In June  1898  Emperor  Guang-xu decided to carry out reform all over
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the country. Because  the reform  movement occurred in the year of ¡Wu-Xu¡
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in  the  lunar calender, it  was  also known as ¡the Wu-Xu Reform.¡ In Sept.,
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1898,  the reform movement was disrupted by a group of  die-hards  headed 
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by  Empress  Dowager  Ci-xi who  had  the  actual  power in  the Qing  court. 
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Tan Si-tong  was  one of  the  main  advocates  of  reform.  He  gave  up  the 
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opportunity to flee China and was prepared to be the first martyr in the cause 
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of reform in  modern Chinese history.  By doing  so he  intended  to  awaken 
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those people insensitive to reform. His death,  however, encouraged greatly 
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other reformists to seek a new way for  China¡s prosperity.