Chang Ti-hsueh

China

By early 1946 Chang was in charge of the Communists’ East Hupeh Military District, which was subordinate to the larger Central Plains (Chung yuan) Military Region, and concurrently he commanded the Second Brigade. He was imprisoned briefly by the Chinese Nationalists in 1946. Although the circumstances surrounding this event are not known, they may have been related to the arrest of his wife, Lin Shao-nan, in the early part of the year. Lin had been arrested while visiting her parents in Wuhan, but, presumably owing to the brief interlude of KMT-CCP cooperation that existed during the early days of the Marshall Mission (see under Yeh Chien-ying), the Communists'protested and were able to gain Mme. Chang’s release. After his own release Chang returned to his command assignment in eastern Hupeh, where presumably he remained throughout the civil war with the Nationalists. With the Communist conquest in 1949, Chang remained in Hupeh to become, with the passage of years, one of the senior political figures in this important industrial and agricultural province. By early 1950 he was already the executive officer of the Hupeh Party Committee; he was then promoted to deputy secretary (1953-1954), first deputy secretary (1954-1956), and finally to secretary (1956). During this period after 1950, Chang served under Hupeh Party Secretary Li Hsien-nien (Chang’s former superior in the 1940’s), and then under First Secretary Wang Jen-chung after Wang replaced Li in 1954. Chang continues to hold this position. Chang’s rise in the governmental hierarchy in Hupeh parallels his ascent in Party circles. When the Hupeh Government was first formally organized in March 1950, he was named as a member of the Government Council, once again serving under Li Hsien-nien, the governor. Just five years later (in January-February 1955, at a session of the Hupeh Congress for which Chang served on the presidium, or steering committee), he was promoted to vice-governor under the new governor, Liu Tzu-hou. Then, one year later (January 1956), Liu was transferred and Chang was named to succeed him as governor, a post he continues to hold. At the national level he served as a Hupeh deputy to the First (1954-1959) and Second (1959—1964) NPCs and was then re-elected for the Third NPC, which held its first session in December 1964-January 1965. The annual sessions of the NPC have, of course, brought him to Peking. Furthermore, he attended the Eighth National Party Congress as a deputy from Hupeh. However, aside from these trips, he has spent virtually all his time in Hupeh. Like many provincial officials of Chang’s stature, he has participated in numerous campaigns and movements, often as head of quasiofficial organizations of brief duration. For example, in late 1955 Chang was named to chair the Hupeh provincial committee to prevent and cure schistosomiasis, a crippling disease that has plagued many areas of China for centuries. Shortly after, in early 1956, he was named as head of the Hupeh committee to eliminate illiteracy, and in May 1958 became chairman of the newly formed Hupeh Scientific and Technical Work Committee. Aside from these somewhat formalized positions, Chang has constantly been in the news from the mid-1950’s in his capacity as a senior Hupeh official, mainly engaged in the management of the provincial government. In addition, he spends a great deal of time hosting both foreign and domestic guests visiting Wuhan. Apart from being the Hupeh capital, Wuhan is also the locale of China’s greatest showpiece of progress under the Communists, the Yangtze River Bridge. This bridge provides, for the first time in Chinese history, an unbroken link across the great river that bisects China. When the bridge opened in October 1957 Chang was on hand for the ceremonies and was one of the main speakers. Aside from having this impressive bridge, Wuhan is the main industrial center of central China and thus the object of frequent inspection visits by China’s political elite (e.g., Chou En-lai in October 1959). Already well entrenched in the Hupeh government and Party ranks, Chang received a significant new post by January 1963, when he was first identified as the Political Commissar of the Hupeh Military District, a position he still holds. Thus, although not a Party Central Committee member, Chang is probably the most important figure in Hupeh with the exception of Party First Secretary Wang Jen-chung. Nothing is known of Chang’s personal life aside from the fact that he is married to Lin Shao-nan 1954. He has also been known by the name of Chang Ting-hsin.

Chang Ti-hsueh

Edit Profile

politician

Background

Nothing is known about his backgraund.

Education

Chang Ti-hsueh was educated locally.

Career

By early 1946 Chang was in charge of the Communists’ East Hupeh Military District, which was subordinate to the larger Central Plains (Chung yuan) Military Region, and concurrently he commanded the Second Brigade. He was imprisoned briefly by the Chinese Nationalists in 1946. Although the circumstances surrounding this event are not known, they may have been related to the arrest of his wife, Lin Shao-nan, in the early part of the year. Lin had been arrested while visiting her parents in Wuhan, but, presumably owing to the brief interlude of KMT-CCP cooperation that existed during the early days of the Marshall Mission (see under Yeh Chien-ying), the Communists'protested and were able to gain Mme. Chang’s release. After his own release Chang returned to his command assignment in eastern Hupeh, where presumably he remained throughout the civil war with the Nationalists.

With the Communist conquest in 1949, Chang remained in Hupeh to become, with the passage of years, one of the senior political figures in this important industrial and agricultural province. By early 1950 he was already the executive officer of the Hupeh Party Committee; he was then promoted to deputy secretary (1953-1954), first deputy secretary (1954-1956), and finally to secretary (1956). During this period after 1950, Chang served under Hupeh Party Secretary Li Hsien-nien (Chang’s former superior in the 1940’s), and then under First Secretary Wang Jen-chung after Wang replaced Li in 1954. Chang continues to hold this position.

Chang’s rise in the governmental hierarchy in Hupeh parallels his ascent in Party circles. When the Hupeh Government was first formally organized in March 1950, he was named as a member of the Government Council, once again serving under Li Hsien-nien, the governor. Just five years later (in January-February 1955, at a session of the Hupeh Congress for which Chang served on the presidium, or steering committee), he was promoted to vice-governor under the new governor, Liu Tzu-hou. Then, one year later (January 1956), Liu was transferred and Chang was named to succeed him as governor, a post he continues to hold. At the national level he served as a Hupeh deputy to the First (1954-1959) and Second (1959—1964) NPCs and was then re-elected for the Third NPC, which held its first session in December 1964-January 1965. The annual sessions of the NPC have, of course, brought him to Peking. Furthermore, he attended the Eighth National Party Congress as a deputy from Hupeh. However, aside from these trips, he has spent virtually all his time in Hupeh.

Like many provincial officials of Chang’s stature, he has participated in numerous campaigns and movements, often as head of quasiofficial organizations of brief duration. For example, in late 1955 Chang was named to chair the Hupeh provincial committee to prevent and cure schistosomiasis, a crippling disease that has plagued many areas of China for centuries. Shortly after, in early 1956, he was named as head of the Hupeh committee to eliminate illiteracy, and in May 1958 became chairman of the newly formed Hupeh Scientific and Technical Work Committee. Aside from these somewhat formalized positions, Chang has constantly been in the news from the mid-1950’s in his capacity as a senior Hupeh official, mainly engaged in the management of the provincial government. In addition, he spends a great deal of time hosting both foreign and domestic guests visiting Wuhan. Apart from being the Hupeh capital, Wuhan is also the locale of China’s greatest showpiece of progress under the Communists, the Yangtze River Bridge. This bridge provides, for the first time in Chinese history, an unbroken link across the great river that bisects China. When the bridge opened in October 1957 Chang was on hand for the ceremonies and was one of the main speakers. Aside from having this impressive bridge, Wuhan is the main industrial center of central China and thus the object of frequent inspection visits by China’s political elite (e.g., Chou En-lai in October 1959).

Already well entrenched in the Hupeh government and Party ranks, Chang received a significant new post by January 1963, when he was first identified as the Political Commissar of the Hupeh Military District, a position he still holds. Thus, although not a Party Central Committee member, Chang is probably the most important figure in Hupeh with the exception of Party First Secretary Wang Jen-chung. Nothing is known of Chang’s personal life aside from the fact that he is married to Lin Shao-nan 1954. He has also been known by the name of Chang Ting-hsin.

Main Photo

School period

College/University

Career

Achievements

Membership

Awards

Other Photos

Connections

Connections

Chang Ti-hsueh

Background

Education

Career

Born

Nationality

Ethnicity

Political Party

Career

1950

1955

1963