Kang Youwei (March 19, 1858 – March 31, 1927) is a Chinese philosopher and politician.

He is also a noted calligrapher and prominent political thinker and reformer of the late Qing dynasty.

Through his connections, he becomes close to the young Guangxu Emperor and fervently encourages him to promote his friends and consequently sours the relationship between the emperor and his adoptive mother, the powerful Empress Dowager Cixi.

His ideas inspire a reformation movement

Although he continues to advocate a constitutional monarchy after the founding of the Republic, Kang's political theory is never put into practice as he is forced to flee China for repeated attempts to assassinate the empress dowager.

He is an ardent Chinese nationalist and internationalist.