Former Qing envoy to Britain and Japan who became foreign minister and twice interim premier of the Beijing government
Born in Qiantang, Hangzhou, he passed the provincial examination in 1889, became superintendent of Chinese students in Japan in 1902, and was minister to Britain from 1905 and to Japan in 1910. Under the Republic he joined the Progressive Party and in September 1913 became education minister in Xiong Xiling’s cabinet. After the failure of Zhang Xun’s restoration in 1917 he became foreign minister in Duan Qirui’s cabinet and was acting premier when Duan resigned that November. During the May Fourth Movement of 1919 he petitioned for the release of the arrested students, and in 1920 he became president of the Chinese Red Cross. In November 1922 he was again interim premier and finance minister, but stepped down after little more than ten days amid factional strife; he died of illness in 1929.
Also known as: Wang Ta-hsieh
Activities and affiliations
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1905–1911
Qing dynasty state institutionsMinister to Britain and Japan
Diplomacy and international organization -
1917
Beiyang government and warlordsActing PremierHeads of state, government and party of China
Political and party leadership -
1917
Beiyang government and warlordsMinister of Foreign AffairsMain
Diplomacy and international organization -
1922
Beiyang government and warlordsPremierHeads of state, government and party of China
Political and party leadership
Career Timeline
- 1902.11Superintendent of Chinese students in Japan
- 1905.07Minister to Britain
- 1910Minister to Japan
- 1913.09Minister of Education
- 1917.07Minister of Foreign Affairs
- 1917.11.22–30Acting Premier
- 1920.10President of the Chinese Red Cross
- 1922.11.29–12.11Interim Premier and Minister of Finance