Yu Youren

Yu Yu-jen (Chinese: 于右任; pinyin: Yú Yòurèn); (April 11, 1879 – November 10, 1964) was an educator, scholar, calligrapher, and politician in the Republic of China.

Early life

He was born on April 11, 1879 in the town of Hedaogang in Sanyuan County, Shaanxi Province north of Xi'an, China. His father was Xin Sangong and his mother surnamed Zhao. In 1880, while his father was on business in Sichuan, his mother died and so his aunt brought him to live with her in the village of Yangfu where they lived together for 9 years. After a short stint as a goat herder, he went to a private school at the Mawang Temple in Yangfu and studied under Mr. Diwu. In 1889, he returned with his aunt to Sanyuan and entered the school of Mao Banxiang, under whom he began to study archaic and modern forms of poetry. On occasion, he also had the chance to read a few poems by such Southern Song patriots as Wen Tianxing and Xie Fangde. At the age of 17, he came in first place on entrance examinations and went on to study at the schools like the Dao Academy in Sanyuan, Weijing Academy in Jingyang, and Guanzhong Academy. In 1898, he married Miss Gao Zhonglin.