Lin Sen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Lin Sen (Chinese: 林森, pinyin: Lín Sēn) (1868 – August 1, 1943), courtesy name Zichao (子超), sobriquet Changren (長仁), was Chairman of the National Government of the Republic of China from 1932 until his death.

Born in Shangan Township (尚幹鄉), Minhou County (閩侯縣), Fujian, Lin worked in the Telegram Bureau of Taipei in 1884. After the First Sino-Japanese War, he engaged in guerilla activities against the Japanese occupiers. He returned to the mainland and worked in the Shanghai customs office in 1902. He then became an anti-imperial revolutionary, joining the United League in 1905, and was an overseas organizer for the Kuomintang. He became speaker of the senate in the National Assembly and followed Sun Yatsen to Guangzhou where he continue to lead its "extraordinary session". When the assembly defected to the Beiyang government, he remained with Sun and later served as governor of Fujian.

Lin was a political opponent of Chiang Kai-shek and leader of the right-wing Western Hills faction based in Shanghai. Lin was appointed acting chairman in December 1931 only as a sign of personal respect and held few powers. He was made full chairman the following year but Chiang still held the power behind the scenes.

Lin visited Qingzhi ("Green Plant") Mountain in Lianjiang, Zhejiang and was fascinated by it, which encouraged him to style himself "Old Man Green Plant" (青芝老人 Qingzhi Laoren) in his old age. His monument, built beside Qingzhi Mountain in 1926 before his death, was damaged in the Cultural Revolution, and was restored in 1979.

He died at the age of 76 in Chongqing, China's temporary capital during the Second Sino-Japanese War. On 10 March 1943, his car was involved in an accident. Two days later, he had a stroke while meeting the Canadian delegation. He died on August 1.

There are roads named after Lin Sen in Taipei, Kaohsiung, Tainan, and other towns and cities in Taiwan.