Railway financier who led the Communications Clique, drove Yuan Shikai's monarchy campaign and was premier in 1921–1922
Born in Sanshui, Guangdong, in 1869, he became a jinshi in 1894. In the late Qing he ran railway administration and, with the Bank of Communications, built the Communications Clique. As Yuan Shikai's presidential secretary-general and finance chief he was called the "little president", and in 1915 he organised the petitions for Yuan's monarchy. Wanted as a leading monarchist after its collapse, he fled to Hong Kong, returning under a pardon in 1918 to become speaker of the Anfu parliament's Senate. Backed by Zhang Zuolin, he became premier in December 1921, but under attack from Wu Peifu he left in January 1922, a dispute that led to the First Zhili–Fengtian War. Wanted by the Nationalists after the Northern Expedition, he moved between Hong Kong and Shanghai and died in Shanghai in 1933.
Also known as: Liang Shih-i
Activities and affiliations
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1907–1911
Qing dynasty state institutionsDirector of the Railway Bureau, Ministry of Posts and Communications
Economy, finance and planning -
1912–1916
Beiyang government and warlordsSecretary-General of the Presidential Office
Government and administration -
1918–1921
Beiyang government and warlordsSpeaker of the Senate
Legislature and state representation -
1921–1922
Beiyang government and warlordsPremierHeads of state, government and party of ChinaMain
Political and party leadership
Career Timeline
- 1894Jinshi; Hanlin Academy bachelor
- 1907–1911Railway administrator; director of the Railway Bureau of the Ministry of Posts and Communications
- 1912.03–1916Secretary-General of the Presidential Office; head of the Bank of Communications
- 1915Organised petitions for Yuan Shikai's monarchy
- 1916.07–1918.02Wanted as a leading monarchist; in Hong Kong
- 1918.08.22Speaker of the Senate of the Anfu parliament
- 1921.12.24–1922.01.25Premier
- 1928Fled to Hong Kong, wanted by the Nationalist government