Liang Qichao

Li?ng Qǐchāo (梁啟超 Courtesy Zhuoru 卓如; Pseudonym: Rengong 任公) (February 23 1873 - January 19 1929) was a Chinese scholar, journalist, philosopher and reformist during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) who inspired Chinese scholars with his writings and reform movements. He died of illness in Beijing at the age of 55.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Family

Liang Qichao was born in a small village in Xinhui (新會), Guangdong Province on February 23, 1873.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Liang's father, Liang Baoying (梁寶瑛, courtesy name Lianjian 蓮澗), was a farmer, but a background in classics allowed him to introduce Liang to various literary works when Liang was six years old. By the age of nine, Liang started writing thousand-word essays and became a district-school student soon after.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Liang had two wives in his life: Ms. Li Huixian (李惠仙) and Ms. Wang Guiquan (王桂荃). They brought nine children to Liang; all of them became successful individuals through Liang's strict and effective education. Three of them were scientific personnel at the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Early Life

Liang passed the Xiucai (秀才) degree provincial examination at the age of 11. In 1884, he undertook the arduous task of studying for the traditional governmental exams. At the age of 16, he passed the Juren (舉人) second level provincial exams (the equivalent of a master?s degree) and was the youngest successful candidate at that time.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1890, Liang failed in his Jinshi (進士) degree national examinations in Beijing and never earned a higher degree. Inspired by the book Information About the Globe (瀛環志略), he became extremely interested in western ideologies. After returning home, Liang went on to study with Kang Youwei, a famous Chinese scholar and reformist who was teaching at Wanmu Caotang (萬木草堂) in Guangzhou. Kang's teachings about foreign affairs fueled Liang's interest in reforming China.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1895, Liang went to the capital Beijing again with Kang for the national examination. After failing to pass the examination for a second time, he stayed in Beijing to help Kang publish Domestic and Foreign Information. He also helped to organize the Society for National Strengthening (強學會), where Liang served as secretary.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Reform Movements

As an advocate of constitutional monarchy, Liang was unhappy with the governance of the Qing Government and wanted to change the status quo in China. He organised reforms with Kang Youwei (康有為, 1858-1927) by putting their ideas on paper and sending them to Emperor Guangxu (光緒帝, 1871-1908; reigned 1875-1908) of the Qing Dynasty. This movement is known as the Wuxu Reform or the Hundred Days' Reform. Their proposal asserted that China was in need of more than "self-strengthening", and called for many institutional and ideological changes such as getting rid of corruption and remodeling the state examination system.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This proposal soon ignited a frenzy of disagreements, and Liang became a wanted man by order of Empress Cixi (慈禧太后,1835-1908), the leader of the political conservative party who later took over the government as regent. Cixi strongly opposed reforms at that time and along with her supporters, condemned the "Hundred Days' Reform" as being too radical.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1898 the Conservative Coup ended all reforms and exiled Liang to Japan, where he stayed for the next 14 years of his life. In Japan, he continued to actively advocate democratic notions and reforms by using his writings to raise support for the reformers? cause among overseas Chinese and foreign governments.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1899 Liang went to Canada, where he met Dr. Sun Yat-Sen among others, then to Honolulu in Hawaii. During the Boxer Rebellion Liang was back in Canada, where he formed the "Save the Emperor Society" (保皇會).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1900-1901, Liang visited Australia on a six-month tour which aimed at raising support for a campaign to reform the Chinese empire in order to modernise China through adopting the best of Western technology, industry and government systems. He also gave public lectures to both Chinese and Western audiences around the country. He returned to Japan later that year.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1903 Liang embarked on an eight-month lecture tour throughout the United States, which included a meeting with President Theodore Roosevelt in Washington, DC, before returning to Japan via Vancouver, Canada.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Courtesy: redirect Etiquette...

Pseudonym: A pseudonym (Greek: false name) is a fictitious name used by an individual as an alternative to their legal name (whereas an allonym is the name of another actual person assumed by one person in authorship of a work of art; e.g., when ghostwriting a book or play, or in parody, or when using a front ...

February 23: February 23 is the 54th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 311 days remaining, 312 in leap years....

Liang Qichao related Images and Photos (experimental)

Three Well-Read Men from Lieou-Li T'Ang in Conversation

Portrait of Zhuge Liang 1651