Kang Youwei

Kang Youwei was born in Nanhai, Guangdong, on 19 March 1858. He was born Sun Yiliang 孙以亮 into a family of four children. His father Sun Wenyao (孫文耀) was trained as railroad engineer in Brussels, Belgium. His mother Fan Nianhua (范念华) and father both are originally from Jiashan County, Zhejiang. He along with all his siblings learned to speak English since grade school. He attended Yenching University, but his studies in philosophy were interrupted by the May Fourth Movement. He joined the New Culture Movement and became a supporter of the Communist Party of China. He also translated, directed, and acted in The Rising of the Moon, a play by the Irish dramatist Lady Gregory. It was the first Chinese production of the play. He also sent the play to George Bernard Shaw to express his admiration and received a reply that encouraged him to be creative and original. He began his scholarly career in 1873, when he passed the county-level imperial examination at the age of 15. He then studied the Confucian classics to prepare for the provincial and national examinations, which he passed in 1890 and 1895 respectively. He became a jinshi, the highest degree in the civil service system, and was appointed to the Hanlin Academy, an elite scholarly institution. He was known for his unconventional and innovative interpretations of the Confucian texts, especially the Book of Changes, which he regarded as a source of metaphysical and cosmological wisdom. He also wrote commentaries on the Four Books, the core texts of Confucianism, and advocated for a reform of the traditional scholastic system. He was influenced by Western philosophy, science, and religion, and sought to synthesize them with Chinese culture. He was one of the first Chinese scholars to propose the idea of a world government and a universal religion based on Confucianism. He wrote several books on his vision of a utopian society, such as The Book of Great Unity (大同書), The One-World Philosophy (天下學), and The Confucian Religion (儒教). He also wrote historical and political works, such as The Reformation of Meiji Emperor (日本明治變政考), and The Reformation of Peter the Great (俄大彼得變政記), in which he praised the modernization efforts of Japan and Russia, and urged China to follow their examples. ¹ He was also a leader of the Reform Movement of 1898, a failed attempt to transform China into a constitutional monarchy. He was a close adviser to the young Guangxu Emperor, who was impressed by his ideas and supported his proposals. He and his fellow reformers, such as Liang Qichao and Tan Sitong, drafted a series of edicts that aimed to overhaul the political, economic, educational, and military systems of the Qing dynasty. They also sought to curb the power of the conservative faction led by the Empress Dowager Cixi, who opposed their reforms. However, their movement was short-lived, as Cixi staged a coup in September 1898 and placed the emperor under house arrest. She also ordered the execution of six of the reformers, and forced He and Liang to flee to Japan. He spent the next 14 years in exile, traveling to various countries and continuing his scholarly and political activities. He founded several organizations, such as the Baohuanghui (Protect the Emperor Society), the Zhongguo Xianzhenghui (China Constitutional Society), and the Zhonghua Minguo Weiyuanhui (Committee for the Republic of China), to promote his vision of a constitutional monarchy and a democratic republic. He also maintained contact with the Guangxu Emperor, who secretly communicated with him through letters and emissaries. He hoped to restore the emperor to power and resume the reforms, but his plan was shattered by the death of the emperor in 1908, which he suspected was a murder by Cixi. ¹² He returned to China in 1912, after the Xinhai Revolution overthrew the Qing dynasty and established the Republic of China. He initially supported Yuan Shikai, the first president of the republic, but later opposed him when he tried to restore the monarchy and suppress the parliament. He joined the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party), which was founded by his old friend Sun Yat-sen, and became a member of its central executive committee. He also participated in the Constitutional Protection Movement, a civil war against the warlords who controlled northern China. He advocated for a peaceful and gradual transition to democracy, and opposed the use of violence and revolution. He was critical of both the Communists and the right-wing faction of the Kuomintang, led by Chiang Kai-shek, who he regarded as dictatorial and militaristic. He also promoted cultural and educational reforms, and founded several schools and institutions, such as the China Academy of Art, the Oriental Library, and the Confucian Society. He was a prolific writer and a renowned painter, and published many books and articles on various topics, such as history, philosophy, religion, art, and literature. He also created many paintings and calligraphies in the traditional Chinese style, and donated them to raise funds for various causes. He was one of the most respected and influential intellectuals and public figures in China, and was widely admired for his erudition, integrity, and patriotism. ¹² He died of natural causes on 31 March 1927, in Qingdao, Shandong, at the age of 69. He was buried in the Western Hills near Beijing, where a memorial hall was built for him. He was one of the most influential and innovative scholars and reformers in Chinese history. He created a new and original interpretation of Confucianism, and advocated for a synthesis of Chinese and Western cultures. He initiated a radical and comprehensive reform movement that aimed to modernize China and save it from foreign domination. He also contributed to the development of Chinese art and literature, and left behind a rich and diverse legacy of works. He was a pioneer in the intellectual and cultural development of modern China, and a key figure in its political and social transformation. ¹²