Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Ching Yao-yueh

Mr. Ching Yao-yueh

景耀月字太昭

Mr. Ching Yao-yueh was born at Jui Ch'eng Hsien, Shansi Province, in 1883. He early became a well-known scholar although he was only a Fukung-sheng, or Senior Licentiate qualified to take the Metropolitan Competitive Examinations. In 1904 he was admitted to Shansi University as the holder of a government scholarship. Later he was sent with government support to study in Japan. He studied Political Science and Law at the Tokyo Imperial University where he was graduated in 1910 with the degree of LL.B. While in Japan, Mr. Ching joined the Tungming-hui, the Revolutionary Party headed by Sun Yat-sen and the late Huang Hsing. Among the Tungminghui members, he was noted as a powerful propagandist. He edited a number of influential political papers immediately before and after the Revolution among which were the Kuo Pao of Tokyo, the Ming Hu Pao and the Ming Lieh Pao of Shanghai, the Ming Chih Pao and the Ta Kuo Ming Jih Pao of Peking, etc. After his return to China, he was for a time Professor of History to the Hsin Kung Hsueh in Shanghai and president of the Liangkiang Law University in Nanking. In the capacity of an executive member of the political section of the Tung Ming Hui, Mr. Ching played an active part in the Revolution. After the outbreak in October 1911, Mr. Ching represented the Shansi Military government at the Nanking provisional government. He was subsequently elected president of the Conference of the provincial representatives. He was also a member of the Nanking National Council; member of the Provisional Constitution Drafting Committee; and chairman of the Provisional Constitution Commission. In January 1912, the first day of the Chinese Republic, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, who was elected provisional president according to that constitution, assumed office and Mr. Ching was appointed Vice-Minister of Education and also acting Minister of Education. In March 1912 the unification of the country was effected through Sun Yat-sen's resignation in favor of Yuan Shih-kai who was elected the provisional president by the national council according to the constitution. In May 1912 Mr. Ching went to Peking and accepted the position of High Political Advisor to the president. Subsequently Mr. Ching was elected a member of the First Parliament which assembled in Peking in April 1913. In August 1917 after the death of Yuan Shih-kai, Mr. Chirg' returned to the Parliament again when it was reconvoked by Li Yuan-hung. In June 1917 when the Parliament was again dissolved and Chang Hsun attempted to restore the Ching regime, Mr. Ching returned to Shansi and assumed the Commandership of troops opposing the monarchical restoration. In June 1919 Mr. Ching received the Second Order of Chiaho ard ir January 1920, the Third Order of Wenfu. In February 1920 he was appointed Councillor of the government Bureau of Economic Information. In February 1921 he was awarded the Second Order of Tashou Chiaho. In August 1922, when the old Parliament was reconvened in Peking by President Li Yuan-burg, Mr. Ching resigned from the Bureau of Economic Information to become a member of the House of Representatives again. In October 1922, he received the Second Order of Paokuang Chiaho; in November 1922, the First Order of Wenfu; and in January 1923, the Second Order of Tashou Paokuang Chiaho. In April 1924 Mr. Ching was appoinnted Director of the Bureau for the Preparation of New Parliamentary Electric which position he is still holding. Mr. Chang is the author of many standard works in literature and poetry, among which are "History of Chinese Pedagogy," "History of Chinese Metaphysics,” “Birth of the Chinese Republic," "The Political History of the Republic,” “A Treatise on China's Land System,” “Gems of Chinese Poetry" in thirty volumes, "The Collection of Works of the Poets of Ching Dynasty” in 120 volumes, “The Works of Mr. Ching Yao-yueh” in 65 volumes, and “The Essays of Ching Yao-yueh” in 3 volumes.