Liang Qichao

Author: Wang Qi
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1996-10-01
Features: Modern thinker, one of the leaders of the Hundred Days' Reform Movement (see leader of the Hundred Days' Reform). Born in Xinhui, Guangdong. Liang Qichao received traditional education at home since childhood and passed the imperial examination in 1889. In 1890, he went to Beijing for the imperial examination but failed. On his way back to Guangdong via Shanghai, he was greatly impressed by the book "Yinghuan Zhililüe" (A Description of the World) and Western books translated by the Shanghai Machine Bureau, broadening his horizons. That same year, he met Kang Youwei and became his disciple. In 1891, he studied at Wanmu Cao Tang, where he accepted Kang Youwei's ideological doctrines and thus embarked on the path of reform and modernization, becoming known as "Kang-Liang" together with Kang Youwei. In the spring of 1895, he went to Beijing again for the imperial examination and assisted Kang Youwei in mobilizing examinees in Beijing to sign a memorial petition, known as the "Gongche Shangshu." During the reform movement, Liang Qichao was very active, editing the "Wanguo Gongbao" (later renamed "Zhongwai Jiyun") in Beijing and the "Shiwu Bao" in Shanghai, and also went to Macau to establish the "Zixin Bao." His many political essays had a significant impact on society. In 1897, he served as the chief instructor of the Changsha Shiwu Xuetang, promoting reformist ideas in Hunan. In 1898, he returned to Beijing and actively participated in the "Hundred Days' Reform." On July 3 (the 15th day of the fifth month), he was summoned by Emperor Guangxu and was ordered to submit his work "Tongyi Fabiao" (On Reforming the Nation), receiving the rank of sixth rank official and being responsible for the translation bureau of the Imperial University. In September, a coup d'état occurred, and Liang Qichao fled to Japan, where he had contact with Sun Yat-sen and the revolutionary faction for a period. During his time in Japan, he successively founded the "Qingyi Bao" and the "Xinmin Congbao," advocating reform and opposing revolution. At the same time, he introduced a large number of Western social and political theories, which had a significant impact on intellectuals at the time. From 1905 to 1907, the debate between the reformists and the revolutionaries reached its climax, and as the leader of the reformist faction, Liang Qichao was opposed by the revolutionaries. In 1906, the Qing government announced its intention to "prepare to implement constitutionalism," and Liang Qichao immediately expressed support. In October 1907, he established the "Zhengwenshe" in Tokyo, hoping to push the Qing government to adopt a constitutional monarchy. However, as the Qing government did not sincerely implement constitutionalism, the Zhengwenshe was banned and dissolved. After the Wuchang Uprising, he once advocated for a "" (nominal monarchy and republic) to try to make the revolutionaries compromise with the Qing government. In the early years of the Republic of China, he supported Yuan Shikai and, at Yuan's request, merged the Minzheng Party with the Gonghe Party and the Tongyi Party to form the Jinbu Party, competing with the Guomindang for political power. In 1913, the Jinbu Party's "Talent Cabinet" was established, and Liang Qichao was appointed as Minister of Justice. As Yuan Shikai's ambition to establish an empire became increasingly apparent, Liang Qichao opposed Yuan's imperial ambitions. In August 1915, he published the article "Strange to Say, the Issue of the National Constitution" to fiercely criticize Yuan, and then planned with Cai E to launch a military campaign against Yuan. In late 1915, the National Protection War broke out in Yunnan. In 1916, Liang Qichao went to the Guangdong and Guangxi regions and actively participated in the anti-Yuan struggle, making significant contributions to the rise and development of the National Protection Movement. After Yuan Shikai's death, Liang Qichao attached himself to Duan Qirui. He lured some politicians to form the Xianzheng Yanjiu Society, opposing the Xianzheng Shangque Society, which supported Li Yuanhong. In July 1917, Duan Qirui seized power in the Beiyang government. Liang Qichao, for his contributions in supporting Duan, was appointed Minister of Finance and Supervisor of the Salt Administration. In September, Sun Yat-sen launched the National Protection War. In November, Duan's cabinet was forced to resign, and Liang Qichao also resigned, withdrawing from politics. In late 1918, Liang Qichao went to Europe and personally learned about many problems and flaws in Western society. After returning to China, he proclaimed that Western civilization had collapsed and advocated promoting traditional culture, using "indigenous civilization" to "save the world." Liang Qichao was also a famous scholar. He had a wide range of interests and profound knowledge, with deep expertise in fields such as literature, history, philosophy, and Buddhism. From 1901 to 1902, he successively wrote "A Discourse on the History of China" and "New History," criticizing feudal historiography and initiating the "Revolution in Historiography." After his European tour, he devoted his main efforts to cultural education and academic research, writing highly academic works such as "A General View of the Academic Thought of the Qing Dynasty," "The History of Modern Three Hundred Years of Chinese Scholarship," "The History of Pre-Qin Political Thought," "Research Methods in Chinese History," and "The History of Chinese Culture." Liang Qichao left behind a vast body of writings, with his posthumous collection "Yinbing Shuhe" comprising 148 volumes and over 10 million words.