Lü Ronghuan
Encyclopedia
Lu Ronghuan was a politician in the early Republic of China
who subsequently served in a number of Cabinet posts of the Empire of Manchukuo
.
Liaoning Province, Lü studied law at the Jiangsu Provincial University, returning to Shenyang
in Manchuria
to establish a legal office. In subsequently served in local government, becoming vice-chairman of the Fengtian Provincial Assembly and serving as a director on the Chinese Eastern Railway
.
In 1923, Lü was commissioned by the Fengtian clique
warlord
, Zhang Zuolin
as a special envoy to Moscow
, where he negotiated a treaty between Manchuria and the Soviet Union
. He was appointed governor of the Chinese Eastern Railway in 1928, but lost his position after the death of Zhang Zuolin and the military defeat of his son Zhang Xueliang
.
After the Mukden Incident
of 1931, Lü was recruited by Japanese spymaster Colonel Kenji Doihara
to serve on the Self-Government Guiding Board
, to determine the future structure of the new State of Manchukuo. In August 1932, he served as chairman of the Harbin
city assembly, succceeding Bao Guancheng
.
From July 1933 to May 1935, Lü was asked to serve as Governor of Harbin Special Municipality. Also from November 1934 to May 1935, he was concurrently Governor of Binjiang Province. In March 1935, Lü accepted the cabinet-level post of Minister of Civil Affairs of the Empire of Manchukuo, which he held to May 1937. From May-July 1937, he served as Minister of Enterprises, until that post was merged into the Ministry of Industries. He continued as Minister of Industries from July 1937 to May 1940. He then returned to his former post as Minister of Civil Affairs from May 1940 to January 1941. In January 1941, he was sent as a special envoy to the Reorganized National Government of China, remaining in Nanjing
until 1944. After his return to Hsinking
, he served with the Foreign Ministry as a special envoy, and retired from public life in 1945.
Following the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, Lü attempted to organize a civil defense
committee to maintain public order, but was captured by Soviet Red Army
and held in custody in Siberia
. He died while incarcerated in Siberia of illness at the age of 57.
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...
who subsequently served in a number of Cabinet posts of the Empire of Manchukuo
Manchukuo
Manchukuo or Manshū-koku was a puppet state in Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, governed under a form of constitutional monarchy. The region was the historical homeland of the Manchus, who founded the Qing Empire in China...
.
Biography
A native of FushunFushun
Fushun is a city in Liaoning, China, about 45 km east from Shenyang, with a population about 2,138 090 inhabitants at the 2010 census and an area of 11,271 km2, including 713 km2 of the city proper. Fushun is situated on the Hun He . It was formerly called Fouchouen in French...
Liaoning Province, Lü studied law at the Jiangsu Provincial University, returning to Shenyang
Shenyang
Shenyang , or Mukden , is the capital and largest city of Liaoning Province in Northeast China. Currently holding sub-provincial administrative status, the city was once known as Shengjing or Fengtianfu...
in Manchuria
Manchuria
Manchuria is a historical name given to a large geographic region in northeast Asia. Depending on the definition of its extent, Manchuria usually falls entirely within the People's Republic of China, or is sometimes divided between China and Russia. The region is commonly referred to as Northeast...
to establish a legal office. In subsequently served in local government, becoming vice-chairman of the Fengtian Provincial Assembly and serving as a director on the Chinese Eastern Railway
Chinese Eastern Railway
The Chinese Eastern Railway or was a railway in northeastern China . It connected Chita and the Russian Far East. English-speakers have sometimes referred to this line as the Manchurian Railway...
.
In 1923, Lü was commissioned by the Fengtian clique
Fengtian clique
The Fengtian Clique was one of several mutually hostile cliques or factions that split from the Beiyang Clique in the Republic of China's warlord era. It was named for Fengtian Province and led by Zhang Zuolin...
warlord
Warlord
A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war...
, Zhang Zuolin
Zhang Zuolin
Zhang Zuolin was the warlord of Manchuria from 1916 to 1928 . He successfully invaded China proper in October 1924 in the Second Zhili-Fengtian War. He gained control of Peking, including China's internationally recognized government, in April 1926...
as a special envoy to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, where he negotiated a treaty between Manchuria and 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....
. He was appointed governor of the Chinese Eastern Railway in 1928, but lost his position after the death of Zhang Zuolin and the military defeat of his son Zhang Xueliang
Zhang Xueliang
Zhang Xueliang or Chang Hsüeh-liang , occasionally called Peter Hsueh Liang Chang in English, nicknamed the Young Marshal , was the effective ruler of Manchuria and much of North China after the assassination of his father, Zhang Zuolin, by the Japanese on 4 June 1928...
.
After the Mukden Incident
Mukden Incident
The Mukden Incident, also known as the Manchurian Incident, was a staged event that was engineered by Japanese military personnel as a pretext for invading the northern part of China known as Manchuria in 1931....
of 1931, Lü was recruited by Japanese spymaster Colonel Kenji Doihara
Kenji Doihara
was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army in World War II. He was instrumental in the Japanese invasion of Manchuria for which he earned fame taking the nickname 'Lawrence of Manchuria', a reference to the Lawrence of Arabia....
to serve on the Self-Government Guiding Board
Self-Government Guiding Board
The Self-Government Guiding Board was organized by the Imperial Japanese Army, in Mukden during the last half of September 1931 following the Mukden Incident and Invasion of Manchuria. The purpose of the Board was to start an independence movement and spread it throughout Manchuria...
, to determine the future structure of the new State of Manchukuo. In August 1932, he served as chairman of the Harbin
Harbin
Harbin ; Manchu language: , Harbin; Russian: Харби́н Kharbin ), is the capital and largest city of Heilongjiang Province in Northeast China, lying on the southern bank of the Songhua River...
city assembly, succceeding Bao Guancheng
Bao Guancheng
Bao Guancheng was a Manchukuo politician, who served as mayor of Harbin and ambassador to Japan.-Career:Bao was born in Zhenjiang, Jiangsu. In his youth, he studied law at Beiyang University, then worked as a secretary at the National Bureau of Alcohol and Tobacco...
.
From July 1933 to May 1935, Lü was asked to serve as Governor of Harbin Special Municipality. Also from November 1934 to May 1935, he was concurrently Governor of Binjiang Province. In March 1935, Lü accepted the cabinet-level post of Minister of Civil Affairs of the Empire of Manchukuo, which he held to May 1937. From May-July 1937, he served as Minister of Enterprises, until that post was merged into the Ministry of Industries. He continued as Minister of Industries from July 1937 to May 1940. He then returned to his former post as Minister of Civil Affairs from May 1940 to January 1941. In January 1941, he was sent as a special envoy to the Reorganized National Government of China, remaining in Nanjing
Nanjing
' is the capital of Jiangsu province in China and has a prominent place in Chinese history and culture, having been the capital of China on several occasions...
until 1944. After his return to Hsinking
Changchun
Changchun is the capital and largest city of Jilin province, located in the northeast of the People's Republic of China, in the center of the Songliao Plain. It is administered as a sub-provincial city with a population of 7,677,089 at the 2010 census under its jurisdiction, including counties and...
, he served with the Foreign Ministry as a special envoy, and retired from public life in 1945.
Following the Soviet invasion of Manchuria, Lü attempted to organize a civil defense
Civil defense
Civil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
committee to maintain public order, but was captured by Soviet Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
and held in custody in Siberia
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. He died while incarcerated in Siberia of illness at the age of 57.