The publication of primary source material should put an end to unsubstantiated rumors and innuendos about Wang Jingwei. At the February 4, 2023 book launch seminar, the leading Wang Jingwei specialist Professor Hsu Yuming shared new discoveries that shed light on the Wang’s followers. In the just-released Part 4, Professor Hsu used Wang’s own writing to illustrate the intricate relationships between Wang’s associates, dispelling rumors generated by political adversaries and personal attacks. Videos of the entire lecture are now available here on our YouTube channel.
Professor Hsu cited a letter written by Wang Jingwei to Zeng Xing (1882-1954) and Fang Junying (1884-1923) on February 25, 1910, which included an intimate declaration of love for his future wife Chen Bijun (1891-1959) with whom Wang was prepared to die in an assassination attempt on the Prince Regent. Professor Hsu said the relationship between Wang and Chen was founded on their mutual determination for revolution. He also spoke about Wang’s high moral standard which has been extolled by revolutionary thinker Zhang Taiyan(1869-1936), the diplomat and scholar Hu Shih (1891-1962), the politician Zhang Bojun (1805-1969), and the historian Yu Ying-shih (1930-2021).
The relationship among revolutionaries who were close to Wang Jingwei, also known as the The Wang Clique, was akin to a large family, with Wang at the center. These included Chen Bijun, Fang Junying, Zeng Xing, Li Haoju as well as members from several generations of these families. Another letter cited by Professor Hsu illustrated how a political adversary invented and spread false stories of romantic liaisons which linger to this day.
To understand history, it is necessary to study first-hand accounts and other primary source material. This is the reason behind our mission to publish Wang Jingwei’s own words. As Professor Hsu said:
With the emergence of new material such as Wang Jingwei & Modern China, we can now have a reliable source to understand Wang Jingwei and Chen Bijun.Professor Hsu Yuming
Watch the entire lecture by clicking here. Soon we will release Professor Eugene Chiu’s talk on the broader circumstances surrounding the beginning the second Sino-Japanese War. Subscribe to our channel, and sign up for our newsletter to receive a complete essay written by Wang Jingwei.
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