Advocate fordemocracy
Print Edition
Lei Fen (1871-1919) was one of China’s earliest overseas students and became a strong advocate of constitutionalism, freedom and democracy.
Upon his graduation from Waseda University in Japan, where he majored in politics and law, Lei returned to China and worked as an editor at the Shanghai Times. At the same time, he taught classes in the city’s two high schools.
In the early 1900s, he became involved with political causes as an active member of an advisory council advocating the development of a constitutional system under the rule of law.
When the Republic of China (1912-49) was founded, Lei helped draft its laws and regulations. However, he quit politics when he sensed that then president Yuan Shih Kai wanted to restore the monarchy in China and set himself up as the Hongxian Emperor.
Lei returned to his hometown in Songjiang, where he opened an office to develop contingency plans if Songjiang were attacked during civil strife.
Lei later served as a counselor with the Ministry of Finance, and then as general director of the prosecutor’s office in Hubei Province.
He died of lung disease.
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