Background
Mr. Li was born in Ningpo, Chekiang, China in 1891.
Mr. Li was born in Ningpo, Chekiang, China in 1891.
His education was confined principally to the study of Chinese literature. He left school when quite young and entered business in Shanghai in 1912 and since then has devoted his energy largely to the development of commerce and industry.
In 1915, Ju-hsiung Li was appointed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Commerce as one of its trade commissioners to the United States and while there, visited a number of large cities, attended the Panama Exhibition and studied several famous industrial plants. Since his return he had held many responsible positions, such as General Manager of Kiangsu Land Investment Company, Managing Director of Wah Foo Commercial Bank of China, President of Wubu Telephone Company, special inspector of the Government Currency Bureau for Shanghai, advisor to the Governor of Chekiang, Director of the Chartered Stock and Produce Exchange of Shanghai, General Manager of the Union Bank of China, Chairman of the Union Club in Shanghai, vice-Chairman of the Telephone Association of the Province of Chekiang, Director of the Shanghai Mutual Telephone Company, etc.
In 1919 he organized a telephone plant in the province, and also established the light plant of Tanyang and telephone plant of Wuhu. In 1920, realizing the necessity of having an organisation to promote the industrial and commercial enterprises in China, he formed Foong Sheng Industrial and Commercial Development Corporation, of which he became vice-President and assistant General-manager and later the Managing Director of the firm. In 1927 he visited Europe to study the recent development of modern architecture and on his return to Shanghai he put his new ideas into effect by adding four stories to his Bubbling Well Apartments at the corner of Bubbling Well and Seymour Roads and two stories to the Lee Building on Avenue Edward VII. Then he was President of the Ningpo Telephone Company, Director of the Hangchow Power Co., director of the Shaohsing Power Co., General Manager of the Wah Hsin Fire and Marine Insurance Co., Director of Tai Shan Insurance Co., Director of the Han Yeh Ping Iron and Coal Company, Director of the Commercial Bank of China, Chinese Manager of Italian Bank for China, Director of the Wei Chung Commercial and Savings Bank, Director of the China Engineers, Director of the United Office of China Press, China Times, China Evening News and Shun Shih News Agency Chairman of the Shanghai Insurance Association, Chairman of the Chin Shan Beach Estate, member of the Rate Assessment Committee, S.M.C., committee member of the General Chamber of Commerce of Shanghai, Executive Committee of the Shanghai Property Owners' Association, etc.
Mr. Li had also dealt extensively in real estate and owns and manages many residential and office buildings in Shanghai. Beside his business activities he is also connected with many social institutions, being a member of Ningpo Guild, American Club, Shanghai Bankers' Club, Shanghai Navigation and Transportation Club, Husi Club of which he serves on the executive committee, Shanghai Tennis Club, of which he was President.