Human society has undergone many stages of development, of which “modern” and “modern” are two frequently mentioned and easily confused concepts. While they all refer to periods of history closer to us, there are significant differences in time horizons, language usage, social characteristics, etc。
I. Differences in time span
• modernity: in general, the modern time frame is broader, but it usually refers to the historical period from the mid-19 to the mid-20s. During this period, the world experienced major events such as the industrial revolution, the scientific revolution and the rise of nation states, and the transformation of human society from traditional agricultural to modern industrial societies. In china, modern times often refer to the period from the five-four movements of 1919 to the establishment of a new china in 1949, marking the beginning of china's neo-democratic revolution and the emergence of a socialist revolution。
• contemporary: contemporary refers to a period of history that is closer to our present time, to a period immediately after modern times, usually the mid-twentieth century to the present. After the end of the second world war, the world had entered a new stage of development, with political, economic and cultural features that were different from those of modern times, and globalization, informatization and the scientific and technological revolution had become important features of contemporary society。
Ii. Context of use
• modernity: more used to describe periods of major historical transformations and landmark changes, with emphasis on the process of transition from tradition to modernity, involving all-round changes in political, economic, cultural, scientific and technological spheres. “modern literature”, for example, often refers to literature that has acquired new literary concepts, forms and content since the fourth movement, which is clearly different from traditional literature; “modern art” also often refers to the breakthrough of traditional artistic genres and creative methods such as stereoism, expressionism, etc。
• contemporary: focus more on what is happening and developing now, emphasizing the close link to real life and the immediacy. The expression “modern society”, “modern culture”, “modern science and technology”, refers mainly to the current social environment, cultural phenomena and the state of scientific and technological development in which we live, giving greater attention to current hotspots, social phenomena and trends. In the field of literature, the term “modern literature” generally refers to literary creations since the establishment of the new china, in particular the phenomenon of currently active writers and literature。
Iii. Social identity differences
• modernity: industrialization, urbanization and profound changes in the social fabric have taken place in the modern era. The emerging bourgeois and proletarian classes became the two main classes of society, with social contradictions and conflicts. At the same time, with advances in science and technology and the development of productivity, people's lifestyles have changed dramatically。
• contemporary: contemporary societies are characterized by globalization, informatization and the full development of high technology. Globalization had led to closer ties between countries and to increased exchanges and cooperation in the economic, cultural, scientific and technological fields; information had contributed to the digital transformation of societies and profound changes in people's way of life and working methods; and high-tech developments had created unprecedented facilities and opportunities for humankind, as well as new challenges and problems。
Modernity and contemporaryity are two interrelated but differentiated concepts. They vary significantly in terms of time span, context, social characteristics and values. Understanding these differences helps us to better understand the course of human society's development and the current state of its existence and to provide useful lessons and inspiration for our future development. At the same time, we should also recognize that history is continuous and that the transitions and linkages between modern and contemporary times are multidimensional. Therefore, an open and inclusive approach is needed in the study of contemporary and contemporary historical, cultural and social phenomena, taking full account of their interaction and interlocking。
