Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Liu Hsiang

General Liu Hsiang

劉湘字甫臣

General Liu Hsiang was born in 1890 at Tayihsien, a small city to the west of Chengtu, in the province of Szechuan, close up to the Tibetan mountains. According to the old system he received his early education in his own home afterwards attending the Military Academy in Chengtu from which he graduated in 1910. He entered into the military life of the Republic becoming a Colonel in 1914 when he was stationed at Chungking, a Colonel in 1914 when he was stationed at Chungking, a Brigadier General in 1917 while at Yunchwan, and was given a division in 1918 stationed at Szechuan. In 1920 he was given the rank of General in Command of the Second Army while at Paoting, and in the following year was made the Szechuan Generalissimo and Civil Governor at Chungking when Hsiung Keh wu was obliged to resign at Chengtu. However he was only able to maintain his position for about a year and in 1922 he resigned all his positions and retired to his home at Tayi to await developments. At that time General Liu Yu Kiu, a native of the same place, was placed in the position of Governor at Chengtu and he tried to induce Liu Hsiang again to take an active part in the affairs of the province. Hsiung Keh Wu had again returned to power and was trying to drive out all those who were opposed to Dr. Sun and Canton. General Liu Hsiang remained in his retirement until Yang Sen had turned the fortunes of war and he then came out to help. Liu Hsiang was made the Director of Reorganization at Wanhsien in 1923 when the plans were being formulated that have succeeded. He was with Yang Sen and Yuan Tzu Ming when they captured Chengtu, and he went immediately with Yuan Tzu Ming to see that the job of extermination was well done. Recently he has been in Luchow and Chungking trying to bring some order out of the confusion which has existed. Many honors have come to Liu Hsiang from the Central government. In 1923 he was made a Chiang-Chun with “Chia-Wei” as title and in 1924 he became a Full General. Other decorations have been given to him from time to time. His present position is that of Director for Defence of the Yunnan Frontier, Commissioner for the Tibetan Frontier and Director of Bandit Suppression. His real position, however, is that of Overlord among the different factions in the province. Liu Hsiang is a conservative. His manner is the manner of the old Chinese literati. He says very little but has a head full of plans which he is trying to work out. Though still a young man he gives the impression of being much older. He has held all the offices his native province can give him and he is doubtless looking to Peking to give him a position that will make it possible for him to settle the affairs of Szechuan.