Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Li Kuo-chieh

Marquis W. H. Li

李國杰字偉候

(Li Kuo-chich)

Marquis W. H. Li, the eldest grandson of the celebrated statesman and soldier, Li Hung-chang, was born at He-Tei Hsien, Anhui, in 1881. He showed unusual public spirit, even when in childhood. In 1901 when his grandfather died, he took on the title of Marquis from the Ta Ching Dynasty out of respect to the late Prime Minister and was given the post of Assistant Chamberlain, commanding the Palace Guard. Later, where he established many workshops for the Manchu soldiers and apportioned lands for reclamation work in order to enable them to make their own livelihood without always depending upon the allowance given them by the government. Before completing his work, he was transferred, after serving for more than a year, to Peking to become the senior councillor of the Board of Agriculture, Works and Commerce. In this capacity, the Marquis drafted a set of regulations for the promotion of the mining industry as well as a memorandum planning for the establishment of a constitutional governnment. The memorandum calls for the promulgation of administrative rules governing schools in order to develop a type of students fitted for public service, of a system of army organization in order to unify the military defense of the nation, of police regulations for the protection of the communities and for a reliable census and of a press law in order to assist the work of the newspapers. His suggestions failed to go through the proper channels. When the baby emperor, Hsuan Tung, ascended the throne, the tottering government was unable to adopt any constructive measure while wily mandarins did everything to realise their own ambition. Tuan Fang, the Viceroy at Nanking, being suspicious of the marquis, memorialised the throne with several alleged charges against him but the latter's straightforwardness and honesty was never shaken. In the following year 1910, Marquis Li was sent ta Belgium as the Chinese Ambassador to Brussels where he gained much popularity for the picturesque way in which he moved about and (the rigid order he had given to his embassy to use everything Chinese. Mr. Li's collection of Chinese articles and decorations still stand in the Chinese Leg'ation in Brussels today and form the center of attraction of Belgians who visit their capital. During the revolution of 1911, the financial allowance for students abroad was practically all discontinued. But those in Belgium enjoyed the usual monetary aid, because Marquis Li had advanced out of his own pocket sums amounting to over $100,000 to relieve the stringency. The students in England, Germany, France and Austria were practically penniless and created much unpleasantness with the several legations. But the Brussels Legation was exempt from this trouble, thanks to the effort of the Marquis. Many of these students in Belgium have now returned and are holding high offices in the government. In December 1912 Mr. Wang Kuang-chi was appointed to succeed Marquis Li as Minister to Belgium. In 1913 he returned to China. In May 1914 he was appointed by President Yuan Shih-kai a Member of the Advis3ry Council which was abolished in June 1916 after the death of the founders. Ever since that time he has bean living in retirement in Shanghai. However, he still takes an intensive interest in the China Merchants' Steam Naivgation Co., which was established by his grandfather and of which he is now the chairman of the board of directors. Marquis Li is connected with a large number of big industrial enterprises.