18 Facts About Yang Ti-liang

Yang Ti-liang was the Chief Justice of Hong Kong from 1988 to 1996, the only ethnic Chinese person to hold this office during British colonial rule.

Yang Ti-liang attended St John's Middle School in his early years and read law in the Comparative Law School of China in Soochow University Law School in Shanghai from 1946 to 1949.

In June 1956, Yang Ti-liang was offered a post as magistrate, which he accepted, and, in 1963, he was promoted to senior magistrate.

Yang Ti-liang was, for a brief period in 1971, acting Puisne Judge.

Yang Ti-liang sentenced him to four years' imprisonment after a six-day trial.

That same year, Yang Ti-liang was promoted to Judge of the High Court of Justice of the Supreme Court of Hong Kong.

In 1980, Yang Ti-liang was chairman of the Commission of Inquiry into the apparent suicide of Inspector John MacLennan.

Yang Ti-liang was appointed a Justice of Appeal in 1981 and, six years later, Vice-President.

In March 1988, Yang Ti-liang was appointed Chief Justice of Hong Kong following recommendation of the Governor Sir David Wilson.

In 1996, Yang Ti-liang tendered his resignation to then governor Chris Patten in order to clear the way for his candidacy in the first ever Chief Executive election.

On 11 December 1996, the small-circle Election Committee selected Tung Chee Hwa, a shipping magnate, over Yang Ti-liang to be Chief Executive.

Yang Ti-liang was appointed a Non-Official Member of the Executive Council by Tung soon after the establishment of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

From 1981 to 1984, Yang Ti-liang was chairman of the University and Polytechnic Grants Committee.

Yang Ti-liang was Pro-Chancellor of the University of Hong Kong from 1994 to 2001.

Yang Ti-liang served as President of the Bentham Club at University College London in 1991.

Yang Ti-liang was honorary professor of Chinese at the University of Hong Kong from 1998.

Yang Ti-liang was appointed a Justice of Peace from 1 July 1998 to 2012.

Yang Ti-liang was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal by the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in 1999 to acknowledge his contribution to justice and higher education in Hong Kong.