Li Wenfan Explained

Li Wenfan
Smallimage:Li Wenfan.jpg
Office:Vice President of the Judicial Yuan
President:Ju Zheng
Term Start:April 1947
Term End:July 1948
Predecessor:Qin Zhen
Office1:Minister of the Interior
Term Start1:30 December 1931
Term End1:8 February 1932
Predecessor1:Zhang Wohua
Liu Shangqing
Successor1:Wang Jingwei
Office2:Secretary-General of the Legislative Yuan
Term Start2:13 November 1928
Term End2:20 June 1931
Predecessor2:Office established
Successor2:
Birth Date:1884 10, df=y
Birth Place:Nanhai, Guangdong, China
Death Place:Taipei, Taiwan
Nationality:Republic of China
Party:Kuomintang

Li Wenfan (; 20 October 1884 – 20 October 1953) was a Chinese revolutionary and politician.

Career

Born in present-day Nanhai District, Li was also known by the courtesy name Junpei .[1] [2] He enrolled at Hosei University in Tokyo in 1900, and joined the Tongmenghui upon its establishment in 1905. Upon returning to China, he taught at and led the Guangdong branch of the Tongmenghui. Li also participated in the Second Guangzhou Uprising.[1]

In 1912, Li became Secretary-General of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Military Affairs. Li actively opposed Yuan Shikai's empire, fighting in the Second Revolution and the National Protection War. In 1920, Li moved to France, where he pursued further academic study.[1]

By September 1924, Li had been named director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Governmental Affairs under governor Hu Hanmin. The Nationalist government was established in July 1925 with Li as secretary-general. Within the Kuomintang, he served as secretary-general of the central and political committees. Li traveled to the United States in November 1926 to audit several Kuomintang chapters based there.[1] [2]

He returned in March 1927, and was appointed to the Kuomintang's propaganda committee. In June 1928, Li returned to the Guangdong Provincial Government as director of civil affairs. In October 1928, he was named the first secretary-general of the Legislative Yuan. Liu later served on the third through sixth convocations of the Kuomintang central executive committee, as well as the fifth standing committee. Appointed interior minister in December 1931, Liu left office in February 1932.[1] [2]

After the Second Sino-Japanese War broke out, Li organized a defense committee. In November 1940, he was named chairman of the political works committee and served on several other party committees. Li was elected to the in November 1946, and served as vice president of the Judicial Yuan from April 1947 to July 1948. Later that year, Li was elected to the first National Assembly to be convened after the ratification of the Constitution of the Republic of China.[1] [2]

Li retreated to Taiwan after Kuomintang forces lost the Second Chinese Civil War in 1949. He continued serving on the National Assembly, and was an active member of the Kuomintang central committee, as well as an adviser to President Chiang Kai-shek.[1]

He died in Taipei at the age of 68 on 23 June 1953.[1]

Notes and References

  1. Book: 徐友春主編. 民国人物大辞典 増訂版. 2007. 河北人民出版社. 978-7-202-03014-1.
  2. Book: 劉寿林等編. 民国職官年表. 1995. Zhonghua Book Company. 7-101-01320-1.