Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Liang Shih-i

Mr. Liang Shih-i

梁土語字燕孫

Mr. Liang Shih-i was born at San-shui Hsien, Kuangtung Province, in 1869. He became a Metropolitan Graduate in 1894 and was subsequently given the rank of ministerial senior secretary. In 1899 Mr. Liang was specially recommended to the Manchu Throne by Chang Chih-tung, then Viceroy of Hu-Kuang, to attend the examination for men of unusual talents. He passed it, coming out at the top of the list, thus gaining for himself a nation-wide reputation. In 1906 Mr. Liang was appointed Secretary to Tang Shao-i who was sent to India on a special government mission. In 1907, upon Tang's return to Peking, Mr. Liang became Chief of the Railway Department of the Board of Communications. Shortly afterwards he was ordered to hold concurrently the post of the Chief of the Postal Departments. The other important posts Mr. Liang held under the Ching regime were those of assistant director of the Bank of Communications, Proctor of the Bureau for the Preparation of Constitutional government, and Director General of the Imperial Railways. In July 1909 Mr. Liang was promoted to be Senior Councillor of the Board, but he did not resign from his other posts until February 1911. Following the outbreak of the First Revolution in October 1911, the Manchu government recalled Yuan Shih-kai from his retirement in Honan and appointed him Prime Minister. In this Cabinet Mr. Liang was the vice-president of the Board of Communications. In December 1911, he was made acting director of the Imperial Chinese Posts. In January 1912 he was ordered to act for the President of the Board until March 1912 when Tang Shao-i was appointed the first Prime Minister of the Republican government. Upon being elected President of the Republic in February 1912, Yuan Shih-kai appointed Mr. Liang Chief Secretary of the President's Office. From May to September in 1913, while still retaining his position of Chief Secretary, he was Acting Vice-Minister of Finance. As Vice-Minister he acted for the Minister twice. After the dissolution of the Parliament by Yuan Shih-kai in January 1914, the Council of State as a legislature was founded. In May 1914, when the Council was convoked, Mr. Liang was appointed a member of it. On the same day he was appointed Director General of Customs Administration. Subsequently he received another post as Director General of the Bureau of Taxes. All these positions he held until June 1916. Mr. Liang played an important part in the movement of Yuan Shih-kai in 1915 to make himself Emperor of China. The movement collapsed in June 1916. In July 1917 President Li Yuan-hung who had succeeded Yuan Shih-kai issued a mandate ordering the arrest of eight high officials including Mr. Liang who had figured prominently in the monarchical movement. Mr. Liang went to Hongkong and retired from public life. In the winter of 1917 Mr. Liang visited Japan where he stayed for some time and made connections with influential financiers and statesmen in that country for the industrial developments of China. In February 1918 he was pardoned by a Mandate. Soon after his return from Japan, he was invited to Peking. When Mr. Liang first came to Peking he was full of views of the South. As General Hsu Shu-tsen, Prime Minister Tuan's right hand man, was against the opening of peace negotiations with the south, Mr. Liang was obliged to remain silent. In the spring of 1918 the Anfu Club came into existence. Of this club Mr. Liang was one of the promoters. It was active during the election of the members for the new Parliament which was convoked in August 1918 and of which Mr. Liang was elected Speaker of the Senate. This position he resigned after a few months. In March 1920 Mr. Liang was appointed Dierctor-General of the Domestic Loan Administration. In September 1921 he was awarded the First Class Tashou Paokuang Chiaho Decoration. In December 1921, Mr. Liang became Prime Minister, under the influence of Marshal Chang Tso-lin. On January 5, 1922 Marshal Wu Pei-fu, waged a telegraphic campaign against the Peking government accusing Mr. Liang of having cabled instructions to the Chinese Delegation to the Washington Conference to drop the Shantung negotiations with the Japanese Delegation so that the Shantung question might be disposed of to Japan's satisfaction in Peking. In spite of several refutations made by Mr. Liang, the officials of Kiangsu, Kiangsi, Hupei, Shantung, Honan and Shensi, on January 19, 1922 jointly demanded the dismissal of Mr. Liang, threatening to break connection with Peking should the demands be neglected. On the 25th Mr. Liang left Peking. After the Chihli-Fengtien War which took place near Peking in May 1922 and resulted in the defeat of Fengtien. Mr. Liang became a political refugee in south. Mr. Liang made an extensive trip to Europe and America during the first part of 1922 and returned to China in the summer of this year. He is at present residing at Hongkong.