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Liu Guangdi[1](1859~1898), Han, born in Fushun Country, Zigong, Sichuan province. His family was poor but he was diligent. In 1883, he became a Jinshi. Then he was arranged to be a manager of the ministry of penalty. During his tenure of office, he was honest and upright. He restrained himself and freed off corruption. Besides his good records, he spared the free time reading. Though he had a promising future on official career, he always worried about China because of national calamity. He thought that China had to carry out the new politics and the new learning. On September,5th, 1898, Guangxu Emperor promoted him and the other three persons as ministers of military. After the coup, he was arrested with the other five persons. They were all killed at Cai Shi Kou, an execution ground in modern China, on 28th, September. He was famous as one of the six Wu Xu noblemen. He was also a patriotic poet of reformism in late Qing Dynasty.[2]
Life[edit]
1859: born in Fushun, a small county in Sichuan Province;
1880: As he had gotten the first at the county test, he continued to study in Jin Jiang College with the help of the county magistrate;
1882: got the first in the provincial test;
1883: passed the highest imperial examination, namely the Jinshi; was arranged to be a manager of the ministry of penalty in Guangxi Province;
1898：got promoted as minister of military; got involved in the institution reform; was arrested and killed at the execution Cai Shi Kou.
Constitutional Reform[edit]
In 1898, the Constitutional Reform[3], which was led by Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao, reached the climax after the two years of ferment. Kang Youwei set up an organization aiming at saving and surviving. Liu Guangdi joined it with other friends pleasantly. On April, 13th, Guang Xu Emperor ordered Kang to start the reformation. In July, Liu Guangdi was recommended to Guang Xu Emperor because of his sharp political ideas. Guang Xu appreciated him and promoted him as one of the ministers of military.
Actually, the then Grand Council was staff division of the Constitutional Reform. Guang Xu was so eager to change China's situation that had to read over hundreds of recommendations everyday. Liu Guangdi and Tan Sitong helped him and provided him with solutions. With the help of the reformist, Guang Xu published a series of reform measures soon.
The Constitutional Reform encroached on the interests of the diehards whose leader was Empress Dowager Cixi. So she started constantly interfering in politics. Seeing the chaotic political situation, Liu Guangdi felt the danger of Empress Dowager Cixi's interference. He wanted to get rid of Cixi's control and hoped for the success of the Constitutional Reform. Also he wanted to stay clean and unsullied in the fierce political whirlpool.
Sacrifice[edit]
On September, 21st, Cixi took the unexpected action to imprison Emperor Guang Xu as she got the secret information from Yuan Shikai. Then she issued orders to arrest and kill the reformists. When Liu Guangdi was arrested at the Ground Council, he was reserved and calm. He believed that what he was doing was right.
On September,28th, Cixi ordered to cut down the heads of reformists without interrogation. On the way to the execution ground, he still made protests against the decision of Cixi and insisted on the validity of the Constitutional Reform. Until to his death, he did not surrender to the evil force. Even if his head was cut down, his body was still upright.
The tomb of Liu Guangdi[edit]
The tomb of Liu Guangdi was at Luo Han Temple of Zhao Hua County. In 1984, after the permission of Zigong Government, his skeleton was moved to the back of Martyrs cemetery in Zigong. Zhao Puchu, a great calligrapher and patriots, wrote tablet inscription for him.[4]
Liberal Achievements[edit]
Liu Guangdi loved literary since his childhood. He had two famous poetry anthology, which contained 54 essays and 260 poems.
As he liked the styles of poetry of Li Bai and Du Fu, he composed many poems which praised nature and sighed for current affairs. He loved his homeland. He even wrote more than 40 poems to praise the beautiful scenery of Mount Emei. It was no wonder that when he saw that the foreign powers ravaged China's lands, he was so angry and pained. Then he wrote many poems which conveyed his hatred to the evil forces and his patriotism to China.
Character evaluation[edit]
Liang Qichao wrote a biography for him. Kang Youwei composed an elegiac couplet for him. They both honored him as the most excellent gentleman of the six martyrs of Constitutional Reform.
References[edit]
- ^ 刘光第百度百科,Baidu Baike Accessed in December,18 2014
- ^ 掩盖百年的“戊戌六君子”被杀真相,Tencent Comments Accessed in December, 18, 2014
- ^ 张, 鸣 (2008-05-01). 再说戊戌变法. 陕西人民出版社. ISBN 9787224084030.
{{cite book}}:|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ^ 戊戌六君子喋血菜市口,Phenix News Accessed in December, 18, 2014
External links[edit]
- 戊戌变法纪录片：回望梁启超 (in Chinese)
- 晚清诗史——刘光第 三尺剑十年书