Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Ts'ai Ch'eng-hsun

General Ts'ai Ch'eng-hsun

夢成勋字虎臣

General Ts'ai Ch'eng-hsun was born at Tientsin, Chihli province, in 1873. He was graduated from the Peiyang Military Academy in 1899. Subsequently he was appointed a deputy to the Metropolitan Banner Troops. Concurrently he acted as teacher of the military school attached to the troops. After a few years he was promoted to be a deputy director of the Metropolitan Garrison forces. Later he became a proctor in the headquarters of the Metropolitan Troops and staff-officer of the First Imperial Division. Still later he was appointed assistant commander of the troops stationed in the vicinity of Peking and afterwards staff officer of the Training Headquarters. In 1911, before the First Revolution, General Ts'ai was appointed commander of the 41st Brigade stationed in Chekiang province. During the First Revolution, he was commissioned to direct field operations against the Shansi revolutionary forces at Nang-Tzu-Kuan on the Cheng-Tai Railway. Upon the establishment of the Republic, Yuan Shih-kai appointed him an aid-de-camp of the President's Office and also made him a Major-General. In September 1913 he was appointed Commander of the First Brigade of the First Division. In August 1914 he was promoted to be the Commander-in-Chief of the First Division and made a Lieutenant General. During the subsequent two years, his troops under his personal director were engaged in the suppression of banditry at Dolonor and Suiyuan districts. In October 1916 he was awarded the Second Class Chiaho. In July 1917 General Ts'ai was appointed Commander of the 7th Unit of the forces engaged in the expeditionary campaign against the southern opponents. In August 1917 he was made Tutung of the Charhar Special Dstrict and also given the brevet of Full General. In August 1919 he was awarded the First Class Wenfu; in October 1919, the Second Class Tashou Chiaho, and in October 1920, the Third Order of Merit. In the new-year of 1921 he was appointed Tuchun and Civil Governor of Kansu province. But he did not proceed to this post and was appointed Minister of War in May 1921. This post he held until December 1921 when he was made a Chiangchun of the College of Marshals with “Chi-Wei” as special title. In May 1922 General Ts'ai was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the northern forces sent to defend Kiangsi province against the invasion by Li Lieh-chun. In June 1922 he was ordered to assume control of the military forces in that province. In September 1922 he was appointed Military Director (Tuchun) of Kiangsi. In October 1922 he was given the Second Order of Merit. In November 1923 he was made a Full General. In December 1923 he was ordered to act as Civil Governor of Kiangsi concurrently.