Biography in English

Hsü Ch'ung-chih (26 October 1887-25 January 1965), as chief aide to Ch'en Chiung-ming, helped to build Sun Yat-sen's military establishment, becoming commander in chief of Sun's Kwangtung forces in 1923. He reached the peak of his career in 1925, when he served briefly as minister of war and governor of Kwangtung. After 1945, he made his home in Hong Kong.

A native of P'anyü, Kwangtung, Hsü Ch'ungchih was born in Canton. Little is known about his parents. His paternal grandfather, Hsü Ying-k'uei, an anti-reform leader who was particularly critical of the views of K'ang Yu-wei (q.v.), served as governor general of Fukien- Chekiang from 1898 until 1903.

Hsü Ch'ung-chih received a classical education at Canton and then went to Japan, where he enrolled at the Shikan Gakko. He was graduated as a member of the second class. After returning to China in 1907, he became a staff' officer of the 10th Brigade of the New Army at Foochow and chief instructor at the Fukien Provincial Military School. He later was given command of the 20th Brigade of the Fukien forces.

After the Wuchang jevolt of October 1911, Hsü Ch'ung-chih led the Foochow movement to declare the independence of Fukien from the Manchus and became commander in chief of the Fukien revolutionary forces. Sun Tao-jen, the divisional commander in Fukien, was elected governor of the province. Early in 1912 Hsü led an army northward from Fukien. By the time he reached Shanghai the emperor had abdicated and the republic had been established. He then led his army back to Fukien, where it was reorganized as the 14th Division. He joined the Kuomintang when it was established in 1912.

In 1913 the republican revolutionaries launched the so-called second revolution against Yuan Shih-k'ai. The provinces then under Kuomintang governors, led by Li Lieh-chün (q.v.) in Kiangsi, declared their independence. Hsü Ch'ung-chih tried to persuade Sun Tao-jen to join the revolutionary side in July. Howev'er, the second revolution was suppressed within a few weeks, and Hsü was forced to flee to Japan.

In 1914 Sun Yat-sen reorganized the Kuomintang as the Chung-hua ko-ming-tang and required its members to take an oath of personal allegiance to him. Some of Sun's close associates, notably Huang Hsing (q.v.), opposed the reorganization because of this requirement. Hsü Ch'ung-chih, however, was among Sun's most ardent supporters; and when the Chunghua ko-ming-tang was formally established in Tokyo on 8 July 1914, he was named to head the military affairs department, with Teng K'eng (q.v.) as his deputy.

In March 1915 Hsü Ch'ung-chih was sent to Malaya by Sun Yat-sen to promote the cause of party unity and to counter the anti-Sun efforts of Ch'en Chiung-ming (q.v.). Hsü's trip apparently was successful, and he returned to Tokyo in June to report to Sun. Almost immediately, he was sent to Malaya again to raise funds for the anti-Yuan Shih-k'ai campaign.

After Yuan Shih-k'ai's monarchical aspirations became known in 1915, many of the revolutionary leaders in Japan returned to China to direct anti-Yuan forces in their native provinces. Ch'en Chiung-ming, Hsü Ch'ungchih, and others returned to Kwangtung. The struggle ended with Yuan Shih-k'ai's death in June 1916.

In 1917 Sun Yat-sen launched the so-called constitution protection movement. A rump parliament met at Canton in August 1917 and formed a military government, headed by Sun Yat-sen. Hsü Ch'ung-chih became adjutant general at Sun's headquarters. Because of the military strength of the Kwangsi generals, led by Lu Jung-t'ing (q.v.). Sun Yat-sen decided to build a military establishment of his own. ^Vith the help of Chu Ch'ing-lan, the Kwangtung civil governor, he organized an army. Ch'en Chiung-ming was named commander in chief, and Hsü Ch'ung-chih was appointed his chief aide. To avoid open conflict with the Kwangsi leaders. Sun sent the newly organized army into Fukien in December 1917. Ch'en Chiung-ming and Hsü Ch'ung-chih established a base at Changchow and undertook a military training program. In September 1918 the Kwangtung forces were divided into two armies, with Ch'en Chiung-ming as over-all commander in chief and commander of the First Army and Hsü Ch'ung-chih as commander of the Second Army.

In August 1920 Sun Yat-sen, who had retired to Shanghai, ordered Ch'en Chiung-ming and Hsü Ch'ung-chih to return to Kwangtung and attempt to dislodge the Kwangsi warlords entrenched at Canton. The campaign was successful, and Sun Yat-sen returned to Canton. In 1921 the rump parliament elected Sun president extraordinary, and he assumed office on 5 May. On Sun's orders, Hsü Ch'ung-chih marched his Second Army into Kwangsi and eventually captured Kweilin. Sun himself established his field headquarters at Kweilin and made plans to launch a northern expedition through Hunan.

Early in 1922 Sun changed his plans and decided to march northward by way of Kiangsi. He moved his field headquarters to Shaokuan in northern Kwangtung and ordered Hsü Ch'ung-chih to lead the Second Army into Kiangsi. Ch'en Chiung-ming, who opposed Sun Yat-sen's northern expedition plans, was becoming restive, and on 16 June 1922 Ch'en's troops openly revolted and attacked Sun's presidential headquarters at Canton. Sun himself managed to escape to the gunboat Yung-feng. Hsü Ch'ung-chih's Second Army and other units which had entered Kiangsi were ordered to Canton to counter Ch'en Chiungming's move, but Ch'en defeated these forces in northern Kwangtung in August. Hsü then moved his army into Fukien. Sun Yat-sen retired to Shanghai and issued an order naming Hsü commander in chief of the East Route Anti-Rebel Army, with Chiang Kai-shek as chief of staff. Hsü then expanded his forces into three armies, with Huang Ta-wei commanding the First Army, himself commanding the Second Army, and Li Fu-lin commanding the Third Army.

In December 1922 Sun Yat-sen won the support of the Yunnan army commanded by Liu Hsi-min, and the Kwangsi army commanded by Liu Chen-huan. In February 1923 Sun ordered Hsü Ch'ung-chih to take his forces back to Kwangtung, and Hsü occupied the Swatow area. The Yunnan and Kwangsi armies were approaching Canton, and many units of the Kwangtung forces rose in support of these armies and ousted Ch'en Chiung-ming from Canton. However, Ch'en still held control of the East River area, between Canton and Swatow, with headquarters at Huichou (VVaichow). At this time. Sun Yat-sen appointed Hsü Ch'ung-chih commander in chief of all the Kwangtung forces, the post previously held by Ch'en Chiung-ming.

Sun Yat-sen returned to Canton, resumed control of the southern government, and proceeded with plans for the reorganization of the Kuomintang. At the First National Congress of the Kuomintang, held in January 1924, Hsü Ch'ung-chih was elected to the Central Supervisory Committee, which then was composed of only fiv'e full members and five alternates. He was appointed director of the military affairs department of the Kuomintang headquarters. He also served Sun's government as acting minister of war in the absence of Ch'eng Ch'ien (q.v.), who had been sent to his native Hunan province to raise an army.

Late in 1924 Sun Yat-sen went to Peking to discuss major national issues with the northern authorities, leaving Hu Han-min fq.v.) with full authority at Canton. After Sun's death at Peking in March 1925, the most pressing problem at Canton was the threat of open revolt of the Yunnan and Kwangsi armies of Yang Hsi-min and Liu Chen-huan. Hu Hanmin handled the issue with decisive firmness. After consultation with Hsü Ch'ung-chih and Chiang Kai-shek, then commandant of the Whampoa Military Academy and garrison commander, Hu determined to use force against the unruly troops. In May, Hsü's army, aided by the Whampoa cadets, suppressed the revolt in two weeks.

Hsü Ch'ung-chih reached the peak of his public career in the summer of 1925. When the National Government was inaugurated at Canton on 1 July 1925, he was elected to the sixteen-man Government Council and to its five-man standing committee, which also included Hu Han-min, Liao Chung-k'ai, T'an Yen-k'ai, and Wang Ching-wei. He was named minister of war and a member of the military council, of which Chiang Kai-shek was the senior member. He also was appointed chairman of the reorganized Kwangtung provincial council, or governor. In August 1925 a new crisis arose at Canton with the assassination of Liao Chung-k'ai. At first, the only prominent official involved was Hu Han-min, whose cousin was suspected as a principal figure in plotting the murder. As time passed, however, more suspects were arrested, including ranking officers of the Kwangtung armies. As senior commander of these forces, Hsü Ch'ung-chih could not be completely absolved from blame. On 20 September 1925 he was relieved of all his posts. That very night, Chiang Kai-shek sent Ch'en Ming-shu (q.v.) to escort Hsü on board a steamer bound for Shanghai.

In November 1925 a group of veteran Kuomintang leaders who held anti-Communist views convened a meeting, later known as the Western Hills conference, at Peking. Although Hsü Ch'ung-chih was not present at that meeting, he participated in the group's activities in Shanghai when the Western Hills leaders mov'ed their headquarters there and convened a second congress of the Kuomintang. Subsequently, when the Kuomintang authorities at Nanking and Wuhan expelled the Communists, the dissident factions of the party were reunited temporarily, with Hsü representing the Western Hills group. He then left on a mission for Europe and the United States to "inspect party affairs." After returning to China, he lived in Shanghai. On 12 December 1929 the Nanking authorities ordered the arrest of Hsü and such other Western Hills leaders as Chü Cheng, Hsieh Ch'ih, and Tsou Lu (qq.v.). The reasons for the" order were never clarified, but it was generally assumed in China that these men were regarded as having been responsible for encouraging the revolts staged by various Kuomintang factions against the central authority at Nanking during 1928 and 1929. Of those named, Chü Cheng was the only one to be arrested and imprisoned.

In 1931, when a secessionist government was formed at Canton after Chiang Kai-shek had Hu Han-min arrested, Hsü Ch'ung-chih joined the southern coalition. However, the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in September brought an end to the secessionist movement. At the Fourth National Congress of the Kuomintang, held to end internal feuding, Hsü was elected to the Central Supervisory Committee and was appointed vice president of the Control Yuan. His positions were confirmed at the Fifth National Congress of the Kuomintang, held at Nanking in November 1935. However, he continued to reside in Shanghai and took no active part in either party or government affairs.

After the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese war in 1937 and the organization of the Japanesesponsored puppet regime under Wang Chingwei (q.v.) at Nanking in 1940, Hsü left Shanghai for Hong Kong and then proceeded to Chungking. Tu Yueh-sheng (q.v.) helped effect a reconciliation between Hsü Ch'ung-chih and Chiang Kai-shek. Hsü remained in Chungking throughout the war years. He was reelected to the Central Supervisory Committee of the Kuomintang at the Sixth National Congress, held in May 1945.

After the Japanese defeat in 1945, Hsü Ch'ung-chih made his home in Hong Kong. Former Cantonese military officers who were residing in the colony addressed the elderly gentleman as lao-tsung [the chief] when they met. Hsü enjoyed good health and played niahjongg for relaxation vmtil a few days before his death. He died on 25 January 1965, at the age of 78 sui. He was survived by six sons, five of whom were in Hong Kong at the time of his death, and by six daughters, all married.

Biography in Chinese

许崇智
字:汝为
许崇智(1887.10.26—1965.1.25),陈炯明的主要助手,协助孙逸仙在广东建军,是孙逸仙1923年广东军队的总司令。他在1925年达到他政治上的最高峰,任州军政府军事部长,广东省长。1945年后,居住在香港。
许崇智原籍广东番禺,生在广州。他父母的情况不详。他的祖父许应骙是个顽固派,反对康有为的维新思想,1893—1903年任闽浙总督。
许崇智在广州受旧式教育后,去日本进士官学校,毕业于第二期。1907年回国,任福州新军第十协参谋,福建省军事学堂总教官,后升为闽军第二十协协统。
武昌起义后,许崇智领导福州革命运动宣布福建独立,任福建革命军司令,原统制孙道仁任督军。1912年初,率领一军由福建北上,到上海时,得悉清室退位,民国成立,乃率部回福建,改编为第十四师。1912年国民党成立,他就参加了。
1913年,民国革命派进行了反袁的二次革命。国民党系各都督所控制的各省在李烈钧带头下宣布独立。7月,许崇智劝闽督孙道仁响应革命军,但二次革命经数周即被扑灭,许崇智逃到日本。
1914年,孙逸仙改组国民党为中华革命党,要求党员宣誓对他效忠。孙逸仙的一些亲信,尤其是黄兴等人,由于不同意此项要求,反对国民党改组。但许崇智是孙的热烈支持者,当1914年7月8日在东京成立中华革命党时,许任军事部长,邓铿为副部长。
1915年3月,孙逸仙派许崇智去南洋推动国民党的团结,并对抗陈炯明的反孙活动。许崇智之行显然取得了些成功,6月他回到东京向孙逸仙汇报。接着,他又去马来亚为反袁运动筹款。
1915年,袁世凯称帝的野心已公开暴露,不少在日本的革命首领返国,各回本省领导反袁活动。陈炯明、许崇智等人回广东。反袁斗争以1916年6月袁世凯死去而告结束。
1917年,孙逸仙开展了所谓护法运动。1917年8月,残缺不全的国会在广州开会,成立以孙逸仙为首的军政府。许崇智任孙逸仙大本营副官长。鉴于以陆荣廷为首的桂军势力,孙逸仙决定建立自己的军力,在广东省长朱庆澜的帮助下,他建立了一个军,以陈炯明为司令,许崇智是他的副手。为了避免与桂军发生公开冲突,1917年12月孙逸仙把新编部队调到福建。陈炯明、许崇智在漳州建立据点,进行训练。1918年9月,粤军分为两个军,陈炯明任总司令兼第一军军长,许崇智任第二军军长。
1920年8月,孙逸仙引退到上海,令陈炯明、许崇智回师广东,驱逐盘踞在广州的桂系军阀。此举获胜后,孙逸仙回到广州。1921年残存国会选孙逸仙为临时大总统,他于5月5日就职。许崇智奉孙逸仙之命,率第二军进广西攻占桂林,孙逸仙在桂林成立大本营,并计划通过湖南北上。
1922年初,孙逸仙改变计划,决定经江西北上,把大本营迁到韶关,令许崇智率第二军进江西。陈炯明反对孙逸仙的北伐计划,不听调动,1922年6月16日,陈炯明公开反叛,袭击孙逸仙的广州总统府。孙逸仙避往永丰军舰。已进入江西的许崇智第二军及其部队受命回师反击陈炯明,但在8月为陈炯明击败于粵东。许崇智于是率军进福建。孙逸仙引退去上海,下令任许崇智为东路讨贼军总司令,蒋介石为参谋长。许崇智扩建为三个军,以黄大伟为第一军军长,自任第二军军长,李福林率领第三军。
1922年12月,孙逸仙得到滇军杨希闵和桂军刘震寰的帮助。1923年2月,孙逸仙下令许崇智回师广东,攻占汕头地区,滇、桂军逼近广州,粤军许多部队起而响应,把陈炯明逐出了广州,但仍占有广州与汕头之间的东江地区,在惠州设立司令部。此时,孙逸仙任许崇智代陈炯明为粤军总司令。
孙逸仙回广州,重掌南方政府权力,并计划改组国民党,1924年1月,国民党召开第一次全国代表木会,许崇智被选为中央监察委员,那时只有五名正式委员,五名候补委员。许崇智并任国民党总部军事部长。他还在孙逸仙的政府中任职,当程潜被派往湖南家乡筹建军队时,他代理陆军总长。
1924年底,孙逸仙去北京与北方当局商讨国内重大问题,把广州事务全权委托给胡汉民。1925年3月,孙逸仙在北京逝世。当时广州最紧迫的问题是受到杨希闵的滇军和刘震寰的桂军公开反叛的威胁。胡汉民当机立断,他和许崇智及黄埔军校校长、兼广州警备司令蒋介石商量后,决定用武力对付乱军。5月,许崇智军、又有黄埔军校学员的帮助,两周内就扑灭了叛乱。
1925年夏,许崇智在他的政治生涯中达到了顶峰。1925年7月1日,国民政府在广州成立,许崇智被选入十六人的政府委员会和五人的常务委员会,其他四名常务委员是胡汉民、廖仲恺、谭延闿、汪精卫。许崇智又任军政部长及以蒋介石为首的军事委员会委员,又是广东省政府主席。
1925年8月,廖仲恺被暗杀后,广州又出现了新的危机。首先,主要人物胡汉民就被牵涉了进去,他的堂兄弟被疑是暗杀案的主谋者。接着,逮捕了更多的嫌疑犯,其中还有一些粤军的高级军官。作为部队的最高司令官,许崇智自然未能开脱责任。1925年9月20日,蒋介石派陈铭枢乘轮护送许崇智到上海。
1925年11月,一批持有反共观点的国民党老党员在北京西山开会。许崇智当时并未出席,但当西山会议的首脑将其活动中心移到上海后,许崇智也参加了他们的活动,他们在上海召开了国民党第二次大会。随后,宁、汉国民党一起反共,国民党分裂的各派又暂时统一起来。许崇智是代表西山会议派的。以后,他受命去欧美“考察党务”,回国后,住在上海。1929年12月12日,南京当局下令通缉许崇智及其他西山会议派首领,如居正、谢持、邹鲁等人。通缉的原因未说明,但国内人士一般都认为这些人物是国民党内部的各派,在1928—1929年间,反对南京中央当局的活动中负有责任。这些人物中,只有居正遭到逮捕而被监禁。
1931年蒋介石逮捕胡汉民后,一个分裂政府在广州成立,许崇智参加了南方联盟。9月,日本侵入东北使这个分裂活动告终。国民党第四次全国代表大会结束了内部纷争,许崇智选入中央监察委员会,任监察院副院长。他的这一地位在1935年11月南京国民党第五次代表大会中得到确认。不过他仍住在上海,未参加党政重要活动。
1937年中日战争发生后,1940年在南京成立汪伪政府。许崇智离上海去香港前往重庆,杜月笙在许崇智、蒋介石之间作了调解。战争期间,他一直住在重庆,1945年5月,国民党第六次全国代表大会中,又选入中央监委会。
1945年日本战败后,许崇智定居香港,在香港的前广东军人在见面时称他为“老总”。直到他临死前几天,许崇智身体一直很好,常常打麻将消遣。他死于1965年1月25日,年七十八岁。他有六个儿子,他临死时,五个儿子都在香港。许还有女儿六人,都已成婚。

 

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