Zhang, Jingsheng 1888–1970

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Zhang, Jingsheng
1888–1970

Zhang Jingsheng was born into a peasant family in Raoping County, Guangdong Province, China. During the Nationalist Period (1911–1949), Zhang gained notoriety as an author, academic, and social activist for his controversial advocacy of sexual education, freedom of thought, and sexual rights. He also made important contributions to philosophy, agronomy, logic, sociology, and literature.

From a young age, Zhang became active in Nationalist revolutionary activities. From 1912 to 1920, he studied in France, earning a bachelor's degree in liberal arts at Paris University and a PhD in philosophy at Lyons.

Zhang took professorships at Beijing and Jin'an Universities, respectively. He organized the Sexual Education Society and published numerous books, including Aiqing Dingze (The rules of love), Mei de Shehui Zuzhi Fa (How to organize a beautiful society), and Mei de Renshengguan (A way of life based on beauty). At Beijing University in 1926, he began publication of Xingshi (Sexual history), one of China's first magazines to talk openly about sexuality. In 1927–1928, he was president of the Beautiful Bookstore (Mei de Shudian) in Shanghai, which translated and published works dealing with sexuality.

In dozens of books and articles, Zhang advocated a more scientific approach to sexuality, including the then-controversial stance that youth can make the right decisions about sexuality only when given adequate sexual knowledge. He highlighted the differences between sex and pleasure books, both of which were considered taboo. His crusades against women's sexual oppression attacked conventional views on the importance of chastity and the purity of virginity.

After years of widespread fame and fending off vicious personal and professional attacks, Zhang attempted suicide by poison in 1932. Though he suffered further persecution and re-education during the Cultural Revolution (1966–1976) and died poor and unknown in 1970, in post-Maoist China he is remembered for his influential career.