Sa Zhenbing
Encyclopedia
Sa Zhenbing KCMG (30 March 1859 - 10 April 1952) was a prominent Chinese
admiral
. He lived through four governments in China, and had been appointed to various senior naval and political offices.
, Fujian province, to a Semu
family who had lived in the area since the late Yuan Dynasty
. Between 1869 and 1872 he attended the Fuzhou Naval Academy; Deng Shichang
was among his classmates. Between 1877 and 1880 Sa Zhenbing was among the first group of Fuzhou Naval Academy alumni sent abroad to study at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich
in Britain.
in the Nanyang Fleet
, Sa Zhenbing became the youngest captain in the Beiyang Fleet
. In 1895 he participated in the Battle of Weihaiwei
during the First Sino-Japanese War
, leading a group of sailors from the training ship Kangji in a ten-day defence of an island coastal fortress off Weihai
wei.
At that time the Japanese Admiral Ito Sukeyuki
appealed to the Beiyang Fleet Admiral Ding Ruchang
to surrender, promising him political asylum in Japan; Admiral Ding chose to commit suicide by handgun in his office at the Liugong Island headquarters. His deputy, Admiral Liu, after ordering that his warship be scuttled by explosives, also committed suicide by taking poison. Command of the Chinese Forces fell to Scottish-born Vice-Admiral John McClure
, who completed the surrender negotiations with Admiral Ito. As the only captain still alive at the end of the battle, Sa Zhenbing was given the unenviable task of formally surrendering to Admiral Ito.
s, tasked with rebuilding the Imperial Chinese Navy
after the defeat during the First Sino-Japanese War.
During the Wuchang Uprising
of 1911, Sa Zhenbing was ordered to sail to Wuhan
to suppress the revolutionaries; upon realizing his sailors' revolutionary tendencies, he left his post on 1 November for Shanghai
. Nonetheless he was appointed Minister of the Navy by Yuan Shikai
, who at the time was the last Prime Minister of the Imperial Cabinet.
Sa Zhenbing briefly served as acting Prime Minister under the Beiyang Government
in 1920, then as Governor of Fujian Province from 1922 to 1926.
In 1949, near the end of the Chinese Civil War
, Sa Zhenbing declined an offer by Chiang Kai-Shek
to evacuate him to Taiwan
, instead pledging his allegiance to the Communist Party of China
.
Sa Zhenbing died in his hometown of Fuzhou in 1952, aged 94.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
. He lived through four governments in China, and had been appointed to various senior naval and political offices.
Early life
Sa Zhenbing was born in FuzhouFuzhou
Fuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
, Fujian province, to a Semu
Semu
Semu is the name of a caste established in China under the Yuan Dynasty. Contrary to popular belief, the term "Semu" did not imply that caste members had "colored eyes" in contrast with black-eyed Mongol Yuan people...
family who had lived in the area since the late Yuan Dynasty
Yuan Dynasty
The Yuan Dynasty , or Great Yuan Empire was a ruling dynasty founded by the Mongol leader Kublai Khan, who ruled most of present-day China, all of modern Mongolia and its surrounding areas, lasting officially from 1271 to 1368. It is considered both as a division of the Mongol Empire and as an...
. Between 1869 and 1872 he attended the Fuzhou Naval Academy; Deng Shichang
Deng Shichang
Deng Shichang was a famous Chinese admiral during the late Qing Dynasty era. Native of Panyu, Guangdong; originally named as Yongchang ; courtesy name Zhengqing ....
was among his classmates. Between 1877 and 1880 Sa Zhenbing was among the first group of Fuzhou Naval Academy alumni sent abroad to study at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich
Old Royal Naval College
The Old Royal Naval College is the architectural centrepiece of Maritime Greenwich, a World Heritage Site in Greenwich, London, described by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as being of “outstanding universal value” and reckoned to be the “finest and most...
in Britain.
Battle of Weihaiwei
After serving as a Chief MateChief Mate
A Chief Mate or Chief Officer, usually also synonymous with the First Mate or First Officer , is a licensed member and head of the deck department of a merchant ship...
in the Nanyang Fleet
Nanyang Fleet
The Nanyang Fleet was one of the four modernised Chinese navies in the late Qing Dynasty. Established in the 1870s, the fleet suffered losses in the Sino-French War, escaped intact in the Sino-Japanese War, and was formally abolished in 1909....
, Sa Zhenbing became the youngest captain in the Beiyang Fleet
Beiyang Fleet
The Beiyang Fleet was one of the four modernised Chinese navies in the late Qing Dynasty. Among the four, the Beiyang Fleet was particularly sponsored by Li Hongzhang, one of the most trusted vassals of Empress Dowager Cixi and the principal patron of the "self-strengthening movement" in northern...
. In 1895 he participated in the Battle of Weihaiwei
Battle of Weihaiwei
The Battle of Weihaiwei was a 23 day siege with a major land and naval component during the First Sino-Japanese War. It took place between 20 January and 12 February 1895 in Weihai, Shandong Province, China) between the forces of Meiji Japan and Qing China...
during the First Sino-Japanese War
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
, leading a group of sailors from the training ship Kangji in a ten-day defence of an island coastal fortress off Weihai
Weihai
Weihai is a city in eastern Shandong Province, People's Republic of China. It is the easternmost prefecture-level city of the province and a major seaport. Between 1898 and 1930, the town was a British colony known as Weihaiwei or the Weihai Garrison , and sometimes as Port Edward...
wei.
At that time the Japanese Admiral Ito Sukeyuki
Itoh Sukeyuki
- Notes :...
appealed to the Beiyang Fleet Admiral Ding Ruchang
Ding Ruchang
thumb|250px|Admiral Ding RuchangDing Ruchang joined the Taiping Rebellion in 1854. But later he surrendered with Cheng Xuechi in the Battle of Anqing in 1861 and joined Li Hongzhang as a cavalryman to fight against the Taiping Rebellion. In 1874, he protested against the Qing Dynasty government's...
to surrender, promising him political asylum in Japan; Admiral Ding chose to commit suicide by handgun in his office at the Liugong Island headquarters. His deputy, Admiral Liu, after ordering that his warship be scuttled by explosives, also committed suicide by taking poison. Command of the Chinese Forces fell to Scottish-born Vice-Admiral John McClure
Admiral John McClure
Admiral John McClure was a Scotsman serving in the Imperial Chinese Navy who was appointed second-in-command to Admiral Ding Ruchang -Before 1894:McClure was born on 13 November 1837, the son of John and Margaret McClure...
, who completed the surrender negotiations with Admiral Ito. As the only captain still alive at the end of the battle, Sa Zhenbing was given the unenviable task of formally surrendering to Admiral Ito.
Later career
In 1905 Sa Zhenbing was appointed Admiral-in-Chief of the Beiyang, Nanyang and Guangdong FleetGuangdong Fleet
The Guangdong Fleet was the smallest of China's four regional fleets during the second half of the nineteenth century. The fleet played virtually no part in the Sino-French War , but several of its ships saw action in the Sino-Japanese War .- Leadership :In the summer of 1882, when China began to...
s, tasked with rebuilding the Imperial Chinese Navy
Imperial Chinese Navy
The Chinese Imperial Navy came into existence from 1132 during the Song Dynasty to the end of the Qing period in 1912. Prior to 12th century, Chinese naval ships were not organized into a uniform force...
after the defeat during the First Sino-Japanese War.
During the Wuchang Uprising
Wuchang Uprising
The Wuchang Uprising began with the dissatisfaction of the handling of a railway crisis. The crisis then escalated to an uprising where the revolutionaries went up against Qing government officials. The uprising was then assisted by the New Army in a coup against their own authorities in the city...
of 1911, Sa Zhenbing was ordered to sail to Wuhan
Wuhan
Wuhan is the capital of Hubei province, People's Republic of China, and is the most populous city in Central China. It lies at the east of the Jianghan Plain, and the intersection of the middle reaches of the Yangtze and Han rivers...
to suppress the revolutionaries; upon realizing his sailors' revolutionary tendencies, he left his post on 1 November for Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. Nonetheless he was appointed Minister of the Navy by Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai
Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived...
, who at the time was the last Prime Minister of the Imperial Cabinet.
Sa Zhenbing briefly served as acting Prime Minister under the Beiyang Government
Beiyang Government
The Beiyang government or warlord government collectively refers to a series of military regimes that ruled from Beijing from 1912 to 1928 at Zhongnanhai. It was internationally recognized as the legitimate Government of the Republic of China. The name comes from the Beiyang Army which dominated...
in 1920, then as Governor of Fujian Province from 1922 to 1926.
In 1949, near the end of the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
, Sa Zhenbing declined an offer by 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....
to evacuate him to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, instead pledging his allegiance to the 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...
.
Sa Zhenbing died in his hometown of Fuzhou in 1952, aged 94.