Phan Bội Châu
Phan Bội Châu (born Phan Văn San), also known by the pseudonyms Hải Thụ and Sào Nam, was born on December 26, 1867, in Đan Nhiễm village (now Xuân Hòa commune, Nam Đàn district, Nghệ Tĩnh).
Early Life and Scholarship
From a young age, he was known for his intelligence. He excelled in the Confucian examination system, passing the district exam at thirteen, the regional exam at sixteen, and earning the top spot at the Nghệ exam in 1900.
Revolutionary Activities
After a decade as a village teacher, Phan Bội Châu devoted himself to revolutionary activities. In 1904, he founded the Duy Tân Association, advocating for violent struggle and foreign assistance to restore Vietnam's independence. In early 1905, he went to Japan, sparking the Đông Du (Eastern Travel) movement (1905-1908), which sent around 200 Vietnamese students to Japan. He wrote influential revolutionary works such as *Việt Nam vong quốc sử* and *Hải ngoại huyết thư*.
Following the dissolution of the Đông Du movement and his expulsion from Japan in 1909, he moved to Siam and then China. After the 1911 Xinhai Revolution, he founded the Việt Nam Quang phục Hội. In 1913, he was arrested by Chinese warlords at the request of the French colonial authorities.
After his release in 1917, he lived in Hangzhou, working as an editor for the *Bình sự tạp chí* while continuing his anti-colonial propaganda. In 1924, he reorganized the Việt Nam Quang phục Hội into the Việt Nam Quốc dân Đảng.
Arrest and Later Life
On June 30, 1925, French agents kidnapped him in Shanghai and brought him back to Vietnam. Facing widespread public protest, the French authorities were forced to spare his life but placed him under house arrest in Huế from 1926 until his death.
Despite his confinement, Phan Bội Châu remained prolific, writing numerous patriotic and educational works, including *Nam quốc dân tu tri*, *Nữ quốc dân tu tri*, *Phan Bội Châu niên biểu*, and *Lịch sử Việt Nam diễn ca*. He also authored extensive scholarly works such as *Khổng học đăng*, *Phật học đăng*, and *Chu dịch*, along with over 800 poems in Nôm.