Biography Liang_Qichao

1 biography

1.1 family
1.2 life
1.3 reform movements
1.4 politician

biography
family

liang qichao born in small village in xinhui, guangdong province on february 23, 1873.

liang s father, liang baoying (梁寶瑛, courtesy name lianjian 蓮澗), farmer, background in classics allowed him introduce liang various literary works when liang 6 years old. age of nine, liang started writing thousand-word essays , became district-school student after.

liang had 2 wives: li huixian (李惠仙) , wang guiquan (王桂荃). gave birth 9 children, of whom became successful individuals through liang s strict , effective education. 3 of them scientific personnel @ chinese academy of sciences, including liang sicheng, prominent historian of chinese architecture.

early life

liang qichao in youth

liang passed xiucai (秀才) degree provincial examination @ age of 11. in 1884, undertook arduous task of studying traditional governmental exams. @ age of 16, passed juren (舉人) second level provincial exams , youngest successful candidate @ time.

in 1890, liang failed in jinshi (進士) degree national examinations in beijing , never earned higher degree. took exams along kang youwei, famous chinese scholar , reformist. according 1 popular narrative of liang s failure pass jinshi, examiner determined flunk kang heterodox challenge existing institutions, since exams anonymous, presume exam unorthodox views kang s. instead, kang disguised himself writing examination essay espousing traditionalist ideas , passed exam while liang s paper assumed kang s , picked out failed.

inspired book short account of maritime circuit, liang became extremely interested in western ideologies. after returning home, liang went on study kang youwei, teaching @ wanmu caotang (萬木草堂) in guangzhou. kang s teachings foreign affairs fuelled liang s interest in reforming china.

in 1895, liang went capital beijing again kang national examination. during examination, leader of gongche shangshu movement. after failing pass examination second time, stayed in beijing kang publish domestic , foreign information. helped organise society national strengthening (強學會), liang served secretary. time, enlisted governor of hunan, chen baozhen edit reform-friendly publications, such hunan daily (xiangbao 湘報) , hunan journal (xiang xuebao 湘學報).

reform movements

kang youwei – mentor of liang qichao.

as advocate of constitutional monarchy, liang unhappy governance of qing government , wanted change status quo in china. organized reforms kang youwei putting ideas on paper , sending them guangxu emperor (reigned 1875–1908) of qing dynasty. movement known wuxu reform or hundred days reform. proposal asserted china in need of more self-strengthening , , called many institutional , ideological changes such getting rid of corruption , remodeling state examination system. liang major influence in debates on democracy in china.

this proposal ignited frenzy of disagreement, , liang became wanted man order of empress dowager cixi, leader of political conservative faction later took on government regent. cixi opposed reforms @ time , along supporters, condemned hundred days reform being radical.

in 1898, conservative coup ended reforms, , liang fled japan, stayed next 14 years. while in tokyo befriended influential politician , future japanese prime minister inukai tsuyoshi. in japan, continued actively advocate democratic cause using writings raise support reformers’ cause among overseas chinese , foreign governments. continued emphasize importance of individualism, , support concept of constitutional monarchy opposed radical republicanism supported tokyo-based tongmeng hui (the forerunner of kuomintang). during time in japan, liang served benefactor , colleague phan boi chau, 1 of vietnam s important anti-colonial revolutionaries.

in 1899, liang went canada, met dr. sun yat-sen among others, honolulu in hawaii. during boxer rebellion, liang in canada, formed royalist society (保皇會). organisation later became constitutionalist party advocated constitutional monarchy. while sun promoted revolution, liang preached reform.

in 1900-1901, liang visited australia on six-month tour aimed @ raising support campaign reform chinese empire in order modernise china through adopting best of western technology, industry , government systems. gave public lectures both chinese , western audiences around country. visit coincided federation of 6 british colonies new nation of australia in 1901. felt model of integration might copied in diverse regions of china. feted politicians, , met first prime minister of australia, edmund barton. returned japan later year.

in 1903, liang embarked on eight-month lecture tour throughout united states, included meeting president theodore roosevelt in washington, dc, before returning japan via vancouver, canada.

politician

with overthrow of qing dynasty, constitutional monarchy became increasingly irrelevant topic. liang merged renamed democratic party republicans form new progressive party. critical of sun yatsen s attempts undermine president yuan shikai. though supportive of government, opposed expulsion of nationalists parliament.

in 1915, opposed yuan s attempt make himself emperor. convinced disciple cai e, military governor of yunnan, rebel. progressive party branches agitated overthrow of yuan , more provinces declared independence. revolutionary activity had frowned upon utilised successfully. besides duan qirui, liang biggest advocate of entering world war on allied side. felt boost china s status , ameliorate foreign debts. condemned mentor, kang youwei, assisting in failed attempt restore qing in july 1917. after failing turn duan , feng guozhang responsible statesmen, left politics.