Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Ting Chin

General M. K. Tinn

丁錦字慕韓

(Ting Chin)

General M. K. Tinn was born at Wu-hsi Hsien, Kiangsu province, in 1878. He received his Chinese education under a private tutor and modern education in the Nanyang College, Shanghai, from which he was graduated in 1897. He is proficient in the Japanese language. Soon after his graduation, he went to North China and through the introduction of Wu Shilung, former President of Peking Government University, joined General Tuan Chi-jui, who was then holding the position of Chief of the General Staff of the Viceroy of Chihli, in the capacity of translator to undertake the translation from Japanese into Chinese of all the books on military tactics. After having translated the Japanese books into Chinese for three months, he applied to General Tuan for permission to enter a military school to study military tactics. His request was granted, and he joined the Peiyang Military Academy in which institution most of the military leaders in China today were educated. He graduated in 1902. During his three years of stay in the Peiyang Military Academy he headed his class in every subject. Four different generals including General Tuan and the late President Feng Kuo-chang applied for his service. General Feng who was then engaged in training troops succeeded in getting General Tinn to work under him. In 1903, when General Feng was appointed Director-General of the Royal Military College in Peking, General Tinn became a teacher of that school and it was then considered a high honor to teach princes, marquises, and barons. In 1905 General Tinn was a member of the Army Board and transferred to study military science and tactics under a Japanese officer who consented to become a Chinese subject by arrangement with the late President Yuan Shih-kai, then Grand Councillor, and expressed his willingness to build up a strong army for China. General Tieh Liang, president of the Army Board, at the request of Yuan Shih-kai, detailed ten junior officers to receive personal instructions from the Japanese and exempted them from attending the Board, General Tinn was one of the ten junior officers. In 1906, General Tinn was engaged by the Army Board as an adviser. In 1907 he was invited by Li Ching-hsi, Viceroy of Yunnan and Kweichow, to be Chief of the General Staff in the Viceroy's Yamen and he was also in command of 2,000 troops. In 1911, the revolution came, and though truly republican at heart, General Tinn refused to revolt against the reigning dynasty on the ground that every disciplined military man must be loyal to the government he serves. He left Yunnan without baggage and money. After several months of travelling he reached Shanghai at the height of the revolution. His native place wanted him to help them in crushing the Manchu government, and the Northern government wired to him for his service iii the North. He responded to neither request. He said that he could not take sides with the republican elements and fight the northern generals who used to be his teachers and chiefs, nor could he help the Manchus and fight his own people and his relatives. He remained quietly at Shanghai during the revolution. After the revolution. General Tinn went to Peking at the invitation of Yuan Shih-kai and was appointed Supervisor of the Ministry of War to look after the military education of soldiers and officers. In 1914, he was appointed Councillor of the Ministry of War. In 1917, he assisted Marshal Tuan in defeating the monarchical movement of General Chang Hsun. Upon the appointment of Marshal Tuan as Prime Minister after the restoration of the Republic, he was made Chief of the Military Operations Department of the Ministry of War. This post he held until January 1919. Later he was made a Major-General and was given the Third Brigade of the Frontier Force to command. At the end of 1919 he was appointed Chief of the Chinese Government Aeronautic Bureau. In January 1920 he was awarded the Fifth Order of Merit. In August 1920, after the fall of the Anfu government, he was relieved of the Aeronautic post. In January 1921 he was made a Lieutenant General and in February 1921 he was again appointed Chief of the Government Aeronautic Bureau.