maintained and Shao claimed that the principles of these papers could differ from those of Jing Bao based on their different nature. Inspired by Shao's efforts in expanding the coverage of newspapers to include literary contents, his students Zhang Youluan (張友鵉), Zhao Shaojun (周紹鈞), and Huang Jinqing (黃近青) established the Xingxing Literature Society (星星文學社) and published Literature Weekly (文學周刊). Political views Objection to the government While Shao was recognized as an outstanding journalist, politics was an inseparable ingredient in his journalistic career. Shao foresaw Yuan Shikai's aggression to set up his own regime and thus launched the anti-Yuan force in China. His open objection to the new power naturally put him in trouble. Shao was arrested twice and his newspaper Hanmin Daily was forced to close down. He fled to Japan to continue working in the field of journalism. He was the earliest to unveil Yuan's conspiracy in accepting the infamous Twenty-One Demands proposed by Imperial Japan. In December 1916, he flew back to China to join the protest against Yuan's coronation. During the May Fourth Movement (五四運動) in 1919, Shao took part in rallying for the support of Chinese students to save the country from Japanese aggression. He spoke at the University of Beijing on the reasons for China's frustration at the Paris Peace Conference and criticized the weaknesses of the Chinese Government in Jing Bao. This again agitated the authorities and eventually the newspaper was put under suspension. After fleeing to Japan for refuge, he returned to China when Duan Qi Rui's (段祺瑞) government lost power in 1920. In 1925, he became a secret member of the Chinese Communist Party where he made large numbers of reports on the communist movement. A year later, the Chinese military, under the command of Zhang Zuolin (張作霖), executed Shao without trial, claiming that he "propagandized communism". Involvement in the Communist Party When the operation of Jing Bao was restarted in 1920, Shao published an article entitled "Study of the New Russia" (新俄國之研究). His aims were to introduce the theory of Karl Marx to the Chinese people, and more importantly, to promote the way he believed that could save China, which was revolution. The article presented the theory of socialism, glorified the October Revolution in the Soviet Union in 1917, and promoted the success of Union of Soviet Socialists Republics (USSR). The article sowed the seeds of communism in the hearts of