Kang Youwei

Kang Yǒuwéi (Chinese康有为/康有为; born March 19, 1858 in the vicinity of Canton, Canton Province, † March 31, 1927 ) was a leading Chinese reformer, educator and philosopher.

Biography

Thanks to its descent from a family of high state official Kang Youwei was from the beginning received a classical education, but he had to abandon his studies prematurely due to a crisis at the age of 20 years. After a period of contemplation in a monastery - which caused a profound change in his outlook - he deepened his studies with a focus on geography, history and Buddhism. Travel to Hong Kong in 1879 and Shanghai in 1882 brought him into the Chinese territories under foreign management.

When he began to hold his criticism of the existing administrative system and the resulting weakness of China against foreign States in writing, he addressed a letter to the heads of state, which was intercepted by state officials on whose benevolence he met. In a paper published in 1891, he expressed criticism of the authenticity of the Confucian writings, which was indignantly refused, but that caused their content was questioned.

Four years later he was in the scope of the classical readout system a scholar's title and used this promotion to submit a second memorandum, which he submitted to the other audit participants for signature. He attacked not only the Chinese foreign policy, but also called for a restructuring of the state leadership and management. This document was not delivered and its addressee, but led to Kang Youweis use in the Ministry of Public Service.

About the formation of a company and a magazine, he at first tried to propagate his ideas and found followers in the circle of young intellectuals. Governance, however, they met with a negative response and attracted a ban on this form of activities according to. As a result of increasing pressure from foreign governments on China Kang Youwei decided on a third letter to the Emperor, to propose reforms rather all areas of life, prompting him a series of hearings was granted in 1898, which meant that by 11 June 1898, the Kaiser a series of decrees issued, aimed at reforms in education, business and administration, and later the hundred days' Reform were mentioned. As the name suggests, this reform was not a success. The Empress Dowager Cixi crack with the support of the military commander Yuan Shikai power for themselves, the reforms made ​​undone, leaving a number of reform leaders executed, including Kang's brother and the reform politician Tan Sitong. Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao his colleagues succeeded narrowly escape to Japan.

From there, his journey led him on to the UK and Canada, with a society for the protection of the emperor he tried to support in the ranks of overseas Chinese. From Hong Kong in 1900, he organized an attack on Cixi, who failed. Again he went abroad, this time to Indonesia and India. In various writings, he presented options for a restructuring of governance. Unlike Sun Yat-sen, he saw the future of China is not in the abolition of the monarchy in favor of a republic - given the lack of willingness and possibilities of the imperial government to respond appropriately to the needs of the population, were Sun Yat-sen's ideas, however, broader appeal. Kang Youwei held when it came to the 1911 Revolution, on a continuation of the monarchical form of government established.

It was not until 1913 Kang Youwei returned to China. As the newly installed government was again under attack and Yuan Shikai then sought to take over the position of the emperor, Kang Youwei resisted. Instead, the enthronement Puyis was as emperor after the death of Yuan Shikai, a result of his efforts. After thirteen days of the new emperor was deposed again, just in time Kang Youwei took refuge in the Embassy of the United States.

Still Kang Youwei clung to it to promote his form of reorganization of the state. Finally he settled in Shanghai. Until his death in the propagation of his teachings and writings to a small circle of followers remained limited.

Writings

• Studies on the counterfeiting of the classics by the scholars of the Wang Mang period, 1891
• Studies on Confucius as a reformer, 1897
• Travel records from eleven European countries, 1904
• National salvation through economic construction, 1905
• Book by the great community, 1902 (1935 published)