Mr. Ch'ien Ch'ung-kai was born at Ch'ing Hsien, Chihli Province, in 1981. He attended the Tientsin Naval College for a few years and later entered the Peiyang University from which school he was graduated with distinction in English and mathematics. After graduation, he went to Manchuria and rendered service in educational work for a few years at Mukden, Hsinming, Liaoyang, and other places outside Shanhaikuan. Later he came to Peking where he became a teacher of several schools, such as the Translation School, the High Industrial College, the Middle Military School, etc. Upon the outbreak of the Revolution in October 1911, Mr. Ch'ien and some of his friends who were in sympathy with the Revolution formed an organization in North China and played a part in the work of overthrowing the Manchu House. He served as Chief Staff Officer of the organization which served as head office for northern troops. In 1912, the year the Republic was founded, he was elected a member of the provisional provincial assembly of Chihli. In April 1913, the first Parliament was convoked in Peking and Mr. Ch’ien served as a Chihli member of the Lower House. After the dissolution of the parliament by Yuan Shih-kai in. January 1914, he joined the Salt Administration, first as Chief of the audit section of the Hotung District of the Salt Inspectorate, then as Chief of the Collection Section of the Fengtien district, and again as chief of the Kuangning Salt Revenue Bureau. Parliament was for the second time convoked in August 1916, after the death of Yuan Shih-kai, and Mr. Ch'ien remained a member until its second dissolution on June 13, 1917. Subsequently he went to Canton where on August 27, 1917, the Extraordinary Parliament was convoked for the purpose of upholding the Provisional Constitution against the Northern military rule. In April 1922, Mr. Ch’ien's name appeared again in the Peking Government Gazette when he was appointed director of the Government Salt Bureau. On President Li Yuan-hung's reassumption of office in June 1922, he reconvoked the parliament which he had dissolved in June 1917, and it reassembled in Peking on August 1, 1922. Mr. Ch’ien, a member of the House of Representatives, was subsequently elected chairman of the Budget Committee of the House. In December 1922, Mr. Ch'ien was awarded the Second Order of Tashou Chiaho; in January 1923, the Second Order of Wenfu; and in March 1923, the Second Order of Tashou Packuang Chiaho. In June 1923 President Li Yuan-hung was again ousted and a number of parliamentarians deserted Peking as a protest against the coup d'etat. Mr. Ch'ien considered it illegal to deprive the Parliament of a quorum by staying away and he therefore, remained in Peking and succeeded in inducing the deserting members to return in order that the Constitution could be completed and a new President could be elected.
