Mr. Fan Chiu-pah was the popular vice-chairman of the Shanghai Chinese General Chamber of Commerce who was in charge of the affairs of the chamber during the absence on sick leave of the chairman - Mr. Sung Hangchang.
Background
Mr. Fan Chiu-pah was born in 1884 at Tsenghai, Zhejiang province of one of the best known families. His grandfather, Mr. Fan Hsin-tsai, was one of the foremost merchants in Shanghai in the early days of the Settlement and made his fortune in tea and silk. His name appeared quite frequently in the historical records of the “model settlement”. Mr. Fan's father, Mr. Fan Chi-ling, was a Master of Arts under the Manchu regime, being successful in passing the second series of the literary examinations but he died at an early age.
Education
Mr. Fan was not satisfied with the educational qualifications and decided to take a course in law in the Cheng Chow Law School of Shanghai, from which institution he graduated in 1917.
Career
Assuming the heavy responsibilities of the chief of a big family, Mr. Fan managed the affairs of the household in an excellent manner, devoting his energies and time to financial and banking activities in Shanghai as well as in Ningbo.
When the Manchu Dynasty abolished the literary examinations and established schools for the education of young men, Mr. Fan subscribed over one hundred thousand dollars toward the organization of the Pei Yu School in Tsenghai. He was then 23 years old, he was appointed-principal. After three years’ service in this school, he became the principal of Chihai School in Ningbo, at the same time serving as member of the Educational Council of the City Administrative Council and of the Advisory Board and as chairman of the Self-Government Society.
Mr. Fan was also promoter of the establishment of the Ningbo Association, the Ningbo Guild and Ningbo Hospital, of which he was director. In 1918 he was appointed manager of the Tung Lu Bank, Shanghai, serving also as chief of the Arbitration Board of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and a director of the chamber.
In 1920 Mr. Fan was appointed a member of the board of directors of the Shanghai Mint and of Shanghai Bankers’ Association. In the following year he was made a director of the Ningbo-Shaoshing Steam Navigation Co. Ltd. and of the Chinese Merchants’ Stock Exchange. In 1922 he was elected vice-chairman of the Chinese Chamber and of the Chinese Ratepayers’ Association. It was in this year that he organized the Ta Yu Yu Oil Factory of which he was one of the directors.
In 1923 Mr. Fan assumed his office as manager of the Nantao branch of the Commercial Bank of China and director of the Hung An Steamship Company.