Background
Mr. George Wan was born at Nanchang, Jiangxi province in 1890.
Mr. George Wan was born at Nanchang, Jiangxi province in 1890.
Mr. Wan entered the Peking Imperial University to receive an education along modern lines, graduating in 1910.
Mr. Wan went to America and entered Johns Hopkins University from which he received the degree of A. B. in 1916; M. A. in 1917. He received his LL.B in 1919 from Harvard University.
After graduation Mr. Wan was appointed by the Imperial government a Chou P’an or Second Class Assistant Department Magistrate in Jiangsu where he held different positions until 1914 when he was called to revise the Provisional Constitution as adopted by the Nanjing Provisional government in 1911-1912. Mr. Wan was appointed first as Secretary and later as Chief Secretary to the Council which adopted the New Provisional Constitution in May 1914.
Upon his return to China in 1919 Mr. Wan became Principal of the Provincial Middle School of Jiangxi. Soon afterwards he went to Peking and for the period 1919-1920 he served as Professor of International Law and Political Science in Peking Government University. And at the same time he taught history in the Peking High Normal College.
From 1920 to 1921 Mr. Wan was Secretary to the Ministry of Communications. In February 1921 he was ordered by the Ministry of the Interior to take charge of the Preparation Bureau for calling a conference to discuss matters regarding local government. In April 1921 he was appointed Executive Secretary to that Conference which was then called at Peking and attended by delegates from the different Ministries and provinces.
Subsequently Mr. Wan was appointed Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Justice. From September 1921 he held a concurrent position in the Law Compilation Bureau in the Cabinet as an Acting Compiler. In September 1922 he left the Ministry of Justice and became a Compiler of the Law Compilation Bureau. In December 1922 he became Secretary of the Cabinet and later Acting Chief Secretary until June 1923 when he was appointed Councillor of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Mr. Wan was also Advisor to the Central Salt Administration. He was awarded the Second Class order of Wenfu and also Second Class Chiaho in February 1923.
