Tan Sitong (譚嗣同) | 24 Histories

Overview

Tan Sitong was an official, Thinker, and Reform Martyr.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Fusheng	復生	Fusheng

Life and dates

Death

AD 1898 二十四年
Execution · At marketplace 市
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 437, passage 23
AD 1898 二十四年
Execution
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 192
Execution
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 473, passage 94

Attested activity

AD 1898 二十四年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 437, passages 22-23; Draft History of Qing 464, passages 179, 192; Draft History of Qing 473, passages 73, 82

Family

Immediate relationships attested in the translated histories.

Child of Tan Jixun (譚繼洵)
son 子
father 父
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 171

Key source chapters

Career and standing

Fourth-rank ministerial title / Grand Council secretary 四品卿軍機章京
AD 1898 二十四年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 179
Prefect (purchased via subprefect) 知府
Purchased
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 175

Places and affiliations

Qing 清
Relation Served
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 179
At Liuyang, Hunan 湖南瀏陽
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 170
Organization Southern Study Society 南學會 · Relation Leader of
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 177

Works and attributed material

Mangcangcangzhai shiji 莽蒼蒼齋詩集
Relation Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 193
Renxue 仁學
Relation Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 193
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passages 182, 189-190

Events and relationships

Night meeting with Yuan Shikai
Political · Actor · With Yuan Shikai (袁世凱)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 185
Relation Ally of · Person Tang Caichang (唐才常)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 195
Relation Staff of · Person Liu Jintang (劉錦棠)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 175

Source notes

Historicity historical
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 473, passage 56
Six Gentlemen 六君子
Statement One of the Six Gentlemen executed the same day
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 464, passage 222

References in the histories

Search passages

History

24 passages

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 437Volume 437 Biographies 224: Rong Lu, Wang Wenshao, Zhang Zhidong, Qu Hongji · 2 passages

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是時上擢用主事康有為及知府譚嗣同等參預新政，議變法，斥舊臣，召直隸按察使袁世凱入覲，超授侍郎，統練兵。 The emperor was then promoting Kang Youwei, a secretary, and Tan Sitong, a prefect, among others to take part in the new policies; reform was debated, veteran ministers were pushed aside, and Yuan Shikai, Zhili surveillance commissioner, was summoned to court, given a leap promotion to vice minister, and placed in command of military training.

榮祿不自安，御史楊崇伊奏請太后再垂簾，於是太后复臨朝訓政，召榮祿為軍機大臣，以世凱代之，命查拿康有為，斬譚嗣同等六人於市，以上有疾，詔徵醫； Uneasy at these developments, Rong Lu watched as Censor Yang Chongyi asked the empress dowager to resume regency behind the curtain; the empress dowager then took up government again, recalled Rong Lu as a Grand Councilor, put Yuan Shikai in his former post, ordered Kang Youwei arrested, and had Tan Sitong and five others executed in public; because the emperor was said to be ill, physicians were summoned by edict;

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 464Volume 464 Biographies 251: Li Duanfen, Xu Zhijingzi, Ren Zhu, Chen Baozhen, Huang Zunxian, Ceng He, Yang Shenxiu, Yang Rui, Liu Guangdi, Tan Sitong With: Tang Caichang, Lin Xu, Kang Guangren · 21 passages

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李端棻徐致靖子仁鑄陳寶箴黃遵憲曾鉌楊深秀楊銳劉光第譚嗣同唐才常林旭康廣仁李端棻，字苾園，貴州貴筑人。 Li Duanfen, Xu Zhijing, his son Renzhu, Chen Baozhen, Huang Zunxian, Zeng He, Yang Shenxiu, Yang Rui, Liu Guangdi, Tan Sitong, Tang Caichang, Lin Xu, and Kang Guangren. Li Duanfen, whose courtesy name was Biyuan, came from Guizhu in Guizhou.

二十四年，密薦康有為及譚嗣同堪大用。 In the twenty-fourth year he secretly recommended Kang Youwei and Tan Sitong as men capable of high responsibility.

寶箴素慕曾、胡薦士，因上言楊銳、劉光第、譚嗣同、林旭佐新政。 Baozhen had long admired how Zeng Guofan and Hu Linyi recommended men, and therefore memorialized that Yang Rui, Liu Guangdi, Tan Sitong, and Lin Xu should assist the new policies.

又以陳寶箴薦，與劉光第、譚嗣同、林旭並加四品卿，充軍機章京，參新政。 Again through Chen Baozhen’s recommendation, he, together with Liu Guangdi, Tan Sitong, and Lin Xu, was given fourth-rank ministerial title, appointed a Grand Council secretary, and took part in the new policies.

爾與劉光弟、譚嗣同、林旭等詳悉籌議，必如何而後能進用英達，使新政及時舉行，又不致少拂聖意，即具奏，候朕審擇，不勝焦慮之至！」 You, together with Liu Guangdi, Tan Sitong, Lin Xu, and the others, must deliberate carefully on how to advance able men so that the new policies may proceed in good time without the least offense to the Empress Dowager's wishes. Memorialize at once for my review. My anxiety is beyond words!"

譚嗣同，字復生，湖南瀏陽人。 Tan Sitong, whose courtesy name was Fusheng, came from Liuyang in Hunan.

繼洵素謹飭，以是頗見惡。 Jixun was stern and proper by nature, and for this Sitong was much disliked by him.

嗣同乃遊新疆劉錦棠幕，以同知入貲為知府，銓江蘇。 Sitong then served on Liu Jintang’s staff in Xinjiang, purchased appointment as a prefect through the rank of subprefect, and was assigned to Jiangsu.

陳寶箴撫湖南，嗣同還鄉佐新政。 When Chen Baozhen governed Hunan, Sitong returned home to assist the new policies.

梁啟超倡辦南學會，嗣同為之長。 Liang Qichao initiated the Southern Study Society, and Sitong served as its head.

屆會期，集者恆數百人，聞嗣同慷慨論時事，多感動。 At meeting times, several hundred people regularly gathered, and many were moved when they heard Sitong speak passionately about current affairs.