Background
Mr. Hou was born in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China on October 15, 1895.
Mr. Hou was born in Suzhou, Jiangsu, China on October 15, 1895.
Hou Chia-yuen received his first degree in civil engineering in 1918 at Tangshan Engineering College and his Master of Arts degree in the same course from Cornell University, U.S.A., in 1919.
While in America, he worked with the McClintic Marshall Steel Construction Company to receive practical training. After return to China, Mr. Hou first served as professor in civil engineering at Tangshan University for two years and sectional chief at the Jiaozhou (Kaiochow)-Jinan (Tsinan) Railway for four years. In America he served as district engineer, bridge-engineer and finally chief of the Engineering Department of Hangzhou (Hangchow)-Xiangshan (Kiangshan) Railway for four years (1928-1933). Hou Chian-yuen served as a Commissioner of Public Works of Nanjing (Nanking) Municipality for 15 months between 1933 and 1934. Then he held the post of an Associate Director in chaige of the extension work of the Zhejiang (Chekiang)-Jiangxi (Kiangsi) Railway.