Liao Zhongkai
Encyclopedia
Liao Zhongkai (April 23, 1877 - August 20, 1925, Huiyang, Guangdong), Kuomintang
leader and financier. Liao Zhongkai was the principal architect of the first Kuomintang-Chinese Communist Party (KMT-CCP) United Front in the 1920s.
Liao Zhongkai was born in 1877, in San Francisco and received his early education in the United States. He was one of twenty-four children. His father, Liao Zhubin, who had five wives, was sent to San Francisco by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank.
Returning to Hong Kong
in 1893, at the age of sixteen he studied at Queen's College from 1896. He married He Xiangning in 1897. He then went to Japan
in January 1903 to study political science at Waseda University
. In 1907 he went to Tokyo University to study political and economic science.
He joined the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance in 1905 upon its founding and became the director of the financial bureau of Guangdong after the founding of the Republic of China
.
In the early struggles of the party, Liao Zhongkai was arrested by Guangdong strongman, Chen Jiongming
, in June 1922. After Chen's defeat Liao became Civil governor of Guangdong from May 1923 to February 1924, and then again from June to September 1924. During the first Kuomintang - Chinese Communist Party cooperation period, he was appointed to the Kuomintang Executive Committee.
When the KMT was reformed in 1924, he was named the head of the Department of Workers, and then Department of Peasants. Later he became Minister of Finance of the southern government, seated in Guangdong
. When Sun Yat-sen
died in Beijing in March, 1925, and Liao was one of the three most powerful figures in the Kuomintang Executive Committee, the other two were Wang Jingwei
and Hu Hanmin
.
Liao continued his belief in Sun's policy after he died and one of the key policies was to maintain close relations with the Soviet Union
as well as the Chinese Communist Party, which was strongly opposed by the KMT right wing. Liao was assassinated before a Kuomintang Executive Committee meeting on August 30, 1925 in Guangzhou
, Guangdong when five gunmen riddled him with bullets from Mauser C96's as he stepped out of his limo, and Hu Hanmin was suspected and arrested. This left only Wang Jingwei and the rising Chiang Kai-shek
as rivals for control of the Kuomintang.
He and He Xiangning had a daughter, Liao Mengxing, and a son, Liao Chengzhi
, and the latter had four sons, Liao Hui being the eldest. Anna Chennault is his niece.
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
leader and financier. Liao Zhongkai was the principal architect of the first Kuomintang-Chinese Communist Party (KMT-CCP) United Front in the 1920s.
Liao Zhongkai was born in 1877, in San Francisco and received his early education in the United States. He was one of twenty-four children. His father, Liao Zhubin, who had five wives, was sent to San Francisco by the Hong Kong and Shanghai Bank.
Returning to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1893, at the age of sixteen he studied at Queen's College from 1896. He married He Xiangning in 1897. He then went to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in January 1903 to study political science at Waseda University
Waseda University
, abbreviated as , is one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan and Asia. Its main campuses are located in the northern part of Shinjuku, Tokyo. Founded in 1882 as Tokyo Senmon Gakko, the institution was renamed "Waseda University" in 1902. It is known for its liberal climate...
. In 1907 he went to Tokyo University to study political and economic science.
He joined the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance in 1905 upon its founding and became the director of the financial bureau of Guangdong after the founding of the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
.
In the early struggles of the party, Liao Zhongkai was arrested by Guangdong strongman, Chen Jiongming
Chen Jiongming
Chen Jiongming was a revolutionary figure in the early periods of the Republic of China. Chen Jiongming was born in 1878 at Haifeng, Guangdong, China....
, in June 1922. After Chen's defeat Liao became Civil governor of Guangdong from May 1923 to February 1924, and then again from June to September 1924. During the first Kuomintang - Chinese Communist Party cooperation period, he was appointed to the Kuomintang Executive Committee.
When the KMT was reformed in 1924, he was named the head of the Department of Workers, and then Department of Peasants. Later he became Minister of Finance of the southern government, seated in Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
. When Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
died in Beijing in March, 1925, and Liao was one of the three most powerful figures in the Kuomintang Executive Committee, the other two were Wang Jingwei
Wang Jingwei
Wang Jingwei , alternate name Wang Zhaoming, was a Chinese politician. He was initially known as a member of the left wing of the Kuomintang , but later became increasingly anti-Communist after his efforts to collaborate with the CCP ended in political failure...
and Hu Hanmin
Hu Hanmin
Hu Hanmin was one of the early leaders of Kuomintang , and a very important right-winger in Kuomintang.-Biography:Hu Hanmin was qualified as juren at 21 years of age. He studied in Japan since 1902, and joined Tongmenghui as an editor of 《Minbao》 in 1905. From 1907-1910, he participated in...
.
Liao continued his belief in Sun's policy after he died and one of the key policies was to maintain close relations with the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
as well as the Chinese Communist Party, which was strongly opposed by the KMT right wing. Liao was assassinated before a Kuomintang Executive Committee meeting on August 30, 1925 in Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
, Guangdong when five gunmen riddled him with bullets from Mauser C96's as he stepped out of his limo, and Hu Hanmin was suspected and arrested. This left only Wang Jingwei and the rising Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
as rivals for control of the Kuomintang.
He and He Xiangning had a daughter, Liao Mengxing, and a son, Liao Chengzhi
Liao Chengzhi
Liao Chengzhi was a Chinese politician. He joined the Communist Party of China in 1928, and rose to the position of director of the Xinhua News Agency; after 1949, he worked in various positions related to foreign affairs, most prominently president of the Beijing Foreign Languages Institute,...
, and the latter had four sons, Liao Hui being the eldest. Anna Chennault is his niece.
External links
- Rulers; Index Li-Ll, Liao Zhongkai biography
- 廖仲愷簡介 biography with photo