Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Sah Chen-ping

Admiral Sah Chen-ping

薩鎮冰字鼎銘

(Sah Chen-ping)

Admiral Sah Chen-ping was born at Foochow, Fukien province, in 1858. After having become a Hsiu-tsai or Licentiate he entered the Naval Academy at Foochow where he was later graduated. Then he was sent to England to pursue higher education. He spent a few years in the Greenwich Naval College and was graduated there. For the following three years he was given practical training on a British man-of-war. Upon his return to China, Admiral Sah was engaged as an instructor in the Tientsin Naval Academy and had the honor of being the teacher of ex-President Li Yuan-hung, who was then a student in that institution. In 1885 Admiral Sah joined the Chinese Navy, first as captain of the training ship Kuangchi, then captain of cruisers Tungchi and Haichi. He took part in the Sino-Japanese War in 1894. Upon the termination of the war he returned to his native place and retired from active service for one year. It was in that year his wife died at Foochow. He did not marry again. In 1897 Admiral Sah joined the Woosung Forts. In 1902 he became Tsung-ping, or Brigadier-General of Nanao Chen, Kuangtung. In 1903 he was promoted to be Commander-in-Chief of the Peiyang Naval Forces. In August 1905 he was transferred to be Commander-in-Chief of the Kuangtung Naval Forces. In November 1906 he was appointed to hold concurrently the posts of Commander-in-Chief of the land and sea forces in the same province. In January 1908 the land command was withdrawn from him. In February 1909 he was promoted to Commissioner of Naval Reorganization. In June 1909 he was made High Commissioner of Naval Reorganization. July 1909 he was appointed Admiral of the Imperial Fleet. In October that year he accompanied Prince Tsai Hsun on his naval mission to Europe and in August 1910 on the same mission to Japan and America. When the first revolution broke out in October 1911, he was in command of the Imperial naval forces. Under instquctions from Peking, he took several cruisers to Hankow for action against the revolutioners. But owing to the lack of supplies and continual defections among his crew he was forced to vacate his command and retire to private life. In 1912 Admiral Sah became President of the Maritime Academy at Woosung. In August 1913, when the second revolution commenced, he was appointed by the late President Yuan Shih-kai Director-General of the Land and River Police at Shanghai and Woosung. In 1914 he was made a member of the State Council functioning as Parliament. A little later he was appointed Director-General of all the Arsenals in China. In the winter of 1916 he went to Canton to play the part of peace-maker to settle the differences between General Lu Yun-ting and General Lung Chi-kwang. About the same time he became the Inspecting Commissioner of Kwangtung and of Fukien, and Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. In June 1917, shortly before the monarchical movement of General Chang Hsun, Admiral Sah was appointed Minister of Navy, but this office he did not take up. Later he was made High Sea Inspecting General, but also declined this offer. At the request of the President, he, however, went to Peking to accept an appointment as Advisor to the President's Office. In 1918 he was sent to Fukien in the capacity of the Director-General for the suppression of bandits in that province. He was given the First Class Wenhu in January 1919; ordered to take a trip to Europe on a government mission in February 1919; relieved of the Fukien post in October 1919; and appointed Minister of Navy in December 1919. In January 1926 Admiral Sah was awarded the First Class Tashou Chiaho in May 1920, and ordered to act as Prime Minister; and in October 1920, given the First Class Tashou Paokuang Chiaho. In May 1921 he was relieved of the ministership. A year later he was made a Shan Chiangchun (Marshal) with Shu-Wei as special title. In September 1922 he was appointed Special Commissioner for the Suppression of Opium in Fukien and Anhui. In October 1922 he was appointed Deputy Military Commissioner of Fukien and also Civil Governor of that province, which position he is still holding.