Sung Hsi-lien (b. 1906), Whampoa-trained Nationalist general who commanded the Eleventh Group Army in the early 1940's. After serving as Sinkiang garrison commander in 1946-47, he was transferred to central China. He was captured by the Chinese Communists in 1949.

A native of Hsianghsiang, Hunan, Sung Hsi-lien was born into a family known for its literary men. His father was an official. The young Sung was an able student, and in the early 1920's he was sent to the Chang Chun Middle School, where he was exposed to the doctrines of Sun Yat-sen. With the establishment of the Whampoa Military Academy in 1924, Sung made his way to Canton to become the youngest person in the academy's first class. While at the academy, he participated in both the first and second eastern expeditions, performing with distinction in battle. After graduation, he joined the Northern Expedition as a battalion commander in the 21st Division, which fought in Kiangsi and Chekiang. He was wounded in the battle of Tunglu and was forced out of action by his injuries. After recuperating, he went to Japan for advanced military studies. Although his anti-Japanese activities landed him in jail for a time, in due course he was graduated from the Japanese Infantry School and Staff College.

On returning to China in May 1930, Sung Hsi-lien became a staff officer in the 1st Training Division. He was promoted to battalion commander during the 1930 campaign against the so-called northern coalition of Feng Yü-hsiang and Yen Hsi-shan. After serving briefly as a regimental commander in the 1st Guard Division, he was transferred to the post of commander of the 6th Regiment of the 1st Division. In the winter of 1 93 1 he was promoted to command of the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Division. He continued to serve as a brigade commander when that unit was reorganized as the 87th Division. In January 1932 he participated in the battle against the Japanese at Shanghai. When the fighting ended and the 87th Division returned to its station at Nanking, Sung became its vice commander.

In 1933 Sung Hsi-lien was made commander of the 36th Division, then stationed at Fuchow, Kiangsi. He encountered and defeated Red Army forces at Huwan. Soon afterwards, he was ordered into Fukien to help put down the Fukien revolt of Ch'en Ming-shu and Ts'ai T'ing-k'ai (qq.v.). He then returned to Kiangsi to participate in the campaigns against the Chinese Communists, who soon left Kiangsi to begin the Long March. In the spring of 1935 Sung was transferred to the Shanghai-Nanking sector. At the time of the Sian Incident {see Chiang Kai-shek; Chang Hsueh-liang), he and his 36th Division moved northward, prepared for action against the rebellious forces of Chang Hsueh-liang's colleagues Yang Hu-ch'eng and Yu Hsueh-chung (qq.v.). In February 1937 Sung was appointed Sian defense commander. Soon afterwards, his 36th Division became the first Nationalist unit to enter Sian after the Sian Incident.

When the Sino-Japanese war broke out in July 1937, Sung Hsi-lien was assigned to the Shanghai front. After the Chinese defenses in that area collapsed, ten officers were executed and thirty others were dismissed from their posts for failure to carry out orders. Sung lost command of the 36th Division and was inactive until 1938, when he received command of the Honorable 1st Division. He soon was promoted to command of the Seventy-first Army, in which capacity he fought valiantly against Japanese forces in the Wuhan area. In the winter of 1939 Sung received command of the Thirty-fourth Group Army, becoming, at the age of 33, the youngest group army commander in China. He held this post until November 1941, when he received command of the Eleventh Group Army. In May 1942, when it seemed that the Japanese might occupy western Yunnan, the Eleventh Group Army moved into that area. After initial setbacks resulting in the loss of Lungling and Tengyueh, Sung succeeded in checking the enemy advance at the Nu River.

The Eleventh Group Army's reputation as an able fighting force was diminished somewhat by its performance in the Salween campaign launched in May 1944. The objectives assigned to Sung and his men were the Burma Road and the Japanese positions to the south. In attacking Lungling in June, Sung failed to concentrate his men properly, and they were driven back by a small Japanese force. The setback was compounded by further withdrawals, and the defeat of the Eleventh Group Army by a small Japanese garrison force brought to nothing the attempt by Wei Li-huang (q.v.) to exploit initial gains in the campaign. As a result, Sung Hsi-lien was removed from field command and was made director of a branch of the Central Military Academy. In 1946, however, he was decorated by both the Chinese and American governments. In March of that year, he was transferred to Lanchow to serve as chief of staff to Chang Chih-chung (q.v.). In support of Chang's efforts in Sinkiang province, Sung also became commander in chief of the Sinkiang garrison force in the winter of 1946. He supported the Kirei Kazakh revolt against the Hi regime, and he came to terms with the Kazakh leader Osman (q.v.), who declared his support for the Chinese. The Hi group made an issue of Sung's activities, and Sung was transferred to central China as vice commander in chief for bandit suppression. The Nationalist position in central and southern China began to crumble as the civil war with the Chinese Communists gained momentum. Early in 1949 Sung Hsi-lien was made chief of the Szechwan-Hunan-Hupeh border region headquarters. Before long, his forces were retreating before the oncoming troops of Liu Po-ch'eng (q.v.). The Communist forces pursued the forces of Sung Hsi-lien and Hu Tsung-nan (q.v.) into the grasslands of the Sikang plateau and overtook them. Sung Hsi-lien was captured. Nothing further is known of him.