- Tan Sitong
Tan Sitong (zh-tspw|t=譚嗣同|s=谭嗣同|p=Tán Sìtóng|w=T'an Szut'ung,
March 10 1865 —September 28 1898 ),courtesy name Fusheng 复生,pseudonym Zhuangfei (壮飞), was an eminent Chineserevolutionist in the lateQing Dynasty who was in support of liberal reform.Early life and Literary Activity
When Tan was young, his mother died, he had an unhappy childhood living with his stepmother. Before 30, he travelled to different provinces of China including
Xinjiang , and written more than 200 poems while travelling. In his poems, he expressed his fear of social unrest.In 1896, along with
Liang Qichao , he openly called for a reformation in poems, Tan asked then-poets to try writing some "modern poems" (新詩). Although this kind of "modern poems" is just using new nouns to express different feelings (尋扯新名詞以自表異) and "old style containing new thinkings" (以舊風格含新意境), it represents the hearts of many scholars to called for new culture and new thinking.Hundred Days' Reform
While he was still living in Hunan, Tan Sitong was enlisted in local reform projects by the provincial governor,
Chen Baozhen . He subsequently became involved in theHundred Days' Reform in 1898, supporting theGuangxu Emperor . He was one of the four liberals to be appointed to theGrand Council onJune 20 ,1898 . Unlike his colleagueKang Youwei , Tan decided against fleeing after the failure of reforms. Deemed an enemy by theEmpress Dowager Cixi , Tan was executed in public onSeptember 28 ,1898 , along with five others. They were dubbed the "Six gentlemen of the Hundred Days' Reform" (戊戌六君子).ee also
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Gongche Shangshu movement Tan Sitong was portrayed by actor Elliot Yueh Hua in two films made by Hong Kong's Shaw Brothers studio, Chang Cheh’s "Iron Bodyguard" (1973) [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069938/] and Li Han-hsiang’s "The Last Tempest" (1976) [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0075444/]
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