Zhang Jinghui
Encyclopedia
Zhāng Jǐnghuì; 1871 – 1 November 1959) was a Chinese
general
and politician during the Warlord era
. He is noted for his role in the Japanese puppet regime of Manchukuo
in which he served as its second and final Prime Minister.
, Liaoning
Province. The area was a battlefield in the First Sino-Japanese War
, and Zhang joined the Honghuzi
irregular cavalry forces of the Manchurian warlord
Zhang Zuolin
at an early age. These forces were recruited as mercenaries by the Japanese during the Russo-Japanese War
of 1904-1904.
In the final years of the Qing dynasty
, Zhang Zuolin was appointed Viceroy of Three Northeast Provinces
with his base at Fengtian
, and with the Xinhai Revolution
, managed to obtain recognition of his forces as part of the new Republic of China
military. At that time, Zhang Jinghui was appointed commander of the Beiyang Army
’s 27th Infantry Brigade. However, with the death of Yuan Shikai
in 1916, the Beiyang Army split into several mutually hostile factions.
Zhang Jinghui deserted Zhang Zuolin to join with Wu Peifu
's Zhili clique. He later rejoined Zhang Zuolin and served as his Minister of War in the Beiyang Government
from May 1926 to June 1927. He then served as Minister of Enterprises in the Beiyang Government from June 1927 to June 1928. Within the year he was appointed governor of the Harbin
and China Eastern Railway Special District in northern Manchuria
. However, following the death of Zhang Zuolin in the Huanggutun Incident
on June 4, 1928 Zhang Jinghui’s relations with his successor, Zhang Xueliang
and Zhang Jinghui participated in a national unity conference called by Kuomingtang leader Chiang Kai-shek
in January 1929 in Nanjing
.
However, the political balance was changed after the Mukden Incident
and the successful invasion of Manchuria by the Japanese Kwantung Army in 1931, Zhang called a conference in his office on 27 September 1931 to organize an "Emergency Committee of the Special District", with the goal of achieving the secession
of Manchuria from China. Following the expulsion of pro-Kuomintang General Ma Zhanshan
from Qiqihar
, Zhang proclaimed his territory to be self-governing, and was inaugurated as governor on 7 January 1932. Uncertain of the intentions of the Soviet Union
to the north, and unable to withstand the Japanese military
presence to the south, Zhang reached an agreement with Japanese, and accepted an appointment as governor of Heilongjiang Province in the new Japanese-run state of Manchukuo
. However, his refusal to leave his stronghold in Harbin to take up residence in Qiqihar, created friction with the Kwangtung Army leadership.
However, when Ma Zhanshan agreed to terms with the Japanese on 14 February 1932 in exchange for the post of Governor of Heilongjiang Province, Zhang was set aside. Ma later revolted in April 1932 and Zhang took his place as Minister of Defense of the Empire of Manchukuo.
On 21 May 1935, Zhang succeeded Zheng Xiaoxu
as Prime Minister of Manchukuo at the instigation of the Kwantung Army over the objections of Emperor Puyi
.
As Prime Minister of Manchukuo, Zhang preferred to take a passive figurehead role, allowing the Japanese advisors seconded from the Kwantung Army to handle all aspects of day-to-day administration, while he spent his days copying Buddhist sutra
s. Reviled by modern Chinese historians for his pro-Japanese stance, and nicknamed “the Tofu
Prime Minister” even in his lifetime, Zhang was recorded to have only once spoken out against the Japanese administration – to criticize the forced sale of lands to Japanese colonists.
In 1943, he was the official delegate from Manchukuo to the Greater East Asia Conference
held in Tokyo
.
Also in 1943, a false report was published in Time Magazine stated that Zhang had poisoned his family and killed his Japanese advisor and other members of the Manchukuo government before committing suicide.
Zhang held the position of Prime Minister until the collapse of Manchukuo following the Soviet
Red Army
's invasion of Manchuria in August 1945.
Following World War II
Zhang was held in custody by the Soviet Union in Siberia
and was extradited to the People's Republic of China
in 1950, where he was imprisoned at the Fushun
War Criminals Management Centre
. He died of heart failure fourteen years later in 1959.
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and politician 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,...
. He is noted for his role in the Japanese puppet regime 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...
in which he served as its second and final Prime Minister.
Biography
Zhang Jinghui was born in Tai'an, southwest of MukdenShenyang
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...
, Liaoning
Liaoning
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located in the northeast of the country. Its one-character abbreviation is "辽" , a name taken from the Liao River that flows through the province. "Níng" means "peace"...
Province. The area was a battlefield in 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...
, and Zhang joined the Honghuzi
Honghuzi
Honghuzi were armed robbers, bandits in the areas of the eastern Russia-China borderland: Southeastern Siberia, Russian Far East, and Northeast China . the word has been variously transliterated as hong huzi, hong hu zi, hunghutze, hun-hutze, etc...
irregular cavalry forces of the Manchurian 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...
at an early age. These forces were recruited as mercenaries by the Japanese during the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
of 1904-1904.
In the final years of the Qing dynasty
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....
, Zhang Zuolin was appointed Viceroy of Three Northeast Provinces
Viceroy of Three Northeast Provinces
The Viceroy of Three Northeast Provinces , fully referred to as the Governor General of Three Northeast Provinces and surrounding areas; Overseeing Military Generals of the Three Provinces; Director of Civil Affairs of Fengtian , was the one of nine regional viceroys of the Qing Dynasty in China...
with his base at Fengtian
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...
, and with 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...
, managed to obtain recognition of his forces as part of the new Republic of China
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...
military. At that time, Zhang Jinghui was appointed commander of the Beiyang Army
Beiyang Army
The Beiyang Army was a powerful, Western-style Chinese military force created by the Qing Dynasty government in the late 19th century. It was the centerpiece of a general reconstruction of China's military system. The Beiyang Army played a major role in Chinese politics for at least three decades...
’s 27th Infantry Brigade. However, with the death of 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...
in 1916, the Beiyang Army split into several mutually hostile factions.
Zhang Jinghui deserted Zhang Zuolin to join with Wu Peifu
Wu Peifu
Wu Peifu or Wu P'ei-fu , was a major figure in the struggles between the warlords who dominated Republican China from 1916 to 1927.- Early career :...
's Zhili clique. He later rejoined Zhang Zuolin and served as his Minister of War in 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...
from May 1926 to June 1927. He then served as Minister of Enterprises in the Beiyang Government from June 1927 to June 1928. Within the year he was appointed governor 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...
and China Eastern Railway Special District in northern 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...
. However, following the death of Zhang Zuolin in the Huanggutun Incident
Huanggutun Incident
Huanggutun Incident was an assassination plotted by the Japanese Kwantung Army that targeted Fengtian warlord Zhang Zuolin. It took place on June 4, 1928 at Huanggutun rail station near Shenyang in which Zhang's train was destroyed by an explosion...
on June 4, 1928 Zhang Jinghui’s relations with his successor, 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...
and Zhang Jinghui participated in a national unity conference called by Kuomingtang leader 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....
in January 1929 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...
.
However, the political balance was changed 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....
and the successful invasion of Manchuria by the Japanese Kwantung Army in 1931, Zhang called a conference in his office on 27 September 1931 to organize an "Emergency Committee of the Special District", with the goal of achieving the secession
Secession
Secession is the act of withdrawing from an organization, union, or especially a political entity. Threats of secession also can be a strategy for achieving more limited goals.-Secession theory:...
of Manchuria from China. Following the expulsion of pro-Kuomintang General Ma Zhanshan
Ma Zhanshan
Ma Zhanshan or Ma Chan-san , was a Chinese Muslim general who initially opposed the Imperial Japanese Army in the invasion of Manchuria, briefly defected to Manchukuo, and then rebelled, and fought against the Japanese in Manchuria and in other parts of China.-Early life:Ma was born...
from Qiqihar
Qiqihar
- Subdivisions :Qiqihar is divided into 16 divisions: 7 districts , 8 counties and 1 county-level city .-Economy:...
, Zhang proclaimed his territory to be self-governing, and was inaugurated as governor on 7 January 1932. Uncertain of the intentions of 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....
to the north, and unable to withstand the Japanese military
Imperial Japanese Army
-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū...
presence to the south, Zhang reached an agreement with Japanese, and accepted an appointment as governor of Heilongjiang Province in the new Japanese-run state 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...
. However, his refusal to leave his stronghold in Harbin to take up residence in Qiqihar, created friction with the Kwangtung Army leadership.
However, when Ma Zhanshan agreed to terms with the Japanese on 14 February 1932 in exchange for the post of Governor of Heilongjiang Province, Zhang was set aside. Ma later revolted in April 1932 and Zhang took his place as Minister of Defense of the Empire of Manchukuo.
On 21 May 1935, Zhang succeeded Zheng Xiaoxu
Zheng Xiaoxu
Zhèng Xiàoxū . Chinese statesman, diplomat and calligrapher.-Early life and diplomatic career:Although Zheng traced his ancestral roots to Minhou, a small town near Fuzhou, he was born in Suzhou, Jiangsu...
as Prime Minister of Manchukuo at the instigation of the Kwantung Army over the objections of Emperor Puyi
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...
.
As Prime Minister of Manchukuo, Zhang preferred to take a passive figurehead role, allowing the Japanese advisors seconded from the Kwantung Army to handle all aspects of day-to-day administration, while he spent his days copying Buddhist sutra
Sutra
Sūtra is an aphorism or a collection of such aphorisms in the form of a manual. Literally it means a thread or line that holds things together and is derived from the verbal root siv-, meaning to sew , as does the medical term...
s. Reviled by modern Chinese historians for his pro-Japanese stance, and nicknamed “the Tofu
Tofu
is a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks. It is part of East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisine such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Vietnamese, and others. There are many different varieties of tofu, including fresh tofu and tofu...
Prime Minister” even in his lifetime, Zhang was recorded to have only once spoken out against the Japanese administration – to criticize the forced sale of lands to Japanese colonists.
In 1943, he was the official delegate from Manchukuo to the Greater East Asia Conference
Greater East Asia Conference
was an international summit held in Tokyo, Japan from 5 – 6 November 1943, in which Japan hosted the heads of state of various component members of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere...
held in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
.
Also in 1943, a false report was published in Time Magazine stated that Zhang had poisoned his family and killed his Japanese advisor and other members of the Manchukuo government before committing suicide.
Zhang held the position of Prime Minister until the collapse of Manchukuo following the Soviet
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....
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...
's invasion of Manchuria in August 1945.
Following World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
Zhang was held in custody by the Soviet Union 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...
and was extradited to 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 1950, where he was imprisoned at the Fushun
Fushun
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...
War Criminals Management Centre
Fushun War Criminals Management Centre
Fushun War Criminals Management Centre , also known as Liaodong No. 3 Prison or Liaoning No. 3 Prison was the site of the re-education of Manchuko, Kuomintang and Japanese prisoners of war, held by China from 1950 onwards. It was located in the Xinfu District of Fushun city, Liaoning Province,...
. He died of heart failure fourteen years later in 1959.