游行队伍向东交民巷进发，遭到使馆巡捕的阻拦，转而来到赵家楼胡同曹汝霖的住宅。学生冲入曹宅，曹汝霖急忙躲藏起来，正在该处的章宗祥受到学生痛打，曹宅也被焚烧，军警当场逮捕了三十多名学生。北京学生实行罢课，通电全国表示抗议。
