Yang Changji (simplified Chinese: æ¨æ˜ŒæµŽ; traditional Chinese: 楊昌濟; pinyin: Yáng ChÄngjì; 21 April 1871 â€" 17 January 1920) was a Chinese educator, philosopher, and writer. After advanced study in Japan and Europe, he taught at Hunan First Normal University, where his students included Mao Zedong, and at Peking University. He became considered one of the leading philosophers of his generation before his early death.
Biography
Yang was born in Changsha County of Changsha prefecture in Hunan Province of China during the Qing Dynasty. During his childhood, Yang studied at Cheng-Zhu school. He first attended school at the age of 7. In 1898, Yang was accepted to Yuelu Academy. He promoted democracy and supported Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao. After the Hundred Days' Reform, he retired into the country. In 1903, Yang entered Hongwen Academy (弘文å¦é™¢). After graduating, he attended University of Tsukuba. In 1909, Yang studied at the University of Edinburgh, majoring in philosophy and ethics.
In 1912, Yang went to Germany on an education investigation. From 1913 to 1918, Yang worked in Hunan First Normal University. His students included Mao Zedong, Cai Hesen and Deng Zhongxia. Befriending Mao, professor Yang urged him to read a radical newspaper, New Youth (Xin qingnian), the creation of his friend Chen Duxiu, a dean at Peking University. From 1918 to 1920, Yang taught ethics in Peking University.
Yang died at the Beijing Germany Hospital in 1920, aged 48.
Personal life
Yang had a daughter named Yang Kaihui, she married Mao Zedong in Hunan First Normal University in 1920, they had 3 children.
Works
- Dahuazhai Daily (达化斋日记)
- Collected Works of Yang Changji (æ¨æ˜ŒæµŽæ–‡é›†)
- The origin problem of Ethics (伦ç†å¦ä¹‹æ ¹æœ¬é—®é¢˜)
Notes
References and further reading
- "Sage in residence: Yang Changji," Ch 6 in Liu, Liyan (2012). Red Genesis the Hunan Normal School and the Creation of Chinese Communism, 1903-1921. Albany: State University of New York Press. ISBNÂ 9781438445052.Â