Yuan Shikai’s confidant who built China’s modern police and resigned as premier over the assassination of Song Jiaoren
Born into a poor family in Ruzhou, Henan, he served in Xinjiang with Zuo Zongtang’s Chu Army. Under Yuan Shikai he studied detection and policing, and in 1902 set up police bureaux and academies in Baoding and Tianjin, earning a name as the founder of China’s modern police. After serving as a vice-minister of the Qing Ministry of Police and minister of civil affairs in Yuan’s cabinet, he became the Republic’s minister of the interior and, in September 1912, premier, for a time also a director of the Kuomintang. When the Nationalist leader Song Jiaoren was assassinated in March 1913 he was named as the organiser; protesting his innocence, he resigned and became military governor of Zhili. He died suddenly in his residence in Tianjin in February 1914, and it was widely rumoured that Yuan had poisoned him to keep him silent.
Also known as: Chao Ping-chün · Chao Ping-chun
Activities and affiliations
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1905–1909
Qing dynasty state institutionsVice-Minister of Police
Security, intelligence and policing -
1912–1913
Beiyang government and warlordsPremierHeads of state, government and party of ChinaMain
Political and party leadership -
1912–1913
Beiyang government and warlordsMinister of the Interior
Security, intelligence and policing -
1912–1913
Political and party leadership
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1913–1914
Beiyang government and warlordsMilitary Governor of Zhili
Government and administration
Career Timeline
- 1878Joined the Chu Army; served in Xinjiang
- 1902Head of the Baoding police bureau
- 1905–1909.01Vice-Minister of Police
- 1911.10Minister of Civil Affairs in Yuan Shikai’s cabinet
- 1912.03Minister of the Interior
- 1912.09.25–1913.07.16Premier
- 1913.12.16Acting Military Governor of Zhili