Who's Who in China (3rd edition)/Yen Hsi-shan

Marshal Yen Hsi-shan

圈錫山字百川

Marshal Yen Høi-shan was born at Wu-tai Hsien, Shansi province, 1883. When Marshal Yen arrived at manhood state, he had to arrange a settlement with his father's creditors. After studying in his native district and arranging his business affairs, he went to Taiyuan Fu and entered a military institution. After his graduation there he went in 1908 to Japan where he studied in the Military Cadets' Academy, Tokyo, taking Infantry Courses. In 1910 he graduated from that academy and at once returned to China. Upon his return to Shansi he took up the task of building up a model brigade in the province. His military rank was then a Colonel. During his student days Marshal Yen had become a member of the Tung Meng Hui, the fraternity of young evolutionists. With the opening of the revolution at Wuchang he was on the spot in Taiyuanfu, and on October 29, when the wave of revolt reached that city, went over to the Revolutionists with all the troops under his command. He was made Tutuh for the province of Shansi and led troops to Niangtzukuan on the eastern border to face the Imperial forces. In March 1912 he was appointed Military Governor of Shansi. In June 1914 he was made a Chiangchun with "Tung-Wu” as special title. In September 1917 he was appointed to be acting Civil Governor of Shansi. During the first four or five years of his political experience he was finding himself. The anti-plague campaign of the winter of 1917-18 marked a turning point in his career. From that time he resolved to keep out of national politics as far as possible and devoted himself wholly to the development of his own province. The reform program he launched and has been carrying out is one of the most significant and hopeful things. That it received the approval of the Central government in Peking was shown when he was given the title of "the model tuchun" upon the occasion of a visit to the Capital in the autumn of 1918. Marshal Yen wrote a book entitled "Manual of Citizenship". Several editions in millions of copies have been published. Every person in that province is obliged to read this book. He has organized the civil administration from the villages up; reformed the public school system; made educational budget for every year; founded the Anti-Queue-wearing and Anti-Foot-binding societies; founded the Heart-Cleansing Institution with himself as President for the purpose of reviving morals; encouraged the growth of cotton and silk, afforestation, improvement of drainage and irrigation canals, and the introduction of improved breeds of living stocks; and taken great interest in the Boy Scout Movement. He was the President of the Seventh Annual Field and Track Meet of North China held at Taiyuanfu in 1919. In January 1920 Marshal Yen was awarded the First Order of Merit. In February 1923 he was made a Full General. In November 1923 he became a Shan Chiangchun or Marshal with "Tung-Wu" as special title.