Lei Chen

Lei Chen (Chinese: 雷震; pinyin: Léi Zhèn; 8 July 1897 – 7 March 1979) was a Chinese politician and dissident who was the early leading figure in the movement to bring fuller democracy to the government of the Republic of China.

For the Hong Kong actor, see Kelly Lai Chen.
Not to be confused with Chen Lei.
In this Chinese name, the family name is Lei.
Lei Chen

Born in Zhejiang in 1897,[1] Lei was educated at Kyoto Imperial University in Japan. His early political career included posts as the secretary-general of the National Political Assembly and Constituent National Assembly.[2] He also served on the Control Yuan,[3] as minister without portfolio, and presidential adviser.[2]

Lei Chen helped found and produce the periodical Free China, published beginning in 1950.[4][5] Lei was expelled from the Kuomintang in 1954.[6] Six years later, he founded the China Democratic Party with Hsu Shih-hsien and Huang Hua, among others.[7][8] Shortly thereafter, Lei was charged with sedition and jailed.[9] The charges are widely regarded as having been falsified by the Taiwan government and its then-ruling party the Kuomintang in response to Lei Chen's criticisms.[10]

He was released in 1970[11] and died on 7 March 1979, aged 82.[12][13] He was married to Sung Ying, who had also served on the Control Yuan.[14] Lei was posthumously exonerated by the Transitional Justice Commission in May 2019.[15][16]

References
  1. Ko, Shu-ling (9 July 2007). "President inaugurates Lei Chen Web site". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  2. "One man's struggle for a nation's freedom". Taipei Times. Translated by Huang, Francis; Svensson, Perry; Chang, Eddy; Lin, Jackie; Shaw, Grace. 5 September 2002. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  3. "Declassified archives show Taiwan's missile project in the '70s". Taiwan News. Central News Agency. 16 June 2018. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  4. Mo, Yan-chih (8 March 2012). "Ma apologizes for KMT wrongs, White Terror era". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  5. Ko, Shu-ling (3 September 2007). "Hsieh launches electronic book on Lei Chen's life". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  6. Han Cheung (18 March 2018). "Taiwan in Time: Chiang Kai-shek's last challenger". Retrieved 18 March 2018.
  7. Mo, Yan-chih; Chang, Rich (8 March 2009). "Ma praises Lei Chen for work on democracy". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  8. Han Cheung (24 June 2018). "Taiwan in Time: A phoenix among dragons". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  9. Huang, Jewel (4 September 2003). "New books honor Lei Chen". Taipei Times. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  10. Ko, Shu-ling (18 July 2007). "INTERVIEW: Lei Mei-lin says she still bears a grudge". Taipei Times. Retrieved 2015-09-05.
  11. "A foe of regime released in Taiwan". New York Times. 13 September 1970. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  12. "President Ma opens Lei Chen memorial museum, research center". Taiwan Today. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  13. Jacobs, J. Bruce (2012). Democratizing Taiwan. Brill. p. 43. ISBN 9789004221543.
  14. "Military authorities burn Lei Chen Memoirs" (PDF). Taiwan Communiqué (36): 2. September 1988. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  15. Wang, Flor; Wang, Cheng-chung (30 May 2019). "Fourth list of exonerations during White Terror era released". Central News Agency. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
  16. Chen, Yu-fu; Hsiao, Sherry (31 May 2019). "More than 2,000 convictions overturned". Taipei Times. Retrieved 31 May 2019.
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