Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Fan Yuan-lien

Mr. Fan Yuar-lien

范源濂字醇生

Mr. Fan Yuan-lien was born Hsiangying Hsien, Hunan Provice. He attended the Shil Hu School in his native province in 1899. After his graduation he went to Japan for higher education. He attended the Normal College at Tokyo, where he specialized in teaching. Upon the completion of his course, he attended the Law College and took a few short courses in jurisprudence. Upon his return to China he attracted much public attention from the Chinese educational authorities. He was invited by the Board of Education to be Counsellor. Later he became Vice-President of the Tsing Hua College. In the first year of the Republic, 1912, he was appointed by President Yuan Shih-kai as secretary of the President's Office. In April of the same year, he was Vice-Minister of Education. Upon the resignation of Mr. Tsai Yuan-pei, as Minister of Education, he succeeded him. In January of 1913 Mr. Fan resigned the office of Minister of Education, and went to Shanghai to the Chung Hua Book Publishing Company. In 1916, when the Cabinet with Marrshal Tuan Chi-jui as Prime Minister was organized, Mr. Fan again joined the government serrvice and was appointed Minister of Education. A few months later he acted concurrently as Minister of the Interior. On account of the monarchical movement in 1917, all the Ministers resigned, and he alone remained for some time, because his Ministry had nothing to do with politics. In November 1917, he also resigned. After his resignation, Mr. Fan went to America to make educational investigations, and returned in the spring of 1920. In August 1920, General Chin Yung-peng, upon being made Prime Minister again, invited Mr. Fan to be acting Minister of Education. In October 1920, he was awarded the First Order of Tashou Chiaho. In May 1921, Mr. Fan was appointed Minister of Education, instead of acting Minister. This portfolio he held until December 1921. In November 1922, Mr. Fan received the First Order of Tashou Paokuang Chiaho. In February 1922, he was appointed president of the Teachers' College, Peking.