Chang Ch'ün (1899-), prominent member of the Kuomintang, was a close friend of Chiang Kai-shek and of Huang Fu (q.v.). As minister of foreign affairs in 1935-37, he played an important role in China's relations with Japan. He served as secretary general of the Supreme National Defense Council (1938-42) and as wartime governor of Szechwan […]

Chang Kuo-t'ao (1897-), one of the founders of the Chinese Communist movement, was an influential leader of the Chinese Communist party until 1938, when he defected to the National Government after coming into conflict with Mao Tse-tung. In the 1920's, Chang headed the China Trade Union Secretariat. In the early 1930's, he was one of […]

Chang En-p'u (3 October 1894-), the 63rd T'ien-shih (Celestial Master) of the Taoist church. The 63rd hereditary T'ien-shih (Celestial Master) was born in the family residence near Lung-hu-shan [dragon and tiger mountain] in Kiangsi. The previous masters of the Chang family, often vulgarly referred to by foreigners as the popes of Taoism, formed a line […]

Chang Ping-lin 章炳麟 Orig. Chang Hsueh-ch'eng 章學乘 Chang Chiang 章絳 T. Mei-shu 枚叔 H. T'ai-yen 太炎 Tao-han 菿漢 Chang Ping-lin (25 December 1868-14 June 1936), scholar and anti-Manchu revolutionary, was an editor of the noted newspaper Su-pao and of the T'ung-meng-hui's Min-pao [people's journal] and a leader of the Kuang-fu-hui [restoration society]. A prominent classical […]

Yü Han-mou (1891-), Kwangtung Army commander and subordinate of Ch'en Chi-t'ang (q.v.) whose defection to the National Government in 1936 contributed to the avoidance of civil war between Canton and Nanking. In 1948 he served briefly as commander in chief of the Chinese land forces. Little is known about Yü Han-mou's family background or early […]

Yeh Kung-cho (1881-), government official who specialized in railway administration. He was a protege of Liang Shih-i (q.v.) and a prominent member of the so-called communications clique. In 1921 he founded Chiao-t'ung University, which became one of China's leading engineering schools. A native of Panyü, Kwangtung, Yeh Kungcho was born into a well-to-do family with […]

Yang Yu-t'ing (1885-10 January 1929), Manchurian military officer who served as chief of staff under Chang Tso-lin (q.v.) and who later was executed by Chang's son Chang Hsuehliang (q.v.). The Fak'u district of Fengtien (Liaoning) was the birthplace of Yang Yü-t'ing. Little is known of his family background or early years except that he decided […]

Yang Sen (c.1887-), Szechwanese military and political leader who served as commander in chief of the Twenty-seventh Group Army and deputy commander of the Ninth War Area in 1938-44. He was governor of Kweichow in 1945-47 and mayor of Chungking in 1948-49. A native of Kuangan, Szechwan, Yang Sen was born into a scholarly family […]

Yang Hu-ch'eng (1883-September 1949), governor (1931) and pacification commissioner (1932-36) of Shensi. He joined with Chang Hsueh-liang in precipitating the Sian Incident of December 1936. Yang was arrested in 1937, imprisoned for 11 years, and murdered in 1949. Little is known about Yang Hu-ch'eng's family background or early life except that he was born in […]

Yen Hsi-shan 閻錫山 T. Pai-ch'uan 百川 Yen Hsi-shan (1883- 24 May 1960), Shansi warlord and one of the outstanding political strategists of the republican period. In 1930 he joined with Feng Yü-hsiang (q.v.) in an unsuccessful northern coalition against Chiang Kai-shek. During the Sino-Japanese war, he served as commander in chief of the Second War […]