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Weng Wenhao | |
|---|---|
翁文灏 | |
 Weng Wenhao as pictured inThe Most Recent Biographies of Chinese Dignitaries | |
| Premier of China | |
| In office 25 May 1948 – 26 November 1948 | |
| President | Chiang Kai-shek |
| Preceded by | Chang Chun |
| Succeeded by | Sun Fo |
| Vice Premier of China | |
| In office 4 June 1945 – 18 April 1947 | |
| Premier | Soong Tse-ven Chiang Kai-shek (acting) |
| Preceded by | Kung Hsiang-hsi |
| Succeeded by | Wang Yunwu |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 July 1889 |
| Died | 27 January 1971(1971-01-27) (aged 81) |
| Nationality | China |
| Political party | Kuomintang |
| Alma mater | Catholic University of Leuven |
Weng Wenhao (simplified Chinese:翁文灏;traditional Chinese:翁文灝;pinyin:Wēng Wénhào; 26 July 1889 – 27 January 1971),courtesy nameYongni (咏霓), was a Chinesegeologist andpolitician. He was one of the earliest modern Chinese geologists, and is regarded as the founder of modern Chinese geology and the father of modern Chinese oil industry. From May to November 1948, Weng served as President of theExecutive Yuan (Premier) of theRepublic of China.
He was born in 1889 inCixi,Zhejiang in lateQing dynasty. His father was a local businessman.
In 1902, he earned thexiucai degree in theImperial Examination at the age of only 13 He later studied at a French Catholic school inShanghai.
He obtained his Doctor's degree on geology from theCatholic University of Leuven,Belgium,[1]: 68 in 1912. He was the first Chinese person to hold a western Doctor's degree in geology.
After returning to China in 1912, Weng served as Minister of Mine Industry and Minister of Agriculture and Commerce, in theBeiyang Government. He was a professor (and director from 1914) of the National Research Institute of Geography. Together withDing Wenjiang, he founded the new National Geological Survey.[2]
He was also a professor of geology in bothBeijing University andTsinghua University.[1]: 68 He once was the head of the Department of Geography, Tsinghua University. In July 1931, he was appointed acting president of Tsinghua University.
In 1928, he assisted CanadianpaleoanthropologistDavidson Black in the establishment of theCenozoic Research Laboratory for the research and appraisal ofPeking Man fossils unearthed atZhoukoudian.
He led theNational Defense Planning Commission, which was created in 1932 for industrial mobilization as a response toJapan's 1931 invasion of Manchuria.[1]: 68 During his tenure, the Commission (renamed to the National Resources Commission in 1935) gained control over mostheavy industry enterprises in areas of China controlled by the Nationalist government.[1]: 69
During the period of Central (Provisional) Military Government of the Republic of China, he served in the central government as the General Secretary of theExecutive Yuan (13 December 1935–9 September 1937); the Minister of Industry (until 1 January 1938), Minister of Education (28 October 1932–21 April 1933), and the Minister of Economy (1 January 1938–1947).
Weng also served as the chairman of thestate-owned enterprise China Textile Construction Company.[1]: 72
Invited byChiang Kai-shek, he served as the first president of theExecutive Yuan ofNationalist Government (capitalNanjing) (25 May 1948–26 November 1948).
In March 1948, he was elected a founding member ofAcademia Sinica.
After theChinese Civil War, he moved toBeijing and served in theChinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) with his longtime associateQian Changzhao.
During theCultural Revolution, he was specially protected byZhou Enlai. In 1971, he died inBeijing.
In 1941, Weng advocated a "planned and controlled economic system" in which "the government shall take major responsibility for making national defense its top priority, by promoting [state-owned enterprises] to ensure the creation of a solid foundation, and by controlling private enterprise to ensure its healthy development."[1]: 70
In a 1943 article, Weng wrote that the Japanese-operated enterprises in the puppet state ofManchukuo would be crucial to China's recovery from the Second Sino-Japanese War.[1]: 71
Weng viewed the establishment of state-owned enterprises as important to the task of nation-building.[1]: 85 In a 1946 speech, he stated, "The master of the state enterprises is the state and all citizens. Therefore, those who work for state enterprises must be loyal to the state and work hard for the nation. They cannot pursue any individual interests."[1]: 85
He had four sons, the eldest one namedWeng Xinyuan [zh] (翁心源), was a famous petroleum engineer who was killed in theCultural Revolution, the second oldest one namedWeng Xinhan [zh] (翁心翰) was aChinese Air Force pilot, and veteran of theBattle of Sichuan, who was killed later in theSecond Sino-Japanese War/WWII.[3][4]
The founder of Chinese modern geophysics -Weng Wenbo [zh] (翁文波), an academician of theChinese Academy of Sciences, is his cousin.
Weng Xinzhi [zh] (翁心植), academician ofChinese Academy of Engineering, is his nephew.
When did World War II begin? Shanghai 1937: Where World War II Began answers that question in a way most audiences will find surprising. Americans might say December 7, 1941… The day the Japanese Imperial Navy attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. For Europeans, it was September 1, 1939… When Nazi Germany invaded Poland. But in China, people will tell you a different date. August 13, 1937.
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| Preceded by | Premier of China 1948 | Succeeded by |
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