Biography of Li Dazhao

Author: Zhu Wentong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-05-01
Features: Li Dazhao, styled Shouchang, was born on October 29, 1889, in Leiting County, Hebei Province. In 1907, he enrolled in the Tianjin Beiyang Law School to study political economy. In winter 1913, driven by a sense of national concern, Li Dazhao crossed to Japan and enrolled in the Political Department of Waseda University in Tokyo. After the Japanese imperialists demanded the "Twenty-One Demands" from Yuan Shikai, Li actively participated in the patriotic struggles of the overseas Chinese students' union. The "Warning to the Nation" draft he wrote quickly spread across the country, making him a nationally renowned patriotic figure. Upon returning to China in 1916, Li Dazhao actively engaged in the burgeoning New Culture Movement. The success of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia greatly inspired and motivated him, leading him to publish articles and speeches such as "A Comparison of the French and Russian Revolutions," "The Victory of the Proletariat," and "The Victory of Bolshevism." He declared, "Look at the future of the world—it will be a world of red flags!" In 1919, he published dozens of articles promoting Marxism, including "A New Era," "My View on Marxism," and "Revisiting the Issue of Problems and Principles." In March 1920, Li Dazhao initiated the establishment of the Marxist Study Society at Peking University. In October, under his leadership, the Beijing Communist Group was founded. After the founding of the Communist Party of China in 1921, Li Dazhao represented the central committee in guiding work in the northern region. He was elected as a central committee member at the party's second, third, and fourth national conferences. In March 1926, Li Dazhao led and personally participated in the Beijing people's struggle against Japanese and British imperialism, as well as against warlord Zhang Zuolin and Wu Peifu. The Shantung Warlord Government under Duan Qirui orchestrated the "March 18th Massacre," plunging Beijing into a state of white terror. Under extreme danger and hardship, Li Dazhao continued to lead the northern party organization in its revolutionary struggles. On April 6, 1927, Fengtian Warlord Zhang Zuolin, in collusion with imperialism, raided the Soviet embassy and arrested more than 80 people, including Li Dazhao. Li Dazhao endured severe torture. In prison and in court, he remained resolute and unyielding. On April 28, the warlords, despite strong opposition and condemnation from the masses and public opinion, brutally executed 20 revolutionaries, including Li Dazhao, at the Beijing Jingshi Guardhouse in Xiaojingmen. Li Dazhao walked to the gallows with composure and was executed at the age of 38. This book provides a relatively objective and detailed account of the life of the revolutionary pioneer Li Dazhao. The author has access to a wealth of primary sources and provides particularly detailed descriptions of Li Dazhao's family background, relatives, and his youth. This book serves as a valuable resource for revolutionary tradition education and promoting the advanced nature of Communist Party members.