Wen Shizhen
Encyclopedia
Wen Shizhen (1877–1951) was a politician and diplomat in the Republic of China
. He was Mayor of Tianjin
during the Provisional Government of the Republic of China and the Wang Jingwei regime (Republic of China-Nanjing). His adult name
was Peishan (). He was born in Tianjin.
. In 1906 he was appointed a secretary for foreign affairs to the Viceroy of Liangguang
.
In 1913 Wen Shizhen was appointed advisor in foreign affairs to the Military Governor (Dudu; ) Zhejiang
. In 1916 he was given an additional post as High Diplomatic Advisor to the Military Governor Jiangxi
Li Chun . In August 1917 Li Chun became Military Governor Jiangsu
, Wen also accompanied him. In October 1920 he was appointed Superintendent of Customs of Nanjing
. In next Month he became concurrently Commissioner of Foreign Affairs in Nanjing. In next year he became a member of the Chinese Delegation to the Washington Naval Conference
as the honorary councilor.
In 1923 Wen Shizhen was treated with an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. By Zhili clique's backup, Wen was appointed Commissioner of Foreign Affairs and concurrently Superintendent of Customs of Shanghai in September 1924. In same year Zhili clique was beaten by Fengtian clique
in Second Zhili-Fengtian War
, while Wen was invited by Fengtian clique's Military Governor Yang Yuting
. Later National Revolutionary Army
occupied Shanghai, so Wen defected to Japan, and retired from political circle for a while.
established the Provisional Government of the Republic of China. Wen also participated in it, and was appointed Superintendent of Customs of Tianjin, Inspector of the Bank of Hebei
Province and Chairperson of the Arranging Commission for tariff, etc.
On that time Pan Yugui was appointed Mayor of Tianjin Special City. But his birth place wasn't Tianjin, so the leading figure of Tianjin and the Japanese Special Service Agency of Tianjin didn't want to support him. While Wen Shizhen was born in Tianjin, and his work also better than Pan, so he won popularity with people in the political circle. Pan and Wen struggled with each other, in the end, in 1939, Pan resigned his post, then Wen became the Mayor. In March 1940 the Wang Jingwei regime was established, while Wen stayed on his post. In February 1943 he resigned Mayor.
After the Wang Jingwei regime had collapsed, he was arrested by Chiang Kaishek's National Government
, and because of the charge of treason and surrender to enemy (namely Hanjian
), he was sentenced to death. But Wen wasn't executed, while he was imprisoned in Tianjin. In the end of 1948, because the People's Liberation Army
's entering Tianjin is coming, Wen was released by Kuomintang
authority. But in next January he was rearrested by the Tianjin People's Government, Communist Party of China
.
Wen Shizhen was executed by the authority of the People's Republic of China
in 1951.
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...
. He was Mayor of Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
during the Provisional Government of the Republic of China and the Wang Jingwei regime (Republic of China-Nanjing). His adult name
Chinese style name
A Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...
was Peishan (). He was born in Tianjin.
In the Beijing Government
Wen Shizhen was graduated from the Beiyang Naval College in 1898. He served for 4 years in the Chinese Navy as a lieutenant, while he went to United Kingdom for training. Later he transferred to a staff of Li HongzhangLi Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang or Li Hung-chang , Marquis Suyi of the First Class , GCVO, was a leading statesman of the late Qing Empire...
. In 1906 he was appointed a secretary for foreign affairs to the Viceroy of Liangguang
Viceroy of Liangguang
The Viceroy of Liangguang , fully referred to as the Governor General of Liangguang and surrounding areas; Overseeing Military Affairs, Food Production; Manager of Waterways; Director of Civil Affairs , was one of eight viceroys in China proper during the Qing Dynasty of China...
.
In 1913 Wen Shizhen was appointed advisor in foreign affairs to the Military Governor (Dudu; ) Zhejiang
Zhejiang
Zhejiang is an eastern coastal province of the People's Republic of China. The word Zhejiang was the old name of the Qiantang River, which passes through Hangzhou, the provincial capital...
. In 1916 he was given an additional post as High Diplomatic Advisor to the Military Governor Jiangxi
Jiangxi
' is a southern province in the People's Republic of China. Spanning from the banks of the Yangtze River in the north into hillier areas in the south, it shares a border with Anhui to the north, Zhejiang to the northeast, Fujian to the east, Guangdong to the south, Hunan to the west, and Hubei to...
Li Chun . In August 1917 Li Chun became Military Governor Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
, Wen also accompanied him. In October 1920 he was appointed Superintendent of Customs of 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...
. In next Month he became concurrently Commissioner of Foreign Affairs in Nanjing. In next year he became a member of the Chinese Delegation to the Washington Naval Conference
Washington Naval Conference
The Washington Naval Conference also called the Washington Arms Conference, was a military conference called by President Warren G. Harding and held in Washington from 12 November 1921 to 6 February 1922. Conducted outside the auspices of the League of Nations, it was attended by nine nations...
as the honorary councilor.
In 1923 Wen Shizhen was treated with an ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary. By Zhili clique's backup, Wen was appointed Commissioner of Foreign Affairs and concurrently Superintendent of Customs of Shanghai in September 1924. In same year Zhili clique was beaten by 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...
in Second Zhili-Fengtian War
Second Zhili-Fengtian War
The Second Zhili–Fengtian War of 1924 was a conflict between the Japanese-backed Fengtian clique based in Manchuria, and the more liberal Zhili clique controlling Beijing and backed by Anglo-American business interests...
, while Wen was invited by Fengtian clique's Military Governor Yang Yuting
Yang Yuting
Yang Yuting, , , Fengtien clique warlord and Military governor of Jiangsu from August to November 1925. He was shot by Zhang Xueliang for his collusion with the Japanese, following the Huanggutun Incident.- Source :*...
. Later National Revolutionary Army
National Revolutionary Army
The National Revolutionary Army , pre-1928 sometimes shortened to 革命軍 or Revolutionary Army and between 1928-1947 as 國軍 or National Army was the Military Arm of the Kuomintang from 1925 until 1947, as well as the national army of the Republic of China during the KMT's period of party rule...
occupied Shanghai, so Wen defected to Japan, and retired from political circle for a while.
In the Provisional Government and the Wang Jingwei Regime
In December 1937 Wang KeminWang Kemin
Wang Kemin was a leading official in the Chinese republican movement and early Beiyang government, later noted for his role as in the collaborationist Provisional Government of the Republic of China and Nanjing Nationalist Government during World War II....
established the Provisional Government of the Republic of China. Wen also participated in it, and was appointed Superintendent of Customs of Tianjin, Inspector of the Bank of Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
Province and Chairperson of the Arranging Commission for tariff, etc.
On that time Pan Yugui was appointed Mayor of Tianjin Special City. But his birth place wasn't Tianjin, so the leading figure of Tianjin and the Japanese Special Service Agency of Tianjin didn't want to support him. While Wen Shizhen was born in Tianjin, and his work also better than Pan, so he won popularity with people in the political circle. Pan and Wen struggled with each other, in the end, in 1939, Pan resigned his post, then Wen became the Mayor. In March 1940 the Wang Jingwei regime was established, while Wen stayed on his post. In February 1943 he resigned Mayor.
After the Wang Jingwei regime had collapsed, he was arrested by Chiang Kaishek's National Government
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...
, and because of the charge of treason and surrender to enemy (namely Hanjian
Hanjian
In Chinese culture, a Hanjian is a derogatory and pejorative term for a race traitor to the Han Chinese nation or state, and to a lesser extent, Han ethnicity. The word Hanjian is distinct from the general word for traitor, which could be used for any race or country...
), he was sentenced to death. But Wen wasn't executed, while he was imprisoned in Tianjin. In the end of 1948, because the People's Liberation Army
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
's entering Tianjin is coming, Wen was released by Kuomintang
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...
authority. But in next January he was rearrested by the Tianjin People's Government, Communist Party of China
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
.
Wen Shizhen was executed by the authority of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
in 1951.
Footnotes
- The Before and After of Pan Yugui was appointed to the Fake Mayor of Tianjin The Official Website of Hebei Ward, Tianjin (）