Wen Yiduo

Wen Yiduo (24 November 1899 – 15 July 1946) was a prominent Chinese poet and scholar who was assassinated by the Kuomintang. Wen was born Wén Jiāhuá (聞家驊) on 24 November 1899 in present-day Xishui County, Huanggang, Hubei. After receiving a traditional education he went on to continue studying at the Tsinghua University.

Wen Yiduo (1899–1946) was a significant Chinese poet and scholar whose life and work left a lasting impact on Chinese literature and intellectual circles. Here are some key points about his life:

  • Birth and Education: Wen Yiduo, originally named Wén Jiāhuá (聞家驊), was born on 24 November 1899 in Xishui County, Huanggang, Hubei Province. He received a traditional education and later studied at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
  • Study Abroad: In 1922, Wen traveled to the United States to further his studies in fine arts and literature at the Art Institute of Chicago. It was during this period that his first poetry collection, “Hongzhu” (紅燭, “Red Candle”), was published.
  • Literary Career: Upon returning to China in 1925, Wen took up a teaching position at a university. In 1928, his second poetry collection, “Sishui” (死水, “Dead Water”), was published. He joined the Crescent Moon Society, contributing essays on poetry and classical Chinese literature research.
  • War Years: With the onset of the Second Sino-Japanese War, Wen relocated to Kunming, Yunnan Province, where he continued teaching at the National Southwestern Associated University during the wartime period.
  • Political Activism and Assassination: Wen became politically active in 1944, supporting the China Democratic League. His outspoken views and support for political reform led to his assassination by Kuomintang agents in 1946, following his eulogy for his friend Li Gongpu.
  • Legacy: Wen Yiduo’s contributions to Chinese poetry and his courageous stance against political oppression are remembered and honored. There is a monument to him at Yunnan Normal University in Kunming, along with a large statue. His former home in the Green Lake area of Kunming has a memorial to him, including a wall portrait. He and his wife, Gao Zhen, are buried at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery in Beijing.

Wen Yiduo’s life reflects a commitment to both literature and social change, making him a revered figure in Chinese intellectual history.