Background
General Wang Ching-cheng was born in Yihsien, Anhui province in 1871.
General Wang Ching-cheng was born in Yihsien, Anhui province in 1871.
Mr. Wang graduated from the Peiyang Military College in 1901 and that year he left for Japan to enter the Military Cadets Academy of Japan, completing his course on Commissary in 1906.
Following the return to China Mr. Wang was appointed instructor of the Peiyang Army and chief of the educational section of the Peiyang Training Bureau and other offices.
Upon the establishment of the Republic General Wang became garrison commander of the Fourth Division of the Peiyang Army Corps and was later transferred to be superintendent of the Commissariat of the National Training Corps concurrently acting as councillor of the Bureau of the General Staff and War and Senior Councillor of the Precautionary Forces of Shantung.
Since 1920 Mr. Wang was chief of staff to the Defence Commissioner of Sunkiang and Shanghai also commanding the Woosung Forts and co-director of the Kiangnan Arsenal at Shanghai. He was considered as one of the most capable soldiers of the time during the Yuan Shih-kai regime and since his appointment at Shanghai he won for himself an enviable reputation not only as a soldier but also as General Ho’s advisor on local matters arising out of his office.