Wang Tsao-shih (1903-), a leader of" the National Salvation Association who gained national prominence as one of the Ch'i-chuntzu [seven gentlemen] arrested by the National Government in November 1936 for advocating formation of a united front with the Chinese Communists against the Japanese.

Little is known about Wang Tsao-shih's family background or early years except that he was born in Anfu hsien, Kiangsi. He was a student at Tsinghua College at the time of the May Fourth Movement of 1919, and he became a student leader. After the May Thirtieth Incident at Shanghai in 1925, when British police fired on Chinese, he was sent by Peking students to Shanghai to support the ensuing strikes and demonstrations. During his student days at Tsinghua he was known for his oratory, and at one time he reportedly served as chairman of the student government. Upon graduation, he went to the United States and enrolled at the University of Wisconsin. He obtained a Ph.D. in political science, did some work at the University of Chicago, and became a research fellow at the University of London. Wang Tsao-shih returned to China about 1930 and began teaching at Kuang-hua University, later becoming dean of its school of arts. He became an advocate of constitutional government for China about the time that the Japanese attacked Mukden in September 1931, and he began publishing articles on government and politics in Shanghai newspapers. As Japanese encroachment on Chinese territory continued, he became increasingly outspoken, expressing his criticisms of the National Government's policy of non-resistance in such publications as the Tung-fang tsa-chih and the Hsin Chung-hua tsa-chih. As a result of these articles, he no longer was able to supplement his income by lecturing at institutions which were supported by the National Government. Accordingly, he opened a law practice in Shanghai. He retained his position at Kuang-hua University without difficulty, for it was a private institution. In 1935 Wang Tsao-shih helped organize the Shanghai Writers' Association and became a member of its standing committee. In January 1936 he helped Shen Chün-ju and Tsou T'aofen (qq.v.) establish the Cultural Workers' National Salvation Association. That May, the All-China Federation of National Salvation Associations (usually referred to as the National Salvation Association) was formed, and Wang became a member of its standing committee. The new organization issued a statement entitled "The First Political Principles in Resisting Japan and Saving the Nation." Two months later, Chang Nai-ch'i, T'ao Hsing-chih (qq.v.), Shen Chün-ju, and Tsou T'ao-fen published "A Number of Essential Conditions and Minimum Demands for a United Resistance to Invasion." These National Salvation Association leaders called for an end to civil strife with the Chinese Communists, the release of political prisoners, and the establishment of a united front against the Japanese. Because the Chinese Communists responded favorably to this proposal, some National Government officials came to believe that the National Salvation Association was working with the Chinese Communists.

Toward the end of 1936, strikes broke out in Japanese-owned factories in Shanghai. Although the leaders of the National Salvation Association did not instigate these strikes, they supported them by creating a relief committee to provide financial aid to the strikers. As a result, the National Government took action against the National Salvation Association. On 22 November 1936 Wang Tsao-shih was arrested at his home in Shanghai on charges of endangering the nation by weakening the people's confidence in the National Government and propagating ideas that were detrimental to the San-min chu-i. Also arrested were Shen Chün-ju, Tsou T'ao-fen, Chang Nai-ch'i, Li Kung-p'u, Sha Ch'ien-li, and Shih Liang. They became known collectively as the Ch'i-chün-tzu [seven gentlemen]. Not long after their arrest, the Sian Incident occurred. Among the demands put forth by Chang Hsueh-liang (q.v.) was the release of political prisoners, specifically the Gh'i-chün-tzu. Because of this demand, Wang and his fellow prisoners were suspected of having been associated with Chang in planning the Sian Incident.

The Ch'i-chun-tzu were held under surveillance at the Shanghai municipal police station and, after 4 December 1936, in the detention house of the higher court at Soochow. They did not come up for trial until April 1937. Wang passed the time by revising the manuscript of his book An Analysis of the China Problem, which had been scheduled to appear in 1935 but which had encountered censorship problems. He also worked on the manuscript of Huang-miao chi. Wang fully exhibited his knowledge and oratorical skill during the trial in April 1937. He accused the National Government spokesman of being ignorant of the principles of political power and modern government. The government, he argued, should be differentiated from the nation. Moreover, the government derived its power to rule from the people. In so arguing, Wang challenged the official indictment, which presupposed that to criticize the National Government was to endanger the Chinese nation. The Gh'ichün-tzu were released on bail without sentence on 31 July, after the Sino-Japanese war had begun. They immediately announced that "one is not wrong for wanting to save the country" and plunged vigorously into anti- Japanese activities. Wang Tsao-shih became a member of the People's Political Council at Wuhan in July 1938, and from 1938 to 1942 he was chief editor of the Ch'ien-hsien jih-pao in Kiangsi.

Information is lacking about Wang Tsaoshih's activities from 1942 to 1949. He was identified in 1949 as the publisher of the Freedom Press. After the People's Republic of China was established in 1949 he served on the cultural and education committee of the East China Military and Administrative Committee. During the 1957 anti-rightist campaign, Wang was accused of collaborating with Lo Lung-chi and Chang Po-chun (qq.v). It was reported that he had attacked the Central People's Government's judicial work, had attempted to control the Hsin-wen jih-pao, had "peddled democracy of the American brand," and had tried to revive the National Salvation Association in order to influence and control students and overseas Chinese. Wang then disappeared from public view.

Wang Tsao-shih was married to Chu T'oufang. They were known to have four children.