Wang Jingwei’s calligraphy of a poem he dedicated to his wife, Chen Bijun. (Wang Jingwei Poetry – Newly Edited, p. 2) In Shuangzhaoloushici duhouji (“Reflections After Reading Shuangzhaolou Poetry”), (Wang Jingwei Poetry – Newly Edited, p. 2) Ho Mang Hang made the following observation about the relationship between Wang Jingwei and Chen Bijun:Wang’s use of “Shuangzhao” to name his poetry collection illustrates how … Read More
Reading and Writing—Life Behind Bars for Wang Jingwei and Associates
In the handwritten draft of his autobiography, Wang Jingwei described how he endured prison life by writing poetry, which was later collected in Shuangzhaolou shicigao. Wang Jingwei Nanshe Poetry (page 76)The Book of Odes says: “The common people have toiled long and may well be allowed a little rest.” How true this is. To work and toil belongs inevitably to our … Read More
Chen Zhenghui and Wang Jingwei
Framed by Wang Jingwei’s inscriptions on each side, this 1909 fan may be the earliest extant specimen of Wang’s calligraphy.This work illustrates a rarely seen progression of Wang Jingwei’s calligraphy, spanning more than 30 years. It is also significant in other ways: The fan, dedicated to Zeng Xing (1882-1954), is Wang’s calligraphy of “The Ballad of Mulan,” which was composed in Northern Wei … Read More
Words to Overseas Chinese
Wang wrote the nine-page “Words to Overseas Chinese”, the complete text can be found in Wang Jingwei’s Political Discourse: Selected Essays and Speeches, on page 216.“Words to Overseas Chinese” showcased on the slipcase for Wang Jingwei & Modern China the series. Overseas Chinese played a critical role in the 1911 Xinhai Revolution that successfully overthrew the Qing dynasty. And Wang Jingwei’s superior writing … Read More
Private Letters Reveal Wang Jingwei’s Unknown Private Side
Wang Jingwei: His Life, Ideas and Beliefs features scans of 50 letters handwritten by Wang Jingwei along with full transcriptions, annotations and summaries by Professor Hsu Yuming. Also included are five letters written by Wang’s associates. Many were written with a pen, which are rarely seen. (pp. 353-468) A primary goal in the publication of Wang Jingwei & Modern China is to further … Read More
Was Wang Jingwei Truly Universally Condemned?
When Wang Jingwei returned to China from overseas in January, 1937, he was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd. (Wang Jingwei: His Life, Ideas and Beliefs, pp. 118-123) Photo from Shibao BimonthlyClearly, Wang Jingwei was a controversial figure subject to much debate. For years, we have heard about attacks on his activities and character. In our last issue, new archival material … Read More
Important Alert
Thanks to our readers, it has come to our attention that a person named “Lawrence Lee” has falsely claimed on the platform Douban to be the “Editor” of our series Wang Jingwei & Modern China. In addition, “Lawrence Lee” has copied images and text of some of our blog posts, changed a few words, and reposted them on Douban as … Read More
Freedom of the Press: Trials and Tribulations During the Wang Jingwei Regime
This August 11th, 1940 article in Zhongyang Ribao reported the bombing of Zhonghua Ribao’s office.Freedom is never easily attained. When opposing views not only met with fierce verbal opposition, they also led to open conflict. Newspapers sponsored by the Wang Jingwei regime did not escape this fate; how to defend this freedom became essential. Since Wang began negotiating peace with the … Read More
Wang Jingwei’s Advocacy for a General Election Leading to the Republic of China
Page 18 of Wang Jingwei’s draft of his autobiography (see Wang Jingwei: His Life, Ideas and Beliefs, p. 227, for corresponding transcript see p. 226) In the draft of his autobiography, Wang Jingwei describes his work after being released from prison for the attempted assassination of the Prince Regent, which centered around plans for a vote to decide on the … Read More