Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Yu Chih-'chin

Mr. L. C. Yu

余之芹字智卿

(Yu Chih-chin)

Mr. Yu Lu-chiang, was born at Huichow, Anhui, in 1847. Up to his 13th year, he was a refugee at eleven different places on account of the Taiping Rebellion. When 13 years old he went to Kiangsi to be an apprentice in a piece goods shop. The following year, he came to Shanghai to join an oil factory in Pootung, which calling did not, however, prove to be attractive enough for him and he came to the Settlement to serve as accountant for a piece goods shop and later for a pawn shop. In 1871, Mr. Yu became manager of the Fan An Pawn Ship on Nanking and Chihli Roads, of which he remains the active head today. Besides this, he controls three other big pawn shops in Shanghai: The Fan Kong, Jen Dah and Chi Chang. In spite of his age, Mr. Yu is still very active. Although limited in his educational qualifications during childhood, he has an ardent desire for culture, being intensively interested in art and calligraphy. Some of his drawings and writings are much prized by his friends. In 1920, upon the request of his friends, Mr. Yu compiled a book on his life. He takes a great interest, among other things, in the conservancy of the Hwai River which has such vital effect upon the prosperity of Anhui. For this reason, he sent his youngest son, M. T. Yu, a graduate from the Tangshan Engineering College, to Europe and America in 1923 to make a special study of waterway conservancy in foreign countries. Besides scholarly discussions on the necessity of the Hwai River Conservancy, Mr. Yu's book discusses Morality and Militarism as well as the need of Self-Determination in China. Mr. Yu is chairman of the Chinese Pawn Brokers' Guild, Shanghai, and director of the Anhui Provincial Guild, Shanghai.