Fan Changjiang

Fàn Changjiang (6 October 1909 – 23 October 1970), born Fan Xitian (范希天), was a Chinese journalist and writer.

Fan was born in Sichuan Province and educated at Peking University.

Fan started his career as a journalist in 1933.

He was sent to the northwest of China by Ta Kung Pao as a string correspondent in 1935.

At that time, he editorialized a series of news which sensationalized the public.

These pieces of news were later anthologized in a book called Northwest China (中國的西北角).

In this book, he described the Communist Party of China (CPC), the activities of Red Army and the Long March.

Besides that, Fan Changjiang showed his determination and strong animosity towards feudalism warlords, rich landowners and bad scholars in this book.

Meanwhile, he concerned with the development of China's future and also sympathized those who suffered from the political turmoil.

In 1936, when the political scene became chaotic and the first Chinese civil war (1928-1937) started, he went to the Inner Mongolia for observation.

In December, when the famous Xi'an Incident broke out, Fan grasped the opportunity to interview Zhou Enlai at the risk of life.

Zhou was amazed by his studies and analyses when he read his journals.

Later on, he went to Shaanxi province Yan'an to have a personal conversation with Mao Zedong It paved the way for Fan's future career as a journalist.

When he returned to Shanghai, he published his viewpoints on the anti-Japanese movement and it was generally accepted by the mass.

At that time, he was the first journalist who reported the red terror in China.

On November 8, 1937, Fan established the Chinese Young Journalists Association (中國青年記者協會) with Yang Zao (羊棗) and Xu Maijin (徐邁進) and was elected as the chief executive officer of the association.

In the same year, he cofound the International News Association (國際新聞社) with Hu Yuzhi in Changsha.

In 1939, he joined the Communist Party of China and was one of the people who established Hua Shang Daily《華商報》in Hong Kong.

He also took up the posts of the principal of Huangzhong Journalism College (華中新聞專科學校), chairman of Huangzhong Branch of the Xinhua News Agency and Huangzhong Post of Xinhua Daily 《新華日報》(華中報).

In July 1949, he established the All-China Journalists Association with Hu Qiaomu and many other famous journalists.

He was the chief editor of the Xinhua News Agency, chairman of Jiefang Daily and People's Daily.

Fan was persecuted during the Cultural Revolution and committed suicide in 1970.

In 1991, the "Fan Changjiang Journalism Awards" were established by the Chinese Journalists Association Committee in order to encourage young journalists in China.

Apart from being an award-winning journalist, Fan was also considered a good leader by others.

He had hold various official posts, such as:

In the book, Communication and essay, Fan believed that newspaper was a political tool.

It was the basic principle of journalism.

A journalist should not fear to discuss politics, should not tend to avoid politics.

More importantly, journalist should not violate era.

In addition, Fan suggested that if there were correct politics to make instructions, the news work would be an important power to accelerate the advancement of the society.

Fan had a clear political and journalistic stand.

When he was young, he was greatly influenced by the revolutionary movement and joined series of anti-imperialism movements.

He was almost sent to death in the Chongqing Massacre.

But this experience further strengthened his ideology which was to seek and report the truth.

He believed that honesty should be the most important element of being a journalist.

Fan believed that journalists should support the reforms and determine to be loyal to the Communist Party of China.

The public should not fear danger and harshness but have incentive to learn and think.

He even became a communist journalist and joined Communist Party after he left Ta Kung Pao.

He was strongly against the capitalist class and supported communism.

As described before, Fan wrote a series of articles disclosing the north-west rotten policy, the secret agreements and the hidden side of the red army.