Lin Xu

{{Short description|Chinese politician (1875–1898)}} {{Family name hatnote|Lin|lang=Chinese}} {{Infobox person | name = Lin Xu | image = Ling Heuk.JPG | alt =  | caption = | native_name = {{nobold|林旭}} | birth_name = | birth_date = 1875 | birth_place = Houguan, Fujian (now Fuzhou) | death_date = 28 September 1898 | death_place = Caishikou, Beijing | death_cause = Beheading, Execution | native_name_lang = zh | other_names = | occupation = Government official, reformer, scholar, writer | years_active = | known_for = Advocacy of political reform | notable_works = | movement = Reformist faction }} '''Lin Xu''' ({{lang-zh|c=林旭}}; 1875<ref name="Yang Tianshi 2011">{{cite book|author=Yang Tianshi|title=The End of Imperialism: A Concise History of the Xinhai Revolution|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SbSUDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT68|date=1 August 2011|publisher=Yuelu Press|isbn=978-7-80761-636-8|pages=68–}}</ref> – 28 September 1898<ref name="Becker2008">{{cite book|author=Jasper Becker|title=City of Heavenly Tranquility: Beijing in the History of China|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bYxlFQF1JccC&pg=PA97|year=2008|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-530997-3|pages=97–}}</ref>), courtesy name '''Tungu''' ({{lang|zh|暾谷}}), was a Chinese politician, scholar, songwriter and poet who lived in Fujian. He was also a student of Kang Youwei, a prominent official and one of the leaders of a reform movement in the late Qing regime.

Lin Xu was one of the "Six Gentlemen of Wuxu".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dangshi.people.com.cn/n1/2017/0223/c85037-29103252.html|title=Lin Xu before and after the Wuxu Reform|author=|date=2017-02-23|work=People's Daily}}</ref> On September 28, 1898, he was executed at Caishikou Execution Grounds in Beijing via decapitation.<ref name="Shan2018">{{cite book|author=Patrick Fuliang Shan|title=Yuan Shikai: A Reappraisal|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E1JtDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA84|date=14 November 2018|publisher=UBC Press|isbn=978-0-7748-3781-1|pages=84–}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-7YtAQAAIAAJ |title=Xinhua Digest |publisher=People's Publishing House |year=2004 |pages=72–}}</ref>

==Biography== Lin Xu was born in Houguan (侯官), which is now Fuzhou, Fujian.<ref>{{cite book|title=History of Chinese Literature: Modern Volumes|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ANxxAAAAIAAJ|year=1998|publisher=Jilin People's Publishing House}}</ref> He took the imperial examination locally and obtained the position of a "Jieyuan" ({{lang|zh|解元}}) in 1893.<ref>{{cite book|author=|title=Fuzhou Old Pictures|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gmJ8AAAAIAAJ|year=2000|publisher=People's Fine Arts Press|isbn=978-7-102-02191-1}}</ref> In 1895, he had become an official.

In April 1898, in response to foreign imperialism and internal political turmoil within the Qing government, Lin co-founded the State Protection Association ({{lang|zh|保國會}}) with others to oppose colonialism. He fought for radical social, educational and political reforms in China. As one of the Six Gentlemen who attempted to implement the Hundred Days' Reform programme with backing from the Guangxu ruler, Lin advocated a radical position in which China would adopt a modern-style government and convert into absolute dictatorship to a Prime minister ruled constitutional monarchy.

However, on 21 September 1898, the conservative faction in the Qing government, led by Empress Dowager Cixi, saw the Hundred Days' Reform programme as a foreign plot to overthrow the government. The State Protection Association was disbanded, and the Hundred Days' Reform was terminated, while the Six Gentlemen were arrested and imprisoned. Seven days later, on 28 September, Empress Dowager Cixi ordered the Six Gentlemen to be executed and beheaded outside Xuanwu Gate in Beijing.

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lin, Xu}} Category:Qing dynasty government officials Category:1875 births Category:1898 deaths Category:Politicians from Fuzhou Category:Writers from Fuzhou Category:Musicians from Fuzhou Category:Poets from Fujian Category:Qing dynasty poets Category:Deaths by decapitation