Background
Mr. T’ien Ying-huang was born at Hun-Yuan Hsien, Shanxi province in 1866.
Mr. T’ien Ying-huang was born at Hun-Yuan Hsien, Shanxi province in 1866.
Mr. T’ien Ying-huang became a Chu-Jen or Provincial Graduate in 1894 through competitive examinations.
During the subsequent years Mr. T’ien devoted himself to the promotion of education in his native province. In recognition of his good service the Imperial government at the request of the Governor of Shansi gave Mr. T’ien the qualification to become a Magistrate. Mr. T’ien was sent to Hupei where he was Magistrate of Lei-Feng Hsien for several years. Later he was transferred to En-Sze Hsien.
Upon the outbreak of the First Revolution in Hupei Mr. T’ien became a secretary to General Sze Hao, playing a part in the revolutionary activities.
In May 1912 Mr. T’ien returned to Shanxi to accept the post of High Political Advisor to the Tutuh of the province. President Yuan Shih-kai offered him the post of Commssioner of Kuei-Sui Area but he declined to accept.
Mr. T’ien was elected a Senator of the First Parliament which was convoked in April 1913 and dissolved in January 1914.
In March 1913 Mr. T’ien became a member representing Shanxi in the Yueh- Fa-Hui-I called by Yuan Shih-kai for the sole purpose of drafting a Provisional Constitution to replace the one promulgated by Sun Yat-sen in 1912 at Nanking. After the prolongation of the new constitution in May 1914 and the close of the conference that followed, Mr. T’ien was appointed an Assistant Compiler of the Ching History Compilation Bureau. After some time he returned to Shanxi and became Chancellor of the Shanxi University.
Mr. T’ien did not take his seat in the Senate when the First Parliament was reconvoked in 1916 after the death of Yuan Shih-kai. It was again dissolved in June 1917.
Mr. T’ien was a Member of the Provisional Senate which was convoked in January 1918. The formation of the Senate was demanded by the northern military leaders for the sole purpose to revise the Parliamental Election Laws upon which the First Parliament had been based. Based upon the new Election Laws, a new Parliament was called by the northern government in 1918. It was convoked in August that year. Mr. T’ien was elected vice-president of the Senate.
In June 1919 Mr. T’ien was awarded the Second Class Tashou Chiaho, in October 1919 the First Class Tashou Chiaho and in January 1920 the First Class Tashou Paokuang Chiaho Decoration. The new Parliament was dismissed in August 1920 after the Chihli-Anfu war. In October 1920 he was appointed to assist General Yen Hsi-shan in famine relief work in the province of Shanxi.
In September 1921 Mr. T’ien received the First Class Wenhu Decoration. The First Parliament was reconvoked in August 1922 in Peking after the Chihli-Fengtien war and Mr. T’ien took his seat in Senate again.
