Background
He was born at Tungan, Hunan, China in 1885.
He was born at Tungan, Hunan, China in 1885.
Sheng-chi Tang graduated from the Paoting Military Academy in 1914.
After graduation, Sheng-chi Tang joined the Army and through many years of service, became Commander of 4th Division of Hunan Provincial Army and concurrently Rehabilitation Commissioner of Hunan in 1920. Upon the inauguration of the Northern Punitive Expedition in 1926, he allied with the Nationalists and wrested the control of Hunan from Chao Heng-ti, then military Governor of Hunan.
Mr. Tang fought against Wu Pei-fu (whom he had adhered to until 1926) and within a period of five months, put the latter's armies to rout in 1927. He was Commander-in-Chief of the Vanguard Army of the Northern Expedition and concurrently Commander of the 8th Army in 1926 and in these capacities, was responsible for the successful fighting at Ting Shih Chao near Wuchang, the seige of Wuchang city and the capture of two Northern generals (Hupeh Military Governor Chen Chia-mo and Division Commander Liu Yu-kun). He fought against the Fengtien forces in Honan and was promoted Commanderin-Chief of the Nationalist 4th Group Army in 1927.
Following the resignation of General Chiang Kai-shek in 1927, he was driven out of Wuhan Area by the Kwangsi faction and retired abroad. Upon Gen. Chiang Kai-shek's resumption of office in 1928, when the Kwangsi faction generals plotted against the Nanking Government, he was appointed Commander of the Eth Route Army and in that capacity, was responsible for the defeat of the Kwangsi faction in 1928.
Sheng-chi Tang was elected member of the Standing Committee of the National Military Disbandment and Reorganization Conference in August, 1929, Chairman of the Military Council in 1929, upon the deflection of the Kuominchun forces under Feng Yu-hsiang against the National "Kovemment, he was reappointed commander of the 5th Route Government Forces with Headquarters at Chengchow, Honan. While directing operations at Chengchow, he joined hands with Feng Yu-hsiang and revolted against Nanking in 1929. Upon discovery of his plot, he was relieved of all his offices by the Nanking Government in 1929. He was also Chairman of the Military Advisory Council.