Martyr (China)
Martyr (Chinese: 烈士; pinyin: Lièshì) is an honorary title in the People's Republic of China given by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, the People's Liberation Army or provincial governments in the country. The state can prosecute those who slander officially designated martyrs under the Law on the Protection of Heroes and Martyrs.[1]
Description
[edit]Martyr is an honorary title for those who officially sacrificed their lives for a just cause or sacrificed their lives for justice. In the Ming dynasty, the Great Ming Code stipulated that actors were not allowed to play loyal martyrs, and those who violated the law would be punished.[2] In the People's Republic of China, martyrs were formerly called "revolutionary martyrs", referring to Chinese citizens (including members of the People's Liberation Army)[3] who "died heroically in the revolutionary struggle, defending the motherland and socialist modernization construction." In addition, according to the "Several Explanations on Revolutionary Martyrs" issued by the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Central People's Government in 1950, for before the founding of the People's Republic of China, those who died in battle, were executed by the authorities or died in prison for opposing the Qing dynasty, the Beiyang government, the Nationalist government and fighting Japan were also regarded as "revolutionary martyrs."[4][5] In 2011, the "Regulations on Commendation of Martyrs" was promulgated and implemented, and "revolutionary martyrs" were renamed "martyrs."[6]
References
[edit]- ^ Denyer, Simon (2018-04-27). "China criminalizes the slander of its 'heroes and martyrs,' as it seeks to control history". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2025-03-23.
- ^ 何悦玲著 (May 2020). "中华书局出品——中国古代小说中的"史传"传统及其历史变迁 作者：何悦玲著". 中华书局. ISBN 978-7-101-14234-1. Archived from the original on 2022-04-13. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
- ^ ""烈士"称号论略——烈士的身份怎样被确定" (in Simplified Chinese). 人民网. 2009-10-10. Archived from the original on 2009-10-22. Retrieved 2018-05-22.
- ^ 白婧、白建国，生命的珍藏：百份革命战争年代的烈士证，海燕出版社，2013年
- ^ "《关于革命烈士的几点解释》含抗日国军，腾讯，2013-04-11". Archived from the original on 2016-11-04. Retrieved 2018-05-26.
- ^ "国务院公布《烈士褒扬条例》" (in Simplified Chinese). 财政部. Archived from the original on 2012-10-18. Retrieved 2018-05-26.