Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Hu Han-ming

Mr. Hu Han-ming

胡族民字漢民

Mr. Hu Han-ming was born at Fan-yu Hsien, Kuangtung Province, in 1886. His native home is at Shan-ying Hsien, Chekiang. He is one of the staunchest supporters of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. After having received preliminary education in Canton, General Hu proceeded to Japan to study. There he made the acquaintance of Dr. Sun, who had been in exile since 1897 with a heavy reward on his head offered by the Manchu House. In 1905 the famous revolutionary party called the Chungkuo Tung-ming-hui was organized in Japan with its headquarters at Tokyo. This party published a paper called Ming Pao. General Hu and Mr. Wang Chao-ming were editors. Sometime afterwards, the Ming Pao was closed down. General Hu and Mr. Wang went to Singapore where they published another revolutionary paper called Hsin Wen. Prior to the outbreak of the First Revolution in October 1911, Hu took a small party of revolutionists to Canton to get ready for action. Upon the declaration of independence of Kuang-tung Province following the Wuchang outbreak, October 10th 1911, General Chiang Tsen-kuei was elected Provisional Tutu of that Province. He did not hold this position very long and was finally relieved by General Hu. In January 1912 Dr. Sun Yat-sen was elected by the National Council in Nanking to be the Provisional President of the Republic. General Hu was appointed his Chief-secretary. He was succeeded by General Chen Chiung-ming as Tutu. On February 15, 1912, Dr. Sun tendered his resignation and the National Council elected Yuan Shih-kai the Provisional President. Dr. Sun returned to Canton and General Hu accompained him. The Acting Tutu, General Chen Chiung-ming, promptly resigned in Hu's favor. In July 1912 General Hu was appointed Tutu or Military Governor, of Kuangtung. He was previously elected to that post by the Kuangtung Provincial Assembly. This position he held until June 1913 when he was appointed Commissioner for the Pacification of Tibet. General Chen Chiung-ming was appointed to succeed him as Tutu of Kuangtung. The Second Revolution broke out in July 1913. The Peking government at once replaced General Ch'en Chiung-ming by General Lung Chikuang who had been hitherto the Deputy-Military Director of Kuangtung. In response to the revolutionary call which was entirely planned by the Kuo Ming Tang leaders, Hu supported by General Ch’en Chiung-ming, launched an attack on the Canton ity. They met with success at first but shortly afterwards their forces were overpowered, about the same time the main base in Kiangsi was clashed by Yuan Shih-kai's forces. Hu like other Kuo Ming Tang leaders had to take refuge in foreign countries most of them going to Japan. Since that time and before his return to Shanghai in the spring of 1916, he secretly travelled between Japan and the South Sea Islands laying down plans to overthrow Yuan Shih-kai. Upon becoming President in June 1916, to succeed Yuan Shih-kai, Li Yuan-hung withdrew all the orders issued by his predecessor depriving the Kuo Ming Tang leaders of their freedom, and they all returned to China. The dissolution for the second time of the First Parliament prior to Chang Hsun's monarchical attempt in June 1917 and the refusal of the northern leaders to reconvoke it after Chang Hsun's overthrow finally resulted in the opening of civil strife between the north and the south. In July 1917 the Parliament was convened at Canton, and elected Dr. Sun the Generalissimo. Hu was following Dr. Sun as his Councillor and also Secretary. In the following month the Extraordinary Parliament was convened at Canton, and elected Dr. Sun the Generalissimo. In May 1918 a Military government was established at Canton. Hu was appointed Chief Secretary of the Executive Council of the government. In the winter of 1919 Dr. Sun and his associates were ousted from power by the Kuangsi faction under General Lu Yuang-ting. Mr. Hu accompanied Dr. Sun to Shanghai where they remained in 1920. In December 1920 Dr. Sun Yatsen, the late Dr. Wu Ting-fang and Tang Shao-i, who had sought refuge at Shanghai, returned to Canton again and re-established the Constitutional government. In April 1921 Dr. Sun was elected President of the Southern government. Hu became Civil Governor of Kuangtung which position he held until June 1922 when Dr. Sun was expelled from Canton by Chen Chiung-ming and he returned to Shanghai again. In January 1923 General Shen Hung-yin employed by Marshal Wu Pei-fu launched an attack upon Kuangtung and General Ch'en Chiung-ming evacuated the city after a few skirmishes and retreated to Huichow. Meanwhile Dr. Sun sent a number of his followers to take up various posts in Canton after Ch'en Chiung-ming's expulsion. These functionaries were seized by the invaders and Hu Han-ming whom Dr. Sun had appointed Civil Governor narrowly escaped execution at the hands of the Kuangsi men. Dr. Sun regained his position at Canton in February 1923. Since then Mr. Hu has been given important positions in the southern government. In September 1924 Dr. Sun upon his leaving Canton to lead personally an expedition against the north appointed Hu Civil Governor of Kuangtung. On March 18, General Hu was appointed acting Generalissimo.