25 Facts About Huang Yanpei

Huang Yanpei was a Chinese educator, writer, and politician.

Huang Yanpei was a founding pioneer of the China Democratic League and the China National Democratic Construction Association, which are among the eight legally recognised minor political parties in China under the Chinese Communist Party's united front.

Huang Yanpei was born in Neishidi, Chuansha, Jiangsu during the reign of the Guangxu Emperor of the Qing dynasty.

Huang Yanpei's mother died when he was 13 and his father died when he was 17, so he lived with his maternal grandfather, who gave him a traditional Chinese education.

In 1899, Huang Yanpei topped the imperial examination in Songjiang Prefecture, which covered much of present-day Shanghai, and obtained the position of a xiucai.

Huang Yanpei later received financial support from his uncle to read Western studies.

In 1901, Huang Yanpei enrolled in Nanyang Public School and met Cai Yuanpei, who was then teaching the Chinese language there.

One year later, Huang Yanpei obtained the position of a juren in the imperial examination in Jiangnan.

Huang Yanpei then returned to Chuansha, where he set up a Chuansha Primary School for children.

In 1903, while giving a talk in Nanhui District, Huang Yanpei was accused of being an anti-government revolutionary, and was arrested and imprisoned.

Huang Yanpei was released on bail with the help of William Burke, an American missionary, and narrowly escaped death as he left the prison just one hour before an order for his execution from the Jiangsu provincial government reached the local government in Nanhai District.

Huang Yanpei fled to Japan and stayed there for three months before returning to Shanghai, where he continued to set up and run schools.

In 1905, Huang Yanpei was introduced by Cai Yuanpei to join the Tongmenghui.

Huang Yanpei later became the Secretary of Education and reformed education in Jiangsu, planning and setting up several schools.

Between February 1914 and early 1917, Huang Yanpei, working as a reporter for Shen Bao, visited and observed various schools throughout China.

Huang Yanpei visited Japan, the Philippines and Southeast Asia to observe education in those countries.

Huang Yanpei made notes from his observations, compiled them and had them published.

In 1917, Huang Yanpei travelled to Britain to observe the British education system.

On May 6,1917, with support from various businesses and the education sector, Huang Yanpei founded the National Association of Vocational Education of China in Shanghai.

In 1921, Huang Yanpei was appointed Education Minister by the Beiyang government but he refused to accept the appointment.

Huang Yanpei escaped to Dalian and returned to Shanghai only after Chiang Kai-shek withdrew the order for his arrest.

Huang Yanpei set up a newsletter, "Newsletter on Saving the Nation", to publish his ideas and stir up patriotic sentiments among the Chinese.

Huang Yanpei consecutively served as the Vice Chairman in the second, third and fourth Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Nevertheless, Huang Yanpei managed to retain his positions in the National People's Congress and Political Consultative Conference when the Chinese Communist Party started purging non-communist members from government bodies.

Huang Yanpei died on December 21,1965, in Beijing and was cremated and interred in the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery.