Zhang Lan

Zhang Lan (; April 2, 1872 – February 1955), courtesy name Biaofang (表方), was a Chinese political activist best known for being the chairman of the China Democratic League from its founding in 1941 until his death in 1955.

Biography Zhang was born into a scholarly family in Nanchong, Sichuan on April 2, 1872. Witnessing the turmoil at the end of the Qing dynasty, Zhang was attracted to the reformist views of Liang Qichao, and he joined the group advocating constitutional monarchy for China. In 1911, Zhang was vice-chairman of the committee of shareholders that opposed the planned nationalization of the projected Sichuan-Hankou railroad. The protests against the plan swelled into an uprising that was easily quelled by authorities. 1938，After the Second Sino-Japanese War began in 1937, Zhang was appointed a member of the . Although he rarely participated in the body's deliberations, he was respected for his speeches criticizing the Nationalist government.