Youwei Kang's calligraphic couplet hanging scroll - 康有為對聯

Youwei Kang, known as Guangxia (courtesy name) and Changsu or Tianyouhuaren (pseudonym), was born in Guangdong, China. Kang is a renowned politician, philosopher of Neo-Confucian and educator in the late Qing dynasty. Kang was an imperial scholar during the era of Emperor Guangxu (1875-1908). Influenced by western political science, Kang worked with Qichao Liang (1873-1929) and established "Society for the Study of National Strengthening". They started Hundred Days’ Reform in 1898. The reform failed due to the intervention of Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908). Kang advocated ideas of constitutional monarchy and is opposed to establishing the Republic of China. After Hsinhai Revolution (a movement against imperial power of Qing dynasty, 1911-1912), Kang served as a leader of “Save the Emperor Society”. He planned to restore Puyi (1906-1967, the last emperor of Qing dynasty), which destroys his teacher-student relationship with Liang. In his late life, Kang still claimed loyalty to imperial authority.康有為，字廣夏，號長素、天游化人，廣東人。中國著名政治家、新儒家思想家、教育家。光緒年間進士，受到西方政治思想影響，曾與梁啟超組織保國會，合作戊戌變法，因慈禧太后干預而失敗。變法失敗後，康有為主張開明專制，反對革命，在辛亥革命發生後，仍計劃將溥儀復辟，成為當時保皇派主要領袖因而與梁啟超師生關係破裂。晚年仍宣稱忠於清朝皇帝，於1927逝世於青島。This poem suggests Kang’s ideology of being a scholar. Flowers and bamboos are used as metaphor for the core of a scholar. In this scroll, the second seal “After Hundred Days’ Reform, I spent sixteen years in exile, traveling all over the world three times, visiting four continents, passing through thirty-one countries and walking one hundred thousand miles” is upside down.此詩句表現文人所追求的修養和思想上的意境. 作者印章「維新白日出亡十六年三周大地游遍四洲經三十一國行六十萬裡鑒」上下顛倒.Flowers and bamboos symbolize spirit of elegance and being aloof from worldly pursuits. A status with virtue of grace and being indifferent to fame is where my heart goes to.花竹多高逸；澹然心所欣。Signature: Tianyouhuaren款識: 天游化人1) Seal of Youwei Kang; 2) After Hundred Days’ Reform, I spent sixteen years in exile, traveling all over the world three times, visiting four continents, passing through thirty-one countries and walking one hundred thousand miles; 3) TseTsung Chow1) 康有為印; 2) 維新白日出亡十六年三周大地游遍四洲經三十一國行六十萬里; 3) 周策