Sun Lan-feng (1896-1997)

Sun Lan-feng (1896-), north Chinese general who was a long-time subordinate of Fu Tso-yi. In June 1954 he became vice chairman of the Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region People's Government.

Tenghsien, Shantung, was the birthplace of Sun Lan-feng. Little is known about his family background or early career except that he entered military service at the age of 18, that he studied at the Whampoa Military Academy, and that he joined the forces of Fu Tso-yi (q.v.) in the late 1920's or early 1930's. In April 1933, when the Japanese advanced into Jehol and Chahar, Sun led the regiment he then commanded from Kalgan to a point west of Huaijou. He was decorated for his performance in the ensuing battle. In November 1936, by which time he had become a brigade commander, Sun took part in the action, directed by Fu Tso-yi, that resulted in the ouster of the dissident Mongol leader Te Wang (Demchukdonggrub, q.v.) from Pailingmiao. Sun helped occupy Pailingmiao and drive Te Wang's forces into eastern Chahar.

After the Sino-Japanese war began in July 1937, Sun fought the Japanese at Hsinkow, Shansi. His participation in the campaign in southern Suiyuan in the spring of 1938 won him a citation from Chiang Kai-shek. In November 1939 he took part in an attack on the Japanese position at Paotow and received command of a division. He won another victory in March 1940, at a time when Chinese successes were few and far between. Soon afterwards, he was awarded the Fourth Class Pao Ting decoration.

At the time of the Japanese surrender in August 1945, he was designated commander of the vanguard forces charged with the takeover in Suiyuan, Chahar, and Jehol. On 15 August he arrived at Paotow and received the surrender of the Japanese forces in that sector. He reached Tatung with his forces at the end of August, and he flew to Peiping on 8 September. He thus became the first Nationalist to reach the old capital after the Japanese surrender. At the end of September, he was designated to receive the Japanese surrender in Jehol. He flew to Changchun on 12 October to participate in discussions regarding the takeover of Manchuria.

In all of his postwar actions, Sun Lan-feng was associated with Fu Tso-yi, and when Fu negotiated an agreement and surrendered to the Chinese Communists at Peiping in January 1949, Sun followed his commander into Communist service. Sun was a specially invited delegate to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in September 1949, and he became a member of the Suiyuan Military and Administrative Committee. He was elected vice chairman of the Suiyuan People's Government upon its establishment. From March to June 1954 he served on the committee charged with the organization of a government for the projected Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region (IMAR). In June 1954, with the establishment of the IMAR regime, he relinquished his posts to become vice chairman of the IMAR People's Government.