Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Wu Ching-lien

Mr. Wu Ching-lien

吳景濂字伯

Mr. Wu Ching-lien was born at Hsing-ch'eng Hsien, Fengtien Province, in 1875. He was one of the first graduates of the Peking University. finishing the High Normal Course in 1907. Subsequently Mr. Wu went to Japan where he studied for one year. In 1919 he became chairman of the Fengtien Provincial Council and also Director of the High Normal College of the same Province. Following the outbreak of the First Revolution in October 1911, a National Council was convoked in Nanking. Mr. Wu was a member of that Council representing Fengtien Province. This Council during its session at Nanking from January 28, to April 4, 1912, enacted the Provisional Constitution. During its second session in Peking from April 29, to December 28, 1912, Mr. Wu was then President of the Council. The First Parliament was convoked in April 1913 and Mr. Wu by election became a member of the Lower House. Mr. Wu being a prominent member of the Ming Tang or the Peoples' Party became a political refuge after the dissolution of the First Parliament by Yuan Shih-kai. In August 1916 when the First Parliament was reconvoked Mr. Wu took his seat again in the Lower House. In May 1917 shortly before the second dissolution of the Parliament Mr. Wu was elected Speaker of the House to succeed Tang Hua-lung who had resigned. After the second dissolution of the Parliament which occurred in June 1917, Mr. Wu went south. In August 1917 the Extraordinary Parliament was convoked at Canton with Mr. Wu as its President. In September 1917 the Peking government issued a circular ordering the arrest of Dr. Sun Yat-sen and Mr. Wu Ching-lien but they were never arrested. From that time on until 1922, Mr. Wu's activities were closely connected with the movements of the First Parliament, playing important parts in the struggle for constitutional rule against the mal-administration of the north. In 1922 the First Parliament was for the second time reconvoked in Peking. Mr. Wu was still the Speaker of the House. In that capacity he played the most serious part in effecting the enaction of the Permanent Constitution and also in the election of Marshal Tsao Kun to the Presidency. In December 1923 Mr. Wu being unable to effect his plan for overthrowing the Kao Ling-wei government and having lost his influence over the various leading parties deserted his seat in the Parliament and left for Tientsin where he has been remaining ever since. Mr. Wu was given the First Order of Merit in October 1920 and the First Class Wenhu Decoration in January 1923.