Memory and Representation of Liu Zhan'en as a Christian Educator and Patriotic Martyr in the Chinese Resistance Against Japanese Aggression in 1937–1938

Abstract Herman Zhan'en (C. E.) Liu (刘湛恩, 1895–1938), a Chinese Christian educator with a strong American educational background and ties to the American Christian community, was the first Chinese appointed as the president of the University of Shanghai, established by the Southern Baptist Convention and the Northern Baptist Convention in 1906. Liu played a significant role in the resistance against Japanese aggression during the 1930s and was assassinated by a pro-Japanese agent in 1938. However, his recognition as a national hero and martyr did not occur until 1985, nearly five decades after his death. This article examines how Liu's memorialization has evolved over time through the lens of memory politics and how identity, national narratives, and sociopolitical dynamics have shaped his legacy in China. The research reveals how Liu's story has been constructed, contested, and reimagined over the past eight decades. The memorialization of Liu reflects the ongoing process of negotiating history and memory as China reconciles its socialist past with its global ambitions in the post–Cold War era. Liu's memorialization provides insights into how memory is negotiated within the context of Chinese nation-building, global history, and the politics of identity.