Mr. James Hsiong Lee was a native of Ningbo, Zhejiang and was born in 1891. His great grandfather, known as Bai Wha Shan Cheng, was one of the most famous Chinese poets and his elder brother Z. Y. Lee, returned student from England, was the first aviator in China.
In early years Mr. Lee received his education in an old school and won his high degree inj Chinese literature. He left school when he was quite young and entered into business in Shanghai in 1912. Thereafter his time and energy were mostly devoted to the development of commerce and industry.
In 1915 Mr. Lee was appointed by the Board of Agriculture and Commerce as one of the Trade Commissioners tp the U. S. A., where he travelled over a great many large cities, attended the Panama Exhibition and visited various famous industrial plants. Mr. Lee held many responsible positions, such as general manager of Jiangsi Land Investment Co., managing director of Wah Foo, Commercial Bank of China, president of Wuhu City Telephone Plant, manager of Lee Bros. & Co., special inspector of the currency bureau for Shanghai, advisor to the Bureau of Enemy’s Property and advisor to the Governor of Zhejiang.
In 1919 Mr. Lee organized a Telephone plant in his native city of Ningbo. At the outset the number of subscribers was scarcely over two hundred, but it had passed one thousand. He also established the Tanang City Light plant. He was the president of both plants and director of the Chartered Stock & Produce Exchange of Shanghai, the Polo Coal Mining Co. and the Union Bank of China.
Besides his business activities, Mr. Lee was also connected with many social institutions, such as director of the Ningbo Guild, the Charitable Institute, member of the General Chamber of Commierce of Shanghai and the Association of Chapei and the World’s Chinese Students’ Federation. He was member of the Union Club.
In 1920 Mr. Lee realized the necessity of forming an important establishment in order to promote the industrial and commercial enterprises in China. In pursuance of this object a company was organized the following spring, called the Foong Shen Industrial & Commercial Development Corporation, of which he was subsequently elected vice-president and assistant general manager.
