Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Wang Ching-ch'un

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Dr. C. C. Wang

王景春学光熙

(Wang Ching-ch'un)

Dr. C. C. Wang was born at Lanchow, Chihli province, in 1882. He studied at Peking Methodist University and was clerk and interpreter at the America Legation, Peking from 1900 to 1904. In April 1904 he arrived in America with private support. He studied science at Ohio Wesleyan University during 1905-06. He entered Yale University in 1906 studying civil engineering and graduating from it with the degree of Ph.B. in 1908. From 1908 to 1911 he was in the University of Illinois, where he took the degree of M. A. on Railway Administration in 1909 and that of Ph.D. on Economics and Political Science in 1911, the subject of his doctor's dissertation being “Legislative Regulation on Railway Finance in England.” Dr. Wang was awarded Wu Ting-fang's Prize for scholarship and general conduct in August 1909. He was president of the Chinese Students' Alliance during 1907-08; of the Cosmopolitan Club, 1908-9; of the Association of Cosmopolitan Clubs, 1909-10; Honorary Fellowship in Railway Administration, University of Illinois, 1909-11; Teacher in Oriental History and Commerce, University of Illinois, 1909-10; editor of the Chinese Students' Monthly, 1907; editor-in-chief of the same Monthly, 1908-9. He carried on investigation for some time with the Illinois Central Railway, Interstate Commerce Commission U. S. A., and North Western Railway and Board of Trade in London. Dr. Wang returned to China in November 1911. At once he was appointed a Member of the Board of Communications, Peking. He was Councillor, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Provisional Government, Nanking, 1912; Co-Director of Peking Mukden Railway, 1912-13; Co-Director, Peking-Hankow Railway, 1913-14: Official Delegate to the Fifth International Congress of Commerce in Boston and to the Panama Pacific Exposition to open the grounds. From America he went to Europe to study railway administration. Upon his return to America to attend the Exposition, he wrote a number of scholarly articles for well-known American magazines. As soon as he got back to China he was appointed Vice-Chairman of the Commission on the Unification of Railway Accounts and Statistics. The fundamental reform in this connection was largely due to Dr. Wang's initiation and persistence. Later, Dr. Wang was appointed Director of the Department of Railway Finance and Accounts and Acting Director-General of Posts under the Ministry of Communications, concurrently. On account of Minister Hsu Shih-yin's reactionary policy in 1916, the Commission on the Unification of Railway Accounts and Statistics, was dissolved and Dr. Wang was made a Councillor of the Ministry, 1916-17. He was special government delegate to the Fifth Sino-Japanese Joint Traffic Conference held in Japan in 1917. He was appointed managing director of the Peking Mukden Railway in the summer of 1917. In this capacity, he saved Peking a bloody battle between Republican troops and General Feng Ling-kuo's Hunghutsze soldiers by his timely withdrawal of locomotives and cars from Koupangtze in order to prevent this hairy horde from coming to the Capital, where Chang Hsun was attempting to put the Boy Emperor on the throne again. When the Republic was restored Dr. Wang was transferred to be managing director of the Peking-Hankow Railway. In November 1918 he was commissioned to a company with the High Industrial Commissioner Yeh Kung-cho to Europe on a mission to study industrial conditions in European countries. While in Europe he was technical delegate of China's Delegation to the Paris Peace Conference. In the winter of 1919, after his return from Europe, he resigned from the Peking-Hankow post. In December 1919 he became a Councillor of the Ministry of Communications again. In January 1920 he was ordered to be concurrently China's representative on the Inter-allied Technical Board for the administration of the Siberian and Chinese Eastern Railways at Harbin, and was at the same time given the Second Class Paokuang Chiaho. In May 1920 he was given the Second Class Tahsou Paokuang Chiaho and also commissioned to act as Associate Director General of the Chinese Eastern Railway. He was made a member of the Famine Relief Communications under the Ministry in September 1920 and a special member of the Railway Finance Communications in November 1920. He was associate director general from November 1920 to May 1921; and Chief of the Railway Department in the Ministry of Communications from May 1921 to January 1922. While a Departmental Chief he was Vice-Chairman of the Famine Relief Commission; Railway Finance Commission; Railway Location Commission; Chief Executive Secretary of the Commission on Chinese Eastern Railway Affairs; Assistant Chief of the International Through Traffic Bureau. In December 1921 he was transferred to be Councillor of the Ministry of Communications. In January 1922, he became again the associate director general of the Chinese Eastern Railway. In March 1922 he was promoted to be Acting Director General of the same Railway which position was later substantiated to him. In December 1922 he was given the First Class Tashou Chiaho. He resigned from the Director Generalship early in 1924 on account of difference of opinion with Marshal Chang Tso-lin.