The National Language Research Association was an academic institution established in Beijing in 1916 to promote language reform and the Mandarin Language Movement. Its stated purpose, as mentioned in its constitution, was “to research the national language, establish standards for educational use.”

In its several decades of existence during the Mandarin Language Movement, this association contributed significantly to the cause. In 1917, it held its first major conference and elected Cai Yuanpei as its president and Zhang Yilin as vice president. They formulated the “Plan for the Progress of National Language Research and Investigation,” advocating for vernacular Chinese and new punctuation marks.

By 1918, the association had grown to include 1,500 members, and in that year, it strongly advocated for the official adoption of phonetic symbols, ultimately leading to the Ministry of Education’s formal announcement of phonetic symbols. By 1920, the association’s membership had reached 12,000.

Under the guidance of the association, there was a convergence of the “Literary Revolution” and “National Language Standardization” movements, leading to the liberation of written language and, subsequently, the liberation of thought. This period witnessed a cultural revival in China.

In 1921, the association established a branch in Shanghai and worked closely with the publishing industry to promote the publication of children’s literature.

In 1922, the association published its journal, “National Language Monthly,” which continued until 1924 when the association finally established its headquarters at Qifeng Building in Beijing.

With the establishment of the National Language Preparation Committee, many of the association’s functions were gradually replaced, and by 1926, it began to decline after the National Language Movement Convention at the National University of China.