Zhang Zongchang, whose name is Xiaokun, is a native of Weifang, Shandong, and is a controversial warlord in modern Chinese history. He was known for his bold and rugged and combat-savvy manner, and was known as the "Dog Meat General". Zhang Zongchang not only played an important role in the Chinese Civil War and warlord melee, but is also widely known for the legendary story of the incorporation of the White Russian army and the marriage of the five White Russian sisters. This article will explore the life of Zhang Zongchang and his legendary experience with the White Russian army and the White Russian woman.
Zhang Zongchang
1. Zhang Zongchang's early years and rise
Zhang Zongchang (February 13, 1881, March 4, 1882 - September 3, 1932), was born in Ye County, Shandong Province (now Laizhou, Shandong). Feng is one of the warlord leaders and has been entrenched in Shandong for a long time.
Zhang Zongchang
In the twenty-fifth year of Guangxu of the Qing Dynasty (1899), he went to the Northeast to make a living. After the Wuchang Uprising, he personally led more than 100 people to join Hu Ying, the governor of the Shandong People's Army, and served as the head of the independent cavalry regiment of the Guangfu Army. In July 1913, he took refuge in Feng Guozhang and successively served as the supervisor of the Jiangsu Army Officer Education Corps, the deputy chief of the Jiangsu General's Office, and the chief military attache of the presidential palace. Later, he was reappointed as the commander of the first division of the Jiangsu provisional formation. He led his troops to attack the Protector Army and served as the commander-in-chief of the second road. In 1920, the army was defeated and the headquarters was disbanded. In 1921, he went to Zhang Zuolin's office in Fengtian, and successively served as a senior adviser to the Patrol Department, commander of the military police battalion, commander of Suining Bandits, and envoy of Suining Town. In September of the thirteenth year of the Republic of China (1924), he served as the deputy commander of the Second Army of the Feng Army during the Second Zhifeng War. After the Second Zhifeng War, he was reappointed as the commander of the First Army of the Xuanfu Army. At the beginning of 1925, he served as the commander of the suppression of bandits in Suzhou, Anhui and Lu. In April, he was appointed as the military affairs supervisor of Shandong. The brutal suppression of the strike of the workers of the Qingdao Japanese textile factory caused the "Qingdao Massacre". In July, he also served as the governor of Shandong Province. At the beginning of 1926, he served as the commander-in-chief of the Zhilu Allied Army.
Yan Xishan, Han Fuhui, Zhang Zongchang
In August 1928, the army was defeated and went to the wilderness, and once fled to Dalian and Japan. During the three years of Dulu (1925-1928), he levied and extorted more than 50 kinds of taxes, and suppressed the Jinan workers' movement. In 1932, he returned to China from Japan and lived in the Tianjin Concession.
2. Incorporate the Belarusian army
In the 1920s, when China was in a chaotic period of warlord secession, Zhang Zongchang gradually rose to become an important figure among the warlords of the Feng line. In 1925, Zhang Zongchang was appointed as the overseer of Shandong, becoming the de facto ruler of the Shandong region. During this period, he skillfully used the White Russian army to strengthen his military power.
Warlord secession
After the October Revolution in Russia, a large number of White Russian troops fled to northeastern China, where they were well-armed and trained, but they were deprived of state support and had a difficult life. Zhang Zongchang took a fancy to the combat effectiveness of these White Russian soldiers and decided to incorporate them. Not only did he give them good treatment, but he also used their military skills to improve the combat effectiveness of his troops. These White Russian soldiers played an important role in Zhang Zongchang's army, helping him consolidate his rule over Shandong.
White Russian soldiers
White Russian Army
3. Marry five Belarusian sisters
In addition to military cooperation, there is also a legendary marriage story between Zhang Zongchang and Belarus. It is said that Zhang Zongchang met a beautiful White Russian woman at a banquet, and immediately developed a liking for her and began to pursue her. However, the woman was not alone, but had four equally beautiful sisters. Zhang Zongchang not only married this woman in the end, but also took her four sisters as wives and concubines, becoming important members of his harem.
White Russian woman
Zhang Zongchang's harem life, like his political career, is full of all kinds of bizarre and absurd. In his harem, there are more than 20 aunts and wives, each of whom is given a specific number, as if they are not people, but just Zhang Zongchang's property. His greed was almost insatiable, from the aristocratic ladies of the previous dynasty to the wives and daughters of his colleagues, and even the beauties of foreign countries could not escape his coveting. He was passionate about collecting beauties, as if he were collecting works of art, satisfying his desires and vanity.
White Russian sisters
White Russian sisters
4. The reign and decline of Zhang Zongchang
During his time in Shandong, Zhang Zongchang maintained his rule by forceful means, implementing various reform measures, and also carried out a series of economic and military explorations. However, the way he ruled also sparked widespread discontent. Zhang Zongchang was known for his high-pressure policies and harsh taxes and miscellaneous taxes, coupled with his extravagant personal life and corruption, and the people complained about it.
Zhang Zongchang's tough repression of the workers' movement
In 1928, during the Northern Expedition, the National Revolutionary Army led by Chiang Kai-shek rose rapidly, and Zhang Zongchang's power was greatly impacted. His troops were defeated in the war and eventually had to withdraw from Shandong and flee to the northeast. In the following years, Zhang Zongchang's power gradually declined, and finally on September 3, 1932, he was shot dead by Zheng Jicheng, a senator of the Shandong Provincial Government, at Jinan Station of the Tianjin-Pudong Railway, ending his life of ups and downs.
Zhang Zongchang
5. Historical evaluation and influence
As an important warlord in the Republic of China, Zhang Zongchang's life is full of legends. His military prowess and adventurous spirit made him stand out in an era of war. However, his brutal rule and extravagant life also drew widespread criticism and resentment for him.
Zhang Zongchang
The story of Zhang Zongchang's incorporation of the Belarusian army and his marriage to the five Belarusian sisters reflects his ability to respond flexibly in a complex international environment, and also reveals the multicultural exchanges and collisions in Chinese society at that time. This period of history is not only a personal legend, but also a microcosm of an era.
6. Summary
Zhang Zongchang's legendary life from a reckless hero to marrying five Belarusian sisters shows his struggle and adventure in turbulent times. His story is both historical and personal. By exploring the life of Zhang Zongchang and his relationship with the Belarusian army and the Belarusian women, we can not only gain a deeper understanding of that changing era, but also gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of historical figures.