Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Tseng Tsung-chien

Mr. T K. Tseng

會宗繁学签園

(Tseng Tsung-chien)

Mr. T. K. Tseng was born at Ming-hou Hsien, Fukien province, in 1882. He graduated from Nanyang College, Shanghai, in 1901, where he obtained the highest scholarship. After graduation, he was sent to England as a government student in the same year. Upon arrival in England he joined King's College where he stayed until 1907. He went to Cambridge (Pembroke College) in 1907 where he was popular with the students and prominent in rowing circles. His special subject of study was political economy. After his graduation he returned to China and joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and remained there until 1917. During the first revolution in 1911-12 Mr. Tseng was secretary for foreign intercourse to Marshal Tuan Chi-jui, who was then Commander-in-Chief at Hankow. In the second revolution he served in the same capacity under General Tuan Chih-kuei in Kiukiang. In 1914 he was appointed the Chinese Consul-General to Australia where he remained until China declared war against Germany in 1917, when he returned home to offer his service to Marshal Tuan, and to arrange for the dispatch of Chinese soldiers to Europe. Upon his return to Peking, he found to his great disappointment that it was impossible to dispatch Chinese troops to Europe. In November 1917 Mr. Tseng was appointed Commissioner for Foreign Affairs at Shanghai. But owing to political reasons he did not proceed to assume office. In December 1917 he was appointed Salt Commissioner in Kirin and Heilungkiang, this position he held until December 1919. In 1918 he accompanied General Hsu Shu-tseng to Japan to attend the Japanese Grand Manoeuvres in the capacity of Chief Secretary. Since then his name was always mentioned when ever the government tried to find a suitable person to be Chinese Minister to Tokyo. In April 1919 he was given the Second Class Wienfu and in October 1919 the Second Class Tashou Chiaho. In December 1919 when he had just been relieved of the Salt Commissioner post, he was appointed Director of the Cadastral Administration, Peking. This post he held until August 1920 when the Anfu Ministry had collapsed.