Cheng Qian | |
|---|---|
程潛 | |
 Cheng Qian | |
| Governor of Hunan | |
| In office 1948–1949 | |
| Chairman | Mao Zedong |
| Preceded by | Wang Dongyuan |
| Succeeded by | Chen Mingren |
| In office 1952–1967 | |
| Preceded by | Wang Shoudao |
| Succeeded by | Li Yuan |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1882-03-31)March 31, 1882 |
| Died | April 5, 1968(1968-04-05) (aged 86) |
| Party | Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang |
| Awards | Order of Blue Sky and White Sun Order of the Sacred Tripod |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Republic of China People's Republic of China |
| Rank |  General |
Cheng Qian (simplified Chinese:程潜;traditional Chinese:程潛;pinyin:Chéng Qián;Wade–Giles:Ch'eng Ch'ien; 31 March 1882 – 5 April 1968) was a Chinese army officer and politician who held important military and political positions in both theRepublic of China and thePeople's Republic of China.[1][2] Educated at theImperial Japanese Army Academy andWaseda University, he first metSun Yat-sen inTokyo, becoming an early supporter. Later, underChiang Kai-shek, he was one of the most powerful members of theKuomintang, notably serving as Chief of Staff of theMilitary Affairs Commission during theSecond Sino–Japanese War.
In August 1949, asGovernor ofHunan, he peacefully surrendered toMao Zedong's advancingCommunist forces, joined theRevolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang and, afterthe founding of the People's Republic of China, went on to serve as Vice Chairman of theCentral Military Commission (1949–1968), Governor of Hunan (1952–1967) and Vice Chairman of theNational People's Congress (1954–1968), among other posts.[1][2]
Born into a prosperous landlord family inLiling,Hunan, Cheng received a classicalConfucian education and at the age of the 16 he obtained theXiucai (the first degree in theimperial civil service examination), and then studied at theYuelu Academy inChangsha. Here he began to understand the current political situation and decided to give up a civil career in favor of the military, and so entered theHunan Military Academy, being then sent to study inJapan at theTokyo Shimbu Gakko, a military official preparatory academy. While in Tokyo, he metHuang Xing,Li Liejun, andSong Jiaoren, future nationalist leaders, who fascinated him with their ideas.
In 1905 Cheng metSun Yat-sen and joined theTongmenghui, a secret revolutionary society, committed to overthrow theQing dynasty and modernize China. In 1907, Cheng graduated from theImperial Japanese Army Academy as anartillery lieutenant (artillery, especiallyfield artillery was to be his specialty throughout his military career). One of his classmates wasTang Jiyao.
Cheng then returned in China, where he was assigned by the Qing imperial government to train aNew Army inSichuan Province under the overall command ofZhu Qinglan.
After the outbreak of theXinhai Revolution, Cheng took part in theWuchang Uprising and immediately after he participated in theBattle of Changsha.
With the establishment of theRepublic of China, Cheng was appointed military commander ofHunan. However, asYuan Shikai staged his coup to control the Republic,[when?] Cheng tried to revolt, but then fled to Japan, where he joined theKuomintang and enteredWaseda University, studying for a degree inPolitical Economy.
Shortly after, Yuan Shikai tried to proclaim himselfEmperor, causing theNational Protection War. Cheng returned to Hunan to enlist rebel soldiers inCai E's army. During theConstitutional Protection Movement he was first appointed military commander of Changsha, then Deputy Minister of War in Sun Yat-sen'sGuangzhou Government. He was put in charge of training troops in Guangzhou, and then took part in theNorthern Expedition. From 1925 to 1927 he was the General commanding the 6th Army, and briefly served as Chairman of the Government of theHunan Province in 1928. In 1926 he was elected a member of the Central Executive Committee of the Kuomintang. It was in these years that Cheng first met and collaborated withMao Zedong, as the Kuomintang and the Communists were working together during this time under the direction of theSoviet Union (namely, theFirst United Front), with Mao at one time serving as Cheng's assistant in political and propaganda affairs.
In the following years, Cheng served in several capacities, including Chief of General Staff of theMilitary Affairs Commission (which was chaired byChiang Kai-shek himself) from 1935 to 1937. When theSecond Sino–Japanese War began, Cheng Qian was madeCommander in Chief of the 1st War Zone in July 1937, responsible for defendingBeijing (then named Beiping),Hebei and the strategicBeijing–Hankou railway, while also concurrently serving as Governor ofHenan Province from 1937 to 1939.
Cheng Qian was recalled from the 1st War Zone in 1938 to serve as Director of the Generalissimo's Headquarters. From 1940 to 1944 he was Vice Chairman and Deputy Chief of Staff of the Military Affairs Commission, and from 1944 to 1945 he was actingChief of Staff.
After the war ended, Cheng sided with the conciliatory faction in the Kuomintang. In 1947 he was elected in theLegislative Yuan (in the first election after 14 years) and contested theVice Presidency of the Republic of China in March 1948, barely losing it toLi Zongren, supported by Chiang Kai-shek. Afterwards, he was appointed Governor of his native Hunan once again.[1][2]
As theChinese Communist Party forces gained ground, Chiang Kai-shek stepped down in January 1949; after the collapse of peace talks in April, thePeople's Liberation Army crossed theYangtze River. Cheng Qian in early August decided to surrender, and so Hunan was peacefully handed over to Mao Zedong's forces.[1][2]
Invited by Mao to Beijing to attend the Inaugural Session of theChinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Cheng was then appointed to very significant offices in the new Communist People's Republic. Notably, he served as:[1][2]
During theCultural Revolution, Cheng Qian was among the non-communists that Mao Zedong andZhou Enlai prevented from being attacked. In Hunan, he was succeeded by Li Yuan after arevolutionary committee underLi Yuan's chairmanship was formed there. He died in Beijing on 15 April 1968 aged 86.
| Government offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Governor of Hunan 1948–1949 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Governor of Hunan 1952–1967 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
