Cheng Qian

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Cheng Qian
People's Republic of China
Allegiance Republic of China
 People's Republic of China
Rank General
AwardsOrder of Blue Sky and White Sun
Order of the Sacred Tripod

Cheng Qian (

Second Sino–Japanese War
.

In August 1949, as Governor of Hunan, he peacefully surrendered to Mao Zedong's advancing Communist forces, joined the Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang and, after the founding of the People's Republic shortly after, went on to serve as Vice Chairman of the Central Military Commission (1949–1968), Governor of Hunan (1952–1967) and Vice Chairman of the National People's Congress (1954–1968), among other posts.[1][2]

Early life and education

Born into a prosperous landlord family in

Qing Dynasty and modernize China. In 1907, Cheng graduated from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy as an artillery lieutenant (artillery, especially field artillery was to be his specialty throughout his military career). One of his classmates was Tang Jiyao
.

Cheng then returned in China, where he was assigned by the

Qing imperial government to train a New Army in Sichuan Province under the overall command of Zhu Qinglan
.

Republic of China

Chen Qian

After the outbreak of the

Xinhai Revolution, Cheng took part in the Wuchang Uprising and immediately after he participated in the Battle of Changsha
.

With the establishment of the

Political Economy
.

Shortly after, Yuan Shikai tried to proclaim himself

Hunan 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 with Mao Zedong, as the Kuomintang and the Communists were working together during this time under the direction of the Soviet Union (namely, the First 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 the

Henan 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 acting

Chief of Staff
.

After the war ended, Cheng sided with the conciliatory faction in the Kuomintang. In 1947 he was elected in the Legislative Yuan (in the first election after 14 years) and contested the Vice Presidency of the Republic of China in March 1948, barely losing it to Li Zongren, supported by Chiang Kai-shek. Afterwards, he was appointed Governor of his native Hunan once again.[1][2]

People's Republic of China

Cheng rowing with Mao Zedong in Zhongnanhai, September 1952

As the

Yangtze 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 the Chinese 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 the

revolutionary committee under Li Yuan's chairmanship was formed there. He died in Beijing
on 15 April 1968 aged 86.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wolfgang Bartke, Who was Who in the People's Republic of China: With more than 3100 Portraits, Volume 1 (A-O) p.p. 64-65, KG Saur, Munich 1997
  2. ^ a b c d e Yuwu Song, Biographical Dictionary of the People's Republic of China, p. 47, McFarland & Company, 2013
Government offices
Preceded by
Governor of Hunan

1948–1949 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Governor of Hunan

1952–1967 		Succeeded by
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