Yen Chia-kan

Yen Chia-kan (Chinese: 嚴家淦; pinyin: Yán Jiāgàn; Wade–Giles: Yen2 Chia1-kan4; 23 October 1905 – 24 December 1993), also known as C. K. Yen, was a Kuomintang politician. He succeeded Chiang Kai-shek as President of the Republic of China on 5 April 1975,[1] being sworn in on 6 April 1975,[2][3] and served out the remainder of Chiang's term until 20 May 1978.

In this Chinese name, the family name is Yen.
His Excellency

C. K. Yen
Yen Chia-kan
嚴家淦
President of the Republic of China
In office
5 April 1975 – 20 May 1978
Vice PresidentNone
KMT ChairmanChiang Ching-kuo
(de facto leader)
Preceded byChiang Kai-shek
Succeeded byChiang Ching-kuo
Vice President of the Republic of China
In office
20 May 1966 – 5 April 1975
PresidentChiang Kai-shek
Preceded byChen Cheng
Succeeded byHsieh Tung-min
Premier of the Republic of China
In office
16 December 1963 – 29 May 1972
PresidentChiang Kai-shek
Vice PremierYu Ching-tang
Huang Shao-ku
Chiang Ching-kuo
Preceded byChen Cheng
Succeeded byChiang Ching-kuo
Other positions
Minister of Finance of the Republic of China
In office
19 March 1958 - 14 December 1963
Preceded byP. Y. Shu
Succeeded byChen Ching-yu
In office
12 March 1950 - 26 May 1954
Preceded byKuan Chi-yu
Succeeded byP. Y. Shu
Chairman of Taiwan Province
In office
7 June 1954 – 16 August 1957
Preceded byYu Hung-chun
Succeeded byChow Chih-jou
Minister of Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen of the Republic of China
In office
1 November 1954 – 24 April 1956
Ambassador to Tunisia
In office
1 June 1981-1 December 1981
Member of Parliament for Taipei
In office
1950-1992
Personal details
Born23 October 1905
Suzhou, Jiangsu, Qing Dynasty
Died24 December 1993(1993-12-24) (aged 88)
Taipei, Taiwan
Resting placeWuzhi Mountain Military Cemetery
NationalityRepublic of China
Political partyKuomintang
Spouse(s)Liu Chi-chun
Yen Chia-kan
Traditional Chinese嚴家淦
Simplified Chinese严家淦

Early life

He was born in Wu County, Suzhou, Jiangsu province in 1905. He came of a prestigious Suzhou family, the Yan (Yen) Family of Dongshan (東山嚴氏).[4] He graduated from Saint John's University in Shanghai with a degree in chemistry in 1926.

Political career

In 1931, Yen began serving as a manager of the Shanghai railway administration.[5] Yen started to work as director of the finance department of Fujian Provincial Government in August 1939. During his term, he initiated a policy of land tax payment for farmers with their agricultural produce. This policy was then adopted nationwide across China and contributed significantly for the nation food supply during World War II.[6]

Yen previously served as Minister of Economic Affairs, minister of finance, and Governor of Taiwan Province. He became premier on 16 December 1963.[7][8]

In 1966 the National Assembly elected Yen as Vice President and re-elected him in 1972. On the afternoon of January 5, 1973, Yen visited Washington, D.C. and met with US President Richard Nixon.[9] Yen became the second President following the death of Chiang Kai-shek and was later succeeded by Chiang's son, KMT Chairman and Premier Chiang Ching-kuo. After his presidency, Yen served as chairman of the Council on Chinese Cultural Renaissance and chairman of the board of the National Palace Museum until 1991.

Death

Yen died in Taipei City at the age of 88. He was buried at the Wuchih Mountain Military Cemetery in New Taipei City.

See also

References
  1. 第5任 嚴總統家淦先生. 中華民國總統府 Office of the President Republic of China (Taiwan) (in Chinese). Retrieved 29 September 2019. 64年04月05日 蔣中正總統逝世，依憲法規定繼任第五任總統。
  2. "Chiang Kai-shek (1st - 5th terms)". Office of the President Republic of China (Taiwan). Retrieved 29 September 2019. 1975-04-06 Sworn in as President in accordance with Constitution upon death of President Chiang Kai-shek.
  3. A Pictorial History of the Republic of China : Its Founding and Development. 2. Taipei: Modern China Press. 1981. p. 561 – via Internet Archive.
  4. By Sun Zhongwang, "Yan Family, Dongting Dongshan Anrenli (孙中旺,《洞庭東山安仁里严氏》) Archived 2010-02-21 at the Wayback Machine The Office of Suzhou History (苏州地方志). Yan Jiachi, an important politician in the Reformed Government of the Republic of China and the Wang Jingwei regime (Republic of China-Nanjing) also came of this family.
  5. Han Cheung (31 March 2019). "Taiwan in Time: The (often) forgotten president". Taipei Times. Retrieved 31 March 2019.
  6. http://english.president.gov.tw/Default.aspx?tabid=550
  7. "Yen Chia-kan", in Heads of States and Governments Since 1945, by Harris M. Lentz, (Routledge, 2014) p173
  8. "Yen Assumes Premiership", Bridgeport (CT) Post, December 16, 1963, p10
  9. David P. Nickles, ed. (2007). Memorandum of Conversation. Foreign Relations of the United States, 1969–1976. 18 – via Office of the Historian.
Political offices
Preceded by
Liu Hang-chen		 Economic Affairs Minister of the Republic of China
1950		 Succeeded by
Cheng Tao-ju
Preceded by
Kuan Chi-yu		 Finance Minister of the Republic of China
1950–1954		 Succeeded by
P. Y. Shu
Preceded by
position established		 Minister of Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen of the Republic of China
1954–1956		 Succeeded by
Chiang Ching-kuo
Preceded by
Yu Horng-jiun		 Governor of Taiwan Province
1954–1957		 Succeeded by
Chow Chih-jou
Preceded by
P. Y. Shu		 Finance Minister of the Republic of China
1958–1963		 Succeeded by
Chen Ching-yu
Preceded by
Chen Cheng		 Premier of the Republic of China
1963–1972		 Succeeded by
Chiang Ching-kuo
Preceded by
Chen Cheng		 Vice President of the Republic of China
1966–1975		 Succeeded by
Hsieh Tung-ming
Preceded by
Chiang Kai-shek		 President of the Republic of China
April 5, 1975–May 20, 1978		 Succeeded by
Chiang Ching-kuo
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