Tang Jiyao
Encyclopedia
Tang Jiyao (1883 – May 23, 1927) was a Chinese
general and warlord
of Yunnan
during the Warlord Era
of Republican China
. Tang Jiyao was military governor of Yunnan from 1913-1927.
, Yunnan province. Along with Cai E, Tang Jiyao originally took the civil examinations
, but when influenced by republicanism, he decided to become a military man. He became a revolutionary warrior in southwestern China after he finished his military studies in Japan
.
During the Xinhai Revolution
, Tang attacked the revolutionary government of Guizhou with his Yunnan army, and conquered the province, becoming military governor of Guizhou. Liu Xianshi succeeded Tang as Guizhou Governor when Tang returned to Yunnan to succeed Cai E as military governor of Yunnan. Tang Jiyao replaced Cai E
as military Governor of Yunnan in 1913. Tang agreed with Cai E that the military was the most important institution in China and should play a major role in government, leading to the Yunnan army persisting as a major force.
When Yuan Shikai
proclaimed himself as the emperor of China in the December of 1915, Tang announced the independence
of Yunnan
with Cai E
(Tsai Ao), Li Jiejun and others. He was also a leader of the army which fought successfully against the army of Yuan Shikai in the National Protection War
. Tang became military leader of the National Protection movement.
Tang was a notable figure because of his federalist, anti-Communist ideology and pro-Sun Yat-sen
policies. After Cai E died in 1916, Tang helped Sun set up the Constitutional Protection Movement in 1917 and started his own party, the People's Party (民治党) while remaining a member of Sun's KMT. He assisted Sun in defeating the Old Guangxi Clique
and later Chen Jiongming
's rebellion.
Tang Jiyao had a cousin, Tang Jiyu, who was also a General. Tang Jiyao sought to use propaganda to gain publicity for himself on the national stage in China. He smuggled confiscated opium to Shanghai, but the local Green Gang
ratted them out to the British
authorities, and much of the opium ended up on the black market. Tang Jiyu avoided Shanghai during the trial against officials involved in the opium deal in 1916.
Tang Jiyao set up an opium trafficking scheme in Yunnan, with monopolies, taxes, and licenses, and succeeded in producing large amounts of opium from poppy plants, which were suited to Yunnan's climate. He transported opium via Indochina to Haiphong
, which was a port, and then it was sent to China via the coast.
Some of General Tang Jiyao's behaviour and actions are described in colourful ways in two books by the French journalist and novelist Lucien Bodard
, i.e. "Monsieur le consul" (The French Consul, 1973) and "Le fils du consul" (The Consul's Son, 1975), based on his souvenirs when he was a child and his father, Albert Bodard, was Consul in France, successively in Chengdu
, Sechuan, and in Yunnanfu, later called Kunming
, in Yunnan
. In these two books, there are chapters with extensive descriptions of General Tang Jiyao dealings with French authorities in China and Hanoi
, Vietnam
, as part of his efforts to develop his drug trade and purchase weapons for his army, while France was trying to build a railroad from Hanoi
to Kunming
and further to Chengdu
, to expand their economic and political interests in Southern China, from their French Indochina colony. There are also descriptions of Tang Jiyao's relations, alliances and conflicts with other Chinese generals.
When Sun Yat-sen was appointed as Grand Marshal
of the military government in Guangzhou, Tang Jiyao was promoted to Marshal
.
The Guangxi Clique
tried to seize the Yunnan Army and remove Tang as its leader in 1920.
, the party flatly rejected his claims. Upset, he invaded Guangdong
and Guangxi
but was defeated by Li Zongren
in the Yunnan-Guangxi War
. Tang's claim to military leadership may have been a pretext, since what he really wanted was opium routes through Guangxi. He later became vice premier of Chen Jiongming's China Public Interest Party. He died in 1927 in Kunming
, one month after he was ousted by Hu Ruoyu
and Long Yun
in a military coup, which made him lose all of his power in Yunnan. Long Yun then supported Chiang Kai-shek
's Nanjing
government, dissolved the People's Party, and expelled Chen's party.
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...
general and 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...
of Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
during the Warlord Era
Warlord era
The Chinese Warlord Era was the period in the history of the Republic of China, from 1916 to 1928, when the country was divided among military cliques, a division that continued until the fall of the Nationalist government in the mainland China regions of Sichuan, Shanxi, Qinghai, Ningxia,...
of Republican China
History of the Republic of China
The History of the Republic of China begins after the Qing Dynasty in 1912, when the formation of the Republic of China put an end to over two thousand years of Imperial rule. The Qing Dynasty, also known as the Manchu Dynasty, ruled from 1644 to 1912...
. Tang Jiyao was military governor of Yunnan from 1913-1927.
Life
Tang was born in Huize county(會澤縣) in 1883 in nowadays QujingQujing
Qujing is a prefecture-level city in eastern Yunnan province of Southwest China. It is an important industrial city, and is Yunnan's second largest city by population, after Kunming....
, Yunnan province. Along with Cai E, Tang Jiyao originally took the civil examinations
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
, but when influenced by republicanism, he decided to become a military man. He became a revolutionary warrior in southwestern China after he finished his military studies in 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...
.
During the Xinhai Revolution
Xinhai Revolution
The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China...
, Tang attacked the revolutionary government of Guizhou with his Yunnan army, and conquered the province, becoming military governor of Guizhou. Liu Xianshi succeeded Tang as Guizhou Governor when Tang returned to Yunnan to succeed Cai E as military governor of Yunnan. Tang Jiyao replaced Cai E
Cai E
Cai E or Tsai Ao was a Chinese revolutionary leader and warlord. He was born Cai Genyin in Shaoyang, Hunan, and his courtesy name was Songpo...
as military Governor of Yunnan in 1913. Tang agreed with Cai E that the military was the most important institution in China and should play a major role in government, leading to the Yunnan army persisting as a major force.
When 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...
proclaimed himself as the emperor of China in the December of 1915, Tang announced the independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
of Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
with Cai E
Cai E
Cai E or Tsai Ao was a Chinese revolutionary leader and warlord. He was born Cai Genyin in Shaoyang, Hunan, and his courtesy name was Songpo...
(Tsai Ao), Li Jiejun and others. He was also a leader of the army which fought successfully against the army of Yuan Shikai in the National Protection War
National Protection War
The National Protection War , also known as the anti-Monarchy War, was a civil war that took place in China between 1915 and 1916. The cause of this war was Yuan Shikai's proclamation of himself as Emperor. Only three years earlier, the last Chinese dynasty, the Qing Dynasty, had been overthrown...
. Tang became military leader of the National Protection movement.
Tang was a notable figure because of his federalist, anti-Communist ideology and pro-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...
policies. After Cai E died in 1916, Tang helped Sun set up the Constitutional Protection Movement in 1917 and started his own party, the People's Party (民治党) while remaining a member of Sun's KMT. He assisted Sun in defeating the Old Guangxi Clique
Old Guangxi clique
After the founding of the Republic of China, Guangxi served as the base for one of the most powerful warlord cliques of China: the Old Guangxi Clique. Led by Lu Rongting, the clique was able to take control of neighbouring Hunan and Guangdong provinces as well...
and later 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....
's rebellion.
Tang Jiyao had a cousin, Tang Jiyu, who was also a General. Tang Jiyao sought to use propaganda to gain publicity for himself on the national stage in China. He smuggled confiscated opium to Shanghai, but the local Green Gang
Green Gang
The Green Gang was a Chinese criminal organization that operated in Shanghai in the early 20th century.-Origins:It was a secret society established originally by Fong Toh-tak of Shaolin Monastery to protect the Han Chinese who were oppressed by the Manchu rulers of the Qing Dynasty, and to restore...
ratted them out to the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
authorities, and much of the opium ended up on the black market. Tang Jiyu avoided Shanghai during the trial against officials involved in the opium deal in 1916.
Tang Jiyao set up an opium trafficking scheme in Yunnan, with monopolies, taxes, and licenses, and succeeded in producing large amounts of opium from poppy plants, which were suited to Yunnan's climate. He transported opium via Indochina to Haiphong
Haiphong
, also Haiphong, is the third most populous city in Vietnam. The name means, "coastal defence".-History:Hai Phong was originally founded by Lê Chân, the female general of a Vietnamese revolution against the Chinese led by the Trưng Sisters in the year 43 C.E.The area which is now known as Duong...
, which was a port, and then it was sent to China via the coast.
Some of General Tang Jiyao's behaviour and actions are described in colourful ways in two books by the French journalist and novelist Lucien Bodard
Lucien Bodard
Lucien Bodard was a French reporter and writer on events in Asia.Bodard was born on January 9, 1914 in Chongqing to the French consul Albert Bodard, who was stationed several years in China, i.e. in Chongking, Chengdu, Kunming and Shanghai. He grew up with the Chinese language and spoke Mandarin...
, i.e. "Monsieur le consul" (The French Consul, 1973) and "Le fils du consul" (The Consul's Son, 1975), based on his souvenirs when he was a child and his father, Albert Bodard, was Consul in France, successively in Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
, Sechuan, and in Yunnanfu, later called Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
, in Yunnan
Yunnan
Yunnan is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the far southwest of the country spanning approximately and with a population of 45.7 million . The capital of the province is Kunming. The province borders Burma, Laos, and Vietnam.Yunnan is situated in a mountainous area, with...
. In these two books, there are chapters with extensive descriptions of General Tang Jiyao dealings with French authorities in China and Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
, Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, as part of his efforts to develop his drug trade and purchase weapons for his army, while France was trying to build a railroad from Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
to Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
and further to Chengdu
Chengdu
Chengdu , formerly transliterated Chengtu, is the capital of Sichuan province in Southwest China. It holds sub-provincial administrative status...
, to expand their economic and political interests in Southern China, from their French Indochina colony. There are also descriptions of Tang Jiyao's relations, alliances and conflicts with other Chinese generals.
When Sun Yat-sen was appointed as Grand Marshal
Da Yuan Shuai
Da Yuan Shuai was a Chinese military rank, usually translated as Grand Marshal or Generalissimo.During the early Republic of China, the rank of "Grand Marshal of the Army and Navy" was assumed by Yuan Shikai in 1913, Sun Yat-sen in 1917 and Zhang Zuolin in 1927.The rank was replaced by the...
of the military government in Guangzhou, Tang Jiyao was promoted to Marshal
Yuan Shuai
Yuan Shuai was a Chinese military rank that corresponds to a marshal in other nations. It is given to distinguished generals during China's dynastic and republican periods. A higher level rank of Da Yuan Shuai , which corresponds to a Generalissimo, also existed.-People's Republic of China:The...
.
The Guangxi Clique
Old Guangxi clique
After the founding of the Republic of China, Guangxi served as the base for one of the most powerful warlord cliques of China: the Old Guangxi Clique. Led by Lu Rongting, the clique was able to take control of neighbouring Hunan and Guangdong provinces as well...
tried to seize the Yunnan Army and remove Tang as its leader in 1920.
Downfall
Six days after Sun's death in 1925, Tang claimed to be Sun's successor and head of the KuomintangKuomintang
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...
, the party flatly rejected his claims. Upset, he invaded 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...
and Guangxi
Guangxi
Guangxi, formerly romanized Kwangsi, is a province of southern China along its border with Vietnam. In 1958, it became the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China, a region with special privileges created specifically for the Zhuang people.Guangxi's location, in...
but was defeated by Li Zongren
Li Zongren
Li Zongren or Li Tsung-jen , courtesy name Delin , was a prominent Guangxi warlord and Kuomintang military commander during the Northern Expedition, Second Sino-Japanese War and Chinese Civil War...
in the Yunnan-Guangxi War
Yunnan-Guangxi War
The Yunnan–Guangxi War was a war of succession fought for the control of the Chinese Nationalist Party after the death of Sun Yat-sen in 1925. It was launched by the Yunnan clique against the party leadership and the New Guangxi clique....
. Tang's claim to military leadership may have been a pretext, since what he really wanted was opium routes through Guangxi. He later became vice premier of Chen Jiongming's China Public Interest Party. He died in 1927 in Kunming
Kunming
' is the capital and largest city of Yunnan Province in Southwest China. It was known as Yunnan-Fou until the 1920s. A prefecture-level city, it is the political, economic, communications and cultural centre of Yunnan, and is the seat of the provincial government...
, one month after he was ousted by Hu Ruoyu
Hu Ruoyu
Lieutenant General Hu Ruoyu , was governor of Yunnan .He was born in Luoping, Yunnan, China. He participated in the uprising against the Qing Dynasty in 1911 as a student of Yunnan Military College and served as a regiment commander after graduation. During the Warlord Era, Hu was a member of the...
and Long Yun
Long Yun
Long Yun was governor and warlord of the Chinese province of Yunnan from 1927 to near the end of the Chinese Civil War, when he was overthrown in a coup by Du Yuming under the order of Chiang Kai-shek in October, 1945.-Life:Long Yun was an sinicized ethnic Yi , a non Han Chinese people native to...
in a military coup, which made him lose all of his power in Yunnan. Long Yun then supported 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....
's 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...
government, dissolved the People's Party, and expelled Chen's party.