Life and career Li Linsi

1 life , career

1.1 life
1.2 career under nationalist government
1.3 aiding jews during world war ii
1.4 china s mahatma gandhi
1.5 career under prc

life , career
early life

li born distinguished chinese literary family in hangzhou in february 1896. li s father, li liangyu (厉良玉), qing dynasty official, educator , renowned artist, co-founded xiling society of seal arts, 1 of china s important traditional arts associations. paternal fourth great-grandfather, li e (厉鹗), great poet , scholar during qing dynasty, has been recognized leader of qing dynasty poetry. li descendant of jiang ziya (姜子牙), chinese legendary founding prime minister during zhou dynasty.

after graduating tongji university in 1915, li continued further education in japan , germany, graduating sophia university, university of jena , heidelberg university successively. earned master s degree in law , doctorate in philosophy.

travelling extensively around europe, li came contact range of western progressive ideas, , got know handful of promising chinese students, including zhou enlai (周恩来) , zhu de (朱德), later became leaders of people s republic of china. li established deep friendship german sinologist richard wilhelm.

he participated in germany s first china institute @ university of frankfurt, research institution founded richard wilhelm. facility committed encouraging west better understand chinese cultures. li helped institution start multiple journals on chinese studies, such china, china-germany yearbook , east asia review. contributed organizing various seminars , exhibitions on chinese studies institution.

career under nationalist government

li returned china in 1930, , joined government education official upon recommendation of chiang kai-shek (蒋介石), leader of republic of china. later became diplomatic consultant chiang.

as senior education official, cultural diplomat, li key proponent , practitioner of china s league of nations diplomacy in 1930s. actively promoted communication, cooperation , coordination between china , league of nations – predecessor of united nations – first international organization principal mission maintain world peace. proposed better combat japanese aggression, china should try draw more support , favorable public opinion international community through league of nations. in 1932, in order strengthen relationship between china , league of nations, li served cultural , educational representative of chinese government pay official visit europe, including switzerland, league of nations headquartered. successful six-month trip enhanced cultural exchange , cooperation among china, europe , league of nations.

li co-founded of china s influential organizations, including china institute of world cultural cooperation @ league of nations in 1933.

li advanced diplomatic ties between china , league of nations, , played major role in operation of chinese affiliates of league of nations, including league of nations association of china , china institute of world cultural cooperation @ league of nations. li participant in founding of china branch of united nations after league of nations replaced united nations.

li played crucial role in existence , development of german military mission in china, , key facilitator of china-germany relationship during 1930s. chiang s right-hand man on china s diplomacy toward germany, , link between china s top leaders , german military advisory group.

li helped facilitate former commander-in-chief of german army hans von seeckt s official visit china in 1933, , persuaded him accept offer chiang kai-shek military adviser , chief of german military mission. move helped elevate china-germany relationship new height. in 1935, diplomatic relationship between china , germany upgraded ministerial level ambassadorial level.

during first visit china, seeckt gave chiang book, titled thoughts of soldier, considered representative work of own. translator of official chinese version of book li. chinese version of book published in 1936 became key reference book chinese military.

aiding jews during world war ii

after china s war japan (1937-45) erupted in 1937, li resigned post in central government , took advice friend jiang baili (蒋百里) move family nanjing shanghai him finish military works. in isolated island period in shanghai during world war ii, li s family lived on ximo road in shanghai international settlement, area not occupied japanese invaders, in control of british , american forces.

as prestigious figure in china s cultural , diplomatic circles, li engaged professor @ jinan national university – first university in china recruit foreign students.

during period, huge number of jewish people, germany , austria, fled shanghai escape nazis. li had reputation helping jews among shanghai s jewish community.

using personal connections , resources, li helped make shanghai better place jewish refugees. long period, shanghai remained place in world unconditionally offered refuge jewish people fleeing nazis.

li moved tragedy of these people , contributed as jewish community better-off local spent more decade in germany. sheltered several jewish refugees friends of in germany.

with aid of li , other wealthy natives, modern jewish community emerged: more housing jewish refugees arranged, businesses established, german publications circulated, , orchestra formed. shanghai became rare bright spot jewish people in dark plight of age.

china s mahatma gandhi

li s life went sharply downhill after outbreak of pacific war in december 1941, when japanese invaders occupied british , american controlled parts of city in wake of attack on pearl harbor. li s family lived in misery , separated him due refusal work japanese occupiers.

after fall of shanghai international settlement, jinan national university relocated out of shanghai, li stayed. known china s mahatma gandhi, li began lead shanghai intellectuals fight japanese invaders in non-violent manner.

because prominent public figure served high-ranking education official, , had experience studying in japan, japanese occupiers attempted lure li side, promising appoint him minister of education or minister of examination if agreed work them. facing both temptation , intimidation, li tried find various excuses , refused in mild yet determined manner. li s non-violent strategy proved practical.

during period, li did extensive research on japanese , german military works. research played important role in china s anti-japanese war.

li s non-violent philosophy inspired vast crowd, not chinese cultural elites, new generation of students, chinese masses , people international community.

career under prc

after founding of prc in 1949, li worked professor @ shanghai international studies university , nurtured large number of quality language talents. died during china s cultural revolution in shanghai @ age of 74.