Background
Mr. Chang was born in Soochow, Kiangsu, China in 1892.
Mr. Chang was born in Soochow, Kiangsu, China in 1892.
After receiving his preliminary education in Soochow schools Chang Yuan-shan studied at Kiangnan (Jiangnan) Provincial College, Nanking from 1907 till 1910 and at Tsing Hua College (later Tsinghua University) for a few months before obtaining a scholarship. He went to America and entered Cornell University in 1911,receiving an Bachelor of Arts degree in 1915.
Mr. Chang was a chief manager of the Chinese Students Monthly and editor of the Chinese Students' Annual between 1913 and 1914. On his return to China he was appointed chemist of the Chihli Provincial Industrial Laboratory and of the Pei Yang Plague Prevention Bureau and at the same time lectured on sanitary chemistry at the National University, Peking.
Chang Yuan-shan taught in the Chihli Middle School at Tientsin (Tianjin) for three years. Later he became editor of the Ladies' Journal, Shanghai and for a time was English secretary to Bureau of Foreign Affairs of Chihli and adviser to the Chihli (Zhili) police administration.
He was appointed general secretary of the Anti-Narcotic Society, Tientsin (Tianjin) in 1918. Mr. Chang served as general secretary of the North China International Society for Famine Relief during the years 1920 to 1921.
He was appointed associate executive secretary of the China International Famine Relief Commission in January, 1922 and its executive secretary in November, 1928. In this work he was specially interested In the promotion of its program for the introduction of rural co-operative credit societies among the villages of Hopei province. This work extended Into several provinces, including Kiangsl, Anhwei, Hunan, Hupeh,Shensi, etc,, concurrently, he was a director of two government bureaus for promotion of rural cooperation in North China and Shensi Province.
Chang Yuan-shan held membership or offices in several public organizations including the Chinese Red Cross, of which he was chief secretary for one year; Western Returned Students, Club,general secretary for four years. He was a member of the board of directors of Taing Hua College.
He was appointed Director of the Department of Cooperatives, Ministry of Industry in 1935.