Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Ch'i Hsieh-yuan

General Ch'i Hsieh-yuan

齊幾元字幾萬

General Ch'i Hsieh-yuan was born at Ningho Hsien, Chihli Province, in 1879. He received his Chinese education from regular Confucian schools and was a Licentiate (B. A.). Afterwards he enrolled in the Peiyang Military Academy and graduated with honors in 1906 from the Artillery Department of that institution. Later he enrolled at the Lu Chun (Army) University, remained there about one year, and graduated. After graduation General Ch'i was appointed Second Officer of the 23rd Regiment and later promoted to be First Deputy Commander of the Second Division of the later Imperial Army. Later he was promoted to be Second Staff-Officer of the First Division and then First Staff-Officer. Still later he became Staff Officer to the Commander-in-Chief of the Southern Honan Army. In 1909 General Ch'i was appointed Chief Staff-Officer to the following military units: The 6th Division of the Imperial Army; Left Headquarters of the First Army; Defence Commissioner of West Yangtze; and Office of Governor of Kiangsi. In 1910 General Ch'i resigned from the position of Chief Staff-Officer and became Commander of the Fifth Reserve Brigade of the 6th Division and concurrently Commander of the 11th and the 12th Infantry Brigades of the same Division. In 1912 General Ch'i was appointed a Field Commander and was awarded the Fourth Order of Merit. He was in command of the 12th Brigade of the 6th Division until December 1917 when he was promoted to be Commander-in-Chief of the 6th Division and Occupation Commissioner of Nanking. In November 1918 General Ch'i was conferred the Second Order of Tashou Chiaho and in August 1919 the Second Order of Tashou Paokuang Chiaho. In May 1920, General Ch'i was ordered to assist in the superintending of military affairs of Kiangsu. At that time the late General Li Ch'un was Tuchun, of Kiangsu. On October 2, 1920 Li Ch'un was appointed High Inspecting Commissioner of Kiangsu, Anhui and Kiangsi, and General Ch'i the Assistant Commissioner. On October 8th General Ch'i was given the brevet rank of Full General, and on the 10th the Third Order of Merit. The sudden death of General Li Ch'un occurred on October 12th and General Ch'i was ordered on the 15th to act for Tuchun of Kiangsu. In December 1920 he was appointed Acting Tuchun and in September 1921 Tuchun of Kiangsu. In July 1922 General Ch'i was made a Chiangchun with the honorable title of the two words Ning Wu. In August he was given the concurrent post of director-general of the Pukow Port Construction Board. In October he was made a Full General. In June 1923, General Ch'i was conferred the First Order of Tashou Paokuang Chiaho. In November 1923 he was appointed High Inspecting Commissioner of Kiangsu, Anhui and Kiangsi. He was also made a Shan Chiang Chun or Field Marshal with the special title "Ning Wu." In March 1924 General Ch'i was relieved of the concurrent post of Director-General of the Pukow Construction Board. But in April he was appointed director-general of the Huai River Conservancy Board. He served as High Inspecting Commissioner of Kiangsu-Anhui-Kiangsi and Tuchun of Kiangsu until September 1924, following the outbreak of war between Chekiang and Kiangsu provinces. Marshal Chi was made Corrmander of the Chihli armies in attempt to subjugate Chekiang province. In October 1924 Marshal Chi in association with Marshal Sun Chuan-fang of Chekiang and Fukien provinces, was successful in defeating Marshal Lu Yung-hsiang of Chekiang. The victory, however, was shortlived, owing to the defeat of the Chihli party in the North and in the elimination of Marshal Wu Pei-fu as a military factor in North China. When the Provisional government under Marshal Tuan Chijui, was established in Peking, Marshal Chi was deprived of his office by official Mandate. “Then the Provisional government despatched General Chang Chung-chang with a Fengtien force to Nanking, Marshal Chi gave up his post at Nanking and proceeded to Shanghai where he organized a new rebellion against the Peking Government. His forces, however, were defeated in the vicinity of Chinkiang, chiefly the cause of the use of Russian conscript soldiers in the Fengtien army. Following the defeat of his armies, Marshal Chi went to Japan where he is now residing.