Shao Peizi
Encyclopedia
Shao Peizi was a Chinese calligraphist
East Asian calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy is a form of calligraphy widely practised and revered in the Sinosphere. This most often includes China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The East Asian calligraphic tradition originated and developed from China. There is a general standardization of the various styles of...

, seal artist, educator and economist. Shao was twice President of Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University , sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education...

 in history.

Biography

Shao was born in Hangzhou
Hangzhou
Hangzhou , formerly transliterated as Hangchow, is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China. Governed as a sub-provincial city, and as of 2010, its entire administrative division or prefecture had a registered population of 8.7 million people...

, the capital of Zhejiang Province, in 1884 Qing Dynasty China
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....

. Shao's birthname was Wentai (闻泰), and also known as Changguang (长光). Shao studied English and economics at Nanyang Public School (南洋公学; main root of current Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Shanghai Jiao Tong University or SJTU), sometimes referred to as Shanghai Jiaotong University , is a top public research university located in Shanghai, China. Shanghai Jiao Tong University is known as one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in China...

) in Shanghai. After graduation Shao went to USA and studied economics at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...

, which he graduated BA in 1909.

In the first year of Xuantong Era (1909)
Puyi
Puyi , of the Manchu Aisin Gioro clan, was the last Emperor of China, and the twelfth and final ruler of the Qing Dynasty. He ruled as the Xuantong Emperor from 1908 until his abdication on 12 February 1912. From 1 to 12 July 1917 he was briefly restored to the throne as a nominal emperor by the...

, Shao went back to China, and became a lecturer
Lecturer
Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...

 of English at Zhejiang Advanced College (current Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University
Zhejiang University , sometimes referred to as Zheda, is a national university in China. Founded in 1897, Zhejiang University is one of China's oldest institutions of higher education...

) in Hangzhou. She later became provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....

 and then president of the college.

In 1913, Shao went to Beijing and served as a senior official in the Minister of Finance. He was also a professor of English and the provost of the University of Law and Politics (法政大学; a root of current Peking University
Peking University
Peking University , colloquially known in Chinese as Beida , is a major research university located in Beijing, China, and a member of the C9 League. It is the first established modern national university of China. It was founded as Imperial University of Peking in 1898 as a replacement of the...

) in Beijing.

Just before the Northern Expedition (1926–1927), Shao again went back to Hangzhou, became a professor and later the dean
Dean (education)
In academic administration, a dean is a person with significant authority over a specific academic unit, or over a specific area of concern, or both...

 of the School of Science and Arts at Zhejiang University. In Nov 1928, Shao became the Vice-president of Zhejiang University (then named as National 3rd Sun Yat-sen University, in memory of 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...

). From Jul 1930 to Nov 1931, Shao served the President of Zhejiang University
Presidents of Zhejiang University
-Qiushi Academy - Zhejiang Advanced College period:-National 3rd Sun Yat-sen University - National Chekiang University period :Chekiang University or National Chekiang University is also known as the University of Chekiang...

.

When 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....

 was inspecting Zhejiang University, Shao was encouraged to join 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...

, which was refused by Shao. Shao was squeezed out by Kuomintang Central Club and left Zhejiang University in 1935, but still lived in Hangzhou.

Shao later worked for the Commercial Press
Commercial Press
-History:In 1897, 26-year-old Xia Ruifang and three of his friends founded The Commercial Press in Shanghai. The group soon received financial backing and began publishing books. In 1914, Xia attempted to buy out a Japanese company that had invested in the Commercial Press. Four days later he was...

 in Shanghai. During the Second Sino-Japanese War
Second Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...

, Shao served senator of Zhejiang Provincial Government, and was a director of the board
Board of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...

 of Zhejiang Bank.

After 1949, Shao was the Director-general
Director-general
The term director-general is a title given the highest executive officer within a governmental, statutory, NGO, third sector or not-for-profit institution.-European Union:...

 of Zhejiang Cultural Relic Management Committee (浙江省文物管理委员会). Shao was a standing member and later director of the Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang
Revolutionary Committee of the Kuomintang
The Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang is one of eight registered minor political parties in the People's Republic of China....

 Zhejiang Branch. Shao was the Vice-president of Zhejiang Research Insititue of Literautre and History (浙江省文史研究馆). Shao was a member of both Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference
The Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference [], shortened as 人民政协, Rénmín Zhèngxié, i.e. "People's PCC"; or just 政协, Zhèngxié, i.e. "The PCC"), abbreviated CPPCC, is a political advisory body in the People's Republic of China...

 and National People’s Congress.

Art

Shao was a famous calligraphist and seal maker
Seal cutting (art)
Seal cutting, or Zhuanke , is a kind of traditional art that originated in China, and later spread to East Asia. It refers to cutting a pattern into the bottom of the seal , rather than the sides or top.-History:In Shang Dynasty, seals started being used in the governmental systems, and they...

 in China. In calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy
East Asian calligraphy is a form of calligraphy widely practised and revered in the Sinosphere. This most often includes China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. The East Asian calligraphic tradition originated and developed from China. There is a general standardization of the various styles of...

, Shao was quite accomplished in both regular script
Regular script
Regular script , also called 正楷 , 真書 , 楷体 and 正書 , is the newest of the Chinese script styles Regular script , also called 正楷 , 真書 (zhēnshū), 楷体 (kǎitǐ) and 正書 (zhèngshū), is the newest of the Chinese script styles Regular script , also called 正楷 , 真書 (zhēnshū), 楷体 (kǎitǐ) and 正書 (zhèngshū), is...

 and semi-cursive script
Semi-cursive script
Semi-cursive script is a cursive style of Chinese characters. Because it is not as abbreviated as cursive, most people who can read regular script can read semi-cursive....

. His style is described as deep, powerful, clear, and smart (沉雄清灵), and is considered close to Li Beihai (李北海)'s style.

External links

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