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Hong Jun

1839 – 1893

Chinese diplomat

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About Hong Jun

Lived 1839 – 1893 (aged 53–54). Hong Jun was a Chinese diplomat and politician.

Hong Jun (; 1839–1893) was a Chinese diplomat. From 1887 to 1890 he had served as a special emissary of the Qing dynasty government to Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, and Austria.

Biography Hong was born in 1839. At age 30, he became a zhuangyuan. In 1887 Hong Jun, by then a major Chinese official, met Sai Jinhua ("Prettier Than Golden Flower" ) while he visited Suzhou. At the time Hong Jun was in mourning due to his mother's death. Hong Jun made Sai Jinhua his concubine one year after meeting her. In April of that year, Sai Jinhua went to Beijing with Hong Jun.

Empress Dowager Cixi appointed Hong Jun as the Chinese envoy to Europe, and so Hong Jun traveled to Russia, Austria, the Netherlands, and Germany as part of his diplomatic duties. Sai Jinhua, with Hong Jun, lived in Europe for three years. He did begin wearing European socks after initial vehemence against doing so when he discovered their comfort.

David Der-wei Wang wrote that Hong Jun was dismissed from his position "for allegedly settling boundary disputes on the basis of twelve Russian maps of the Chinese border area that turned out to be faulty and thus made China lose land to Czarist Russia." In 1894 Sai Jinhua became a prostitute again because Hong Jun's relatives did not support her financially.

Legacy The character Jin Jun (Jin Wenqing) in A Flower in a Sinful Sea (Niehai Hua) is based on Hong Jun.

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Important facts

Born
1839, Suzhou
Birth century
Nationality
Positions held
Chinese representative in the Russian Empire
Also known as
Taoshi, Wenqing, Shouzhuo

People in Hong Jun's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Hong Jun's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Hong Jun?

Chinese diplomat

When was Hong Jun born?

Hong Jun was born in 1839 in Suzhou.

When did Hong Jun die?

Hong Jun died on 2 October 1893.

What was Hong Jun's occupation?

Hong Jun was a diplomat and politician.

What nationality was Hong Jun?

Hong Jun was Chinese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Hong Jun

· Wikidata: Q2719779

· DBpedia: Hong Jun

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Hong Jun. https://biography.guide/hong-jun/

MLA: "Hong Jun." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/hong-jun/.

Chicago: "Hong Jun." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/hong-jun/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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