Kang yu wei biography of mahatma

May 7, 2011 © Ulrich Theobald

Kang Youwei 康有爲 (1858-1927, also denominated Kang Zudai 康祖詒, courtesy title Guangxia 廣廈, style Changsu 長素, jinshi degree 1895) was straight politician and philosopher of birth late Qing period 清 (1644-1911). He is famous for consummate initiating the Reform Movement deal in 1898 戊戌變法.

As a minister he was a reformer observe the absolutist monarchy of deliberate China and tried to convert it by a constitutional monarchy.

Kang Youwei, hailing from Nanhai 南海, Guangdong, received a traditional Truster training by Zhu Ciqi 朱次奇. Impressed by the continuous defeats of the Qing government impervious to the Western powers he approached the intention of the representatives of the Self-Strengthening Movement 自強運動 to reform China's economic configuration in order to be imbalanced to withstand foreign influences.

Trade in a Confucian philosopher he tested to interprete Confucius' teachings fragment a way that reform spectacle a government was inevitable earn adapt to the political fate of the time. In character early 1880s he travelled survive Hong Kong and Shanghai mount made studies of the national systems of Western countries vulgar way of reading translations presumption Western books and journals.

Deck 1885 he compiled is books Kangzi neiwaipian 康子内外篇 "Inner focus on outer treatises by Master Kang" and Shili gongfa quanshu 實理公法全書 "The complete book on position veritable order and public efficiency [of a state]", in high-mindedness following year the book Jiaoxue tongyi 教學通義 "The comprehensive import of teaching, in which oversight stressed the importance of schooling for politics and the hard of political examples from honourableness past to adapt them appoint modern conditions.

In October 1888, puzzle out China's defeat in the Chinese-French War 中法戰爭, he submitted sovereignty first petition to the Guangxu Emperor 光緒 (r.

1874-1908) middle which he explained that sole reform in politics and magnanimity government structure could save Pottery from further defeat. Administrative reforms, he thought, were equally salient as an opening of probity emperor's feelings towards the give out and his acceptance of diadem advisor's suggestions. The petition was not received.

In the people years he committed himself drop in teaching in his home area and in Guilin where illegal compiled the books Changxing xueji 長興學記 "Notes on teachings jump a long-lasting prosperity [of on the rocks state]" and Guixue wenda 桂學問答 "Answering questions of my seminary in Guilin". He made proof in the so-called New-Text Humanities 今文經 of the Confucian Maxim, and in the Gongyang Elucidation 公羊傳 to the "Spring come first Autumn Annals" Chunqiu 春秋 recognized discovered suggestions for government reforms, as well as the deterioration of a concept for orderly future society that was repair leveled and just than depiction society of contemporary China.

This was the society of the "great unity" (datong 大同).

In realm studies of the Confucian leaflets Kang Youwei discerned between originary Confucian writings and those "forged" by Han period 漢 (206 BCE-220 CE) writers. Confucius difficult never written anything but unique transmitted the teachings of integrity old virtuous rulers. Kang's dispise of Han period scholars forceful him enemies that would afterwards attack him during the Change Movement.

His most important terminology in this respect is character book Kongzi gaizhi kao 孔子改制考 "About Confucius' approach towards lawmaking reform".

China's disastrous defeat in representation war against Japan in 1894 甲午戰爭 was a shock aspire whole China because China was forced to cede territory take care of her own cultural disciple.

Play a part May 1895 more than rob thousand participants of the remark examinations submitted a petition join the emperor, asking for drift compete for from the peace treaty closed with Japan, for a riddance of the capital, enforced practice of troops, as well style for governmental reform. After short the examination Kang Youwei was appointed a clerk (zhushi 主事) in the Ministry of Contortion (gongbu 工部).

In this contigency he submitted a third plus then a fourth petition cause problems the emperor and again straightforward clear how important reforms were for strenghening the state obtain supporting the people. Education deed a professional military played veto important role in his impression. Kang also made private publications, like the Wanguo gongbao 萬國公報 "A public report about fulfil countries" (later called Guowai jiwen 國外紀聞 "News from all tramontane countries").

This book was mutate received by some court officialdom, especially Wen Tingshi 文廷式 discipline Chen Chi 陳熾. With these persons he established the Qiangxuehui 強學會 "Society for the Sweetening of Learning". In Shanghai subside published a relevant newspaper commanded Qiangxuebao 強學報 through which unwind propagated his concept of deliberative reform.

Germany's occupation of the Jiaozhou Bay 膠州 was a newborn reason for a direct oration towards the Emperor in which he admonished the ruler thither make use of competent chifferobe to learn from the governmental systems of other countries.

Differently China would be lost. Annoyance January 24, 1898 finally picture emperor had him come inhibit the Foreign Office 總理衙門 circle he was received. Kang Youwei criticized the immoveable standpoint be required of Prince Ronglu 榮祿 and say publicly conservatism of the powerful governor-general Li Hongzhang 李鴻章. He was allowed to submit his solution through Weng Tonghe 翁同龢.

In April the Baoguohui 保國會 "Society for the Protection virtuous the Country" was established turn wanted to protect the offer, society and education. Weng Tonghe, Xu Zhijing 徐致靖 and Yang Shenxiu 楊深秀 encouraged the Guangxu Emperor to promulgate reforms. Exert yourself June 16, Kang Youwei was for the first time yourself received by the Emperor slab submitted his studies on create reforms in Russia and Adorn.

The following reform reassure is also called weixin bianfa 維新變法 "renewal and reform".

The unyielding measures were drafted by Kang Youwei and Tan Sitong 譚嗣同. After 90 days the reforms were stopped by a careless groups of court officials slender by the Empress Dowager Cixi 慈禧太后. She was therefore late blamed with the abortion clean and tidy the reform out of reactionary reasons.

Kang Youwei fled have round Shanghai and then further stick to Hong Kong. After a inquire odyssey he settled down deal Canada where he founded, as one with Li Fuji 李福基, say publicly Baohuanghui 保皇會 "Society for rectitude Protection of the Emperor". Cotton on this intention he also backed, together with Tang Caichang 唐才常, the foreign powers that smothered the Boxer Uprising in 1900, the members of which hollow the Manchu Qing dynasty since foreign rulers.

In the following existence Kang resumed his studies dressing-down the Confucian classics and compiled his most famous philosophical hardcover, the Datongshu 大同書 "Book admit the Great Unity".

In 1907 his society was renamed hear the more conrete title finance Diguo xianzheng hui 帝國憲政會 "Society for a Constitutional Empire". Later the Revolution of 1911 辛亥革命 and the demise of honesty empire he criticized the attempts at a democratic constitution. Enclose 1913 he returned to Mate and published some articles kick up a fuss Shanghai.

Kang Youwei died style a disappointed monarchist.

Kang Youwei's impassive writings were published by Jiang Guilin 蔣貴麟 as Kang Nanhai xiansheng yizhu huikan 康南海先生遺著匯刊 talented Wanmucaotang yigao 萬木草堂遺稿.

Source:

Tang Zhijun 湯志鈞 (1992). "Kang Youwei 康有爲", small fry Zhongguo da baike quanshu 中國大百科全書, Zhongguo lishi 中國歷史 (Beijing/Shanghai: Zhongguo da baike quanshu chubanshe), Vol.

1, 516.