Li Da
李达
President of Wuhan University
In office November 1952 – August 1966
Preceded by	Zhou Gengsheng
Succeeded by	Zhuang Guo
President of Hunan University
In office December 1949 – January 1953
Preceded by	Yi Dingxin
Succeeded by	Zhu Fan
Personal details
Born	(1890-10-02)2 October 1890 Lingling, Yongzhou, Hunan, China
Died	24 August 1966(1966-08-24) (aged 75) Wuhan, Hubei, China
Political party	Chinese Communist Party
Spouse	Wang Huiwu
Children	3, including Li Xintian
Education	Beijing Normal University University of Tokyo
Alma mater	Hunan Yongzhou No.1 High School
Occupation	Philosopher, writer

Li Da (simplified Chinese: 李达; traditional Chinese: 李達; pinyin: Lǐ Dá; 2 October 1890 – 24 August 1966) was a Chinese Marxist philosopher. He led the Publicity Department of the Chinese Communist Party after the foundation of the party. Li left the Chinese Communist Party in the 1920s due to what he viewed as its turn to reformism. However, he maintained close ties with the party and its underground apparatus. Li translated many European Marxist works into Chinese. Li's most important work was Elements of Sociology, which had a great influence on Mao Zedong. Li helped popularize the New Philosophy that gained dominance in the Soviet Union in the 1930s. After the People's Republic of China was established in 1949, Li rejoined the Chinese Communist Party. He was heavily criticized and beaten at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, and died in 1966. He was posthumously rehabilitated after Mao's death.

Family

Li was married to Wang Huiwu and they had three children. Their eldest daughter, Li Xintian (李心田), died of an illness during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Their second daughter was Li Xinyi (李心怡). Their only son was Li Xintian (李心天), who helped introduce and develop medical psychology in China.^[1]

References