General Sung Hsiao-lien
宋小漲字友梅
General Sung Hsiao-lien was born at Kirin, Kirin province, in 1864. After having studied in the regular Confucian schools, he joined the government service. Under the Ching Regime he held successively the following positions: a court secretary at Heilungkiang province; director of the Foreign Affairs Bureau connected with the Harbin Railway; Taotai of Hailar, Brigadier General at Hurunpir, Heilungkiang; Deputy Commissioner of Civil Administration of Heilungkiang from March 1911; Commissioner, from December 1911; and Governor of the province during the First Revolution. In March 1912, the Peking government appointed General Sung the Tutu or Military Governor of Heilungkiang. In August 1913 h3 resigned on account of opposition from the Russians. In May 1914 he was appointed by Yuan Shih-kai as a member of the State Council.
