Background
Mr. Yu Ya-ching was born at the town of Chinghai, near Ningpo, Zhejiang province.
Mr. Yu Ya-ching was born at the town of Chinghai, near Ningpo, Zhejiang province.
Most of his life Mr. Yu spent in Shanghai where he came to be regarded as one of the most prominent merchants and publie spirited citizens of the city. Prior to his election to the Chairmanship of the Chinese General Chamber he served as a member of the Executive Committee of that body for some fifteen years.
Among his business connections were the managing directorship of the San Peh Steam Navigation Company, Shanghai Chinese Produce Exchange and a number of other companies. He was always interested in public and philanthropic enterprises and in the civil wars about Shanghai beginning in September, 1924 he was active in promoting compromises among the warring elements and in obtaining the consent of the Central government for a neutralization of the Shanghai area and finally in the decision of the government to dismantle the Shanghai Arsenal and the Woosung forts. He also took the lead in the repatriation of Chinese soldiers belonging to various defeated armies in the territory about Shanghai.