Shi Yang
Encyclopedia
Shi Yang (June 13, 1889 - February 15, 1923), born Shi Jichao , styled Bogao . Shi Yang was from the small village of Yang Family River in Zhushan County
, Hubei Province. He was a lawyer by trade, as well as a member of the Chinese Communist Party, and was one of the early leaders of the workers' rights movement in China.
, and therefore in 1912 Yang decided to return to his home village and establish a school, acting as its headmaster. He also founded an agricultural association, and was asked to serve as its chair. In 1914, Yang was accepted into the Hubei Police School, and in 1915 entered the Hubei School of Jurisprudence to study law. He graduated as the school's valedictorian
in 1917, and began practicing law at an office in Wuchang. In 1919, Yang opened his own practice across the Yangtze
in Hankou
at #5 Leatherwork Alley, Hualou Street and soon joined the newly-created Wuhan Jurisprudence Society and was selected as Vice Chair.
In June 1922, Yang was introduced to the Chinese Communist Party by Xu Baihao and Xiang Ying
and became a member. Two months later in August, he participated in the founding of the Wuhan Workers Union the earliest regional union in all of China (the group replaced the "Wuhan" in its name with "Hubei Province" in October of that year). Yang served as legal counsel for the union. Yang used his status as a lawyer to support strikers by factory workers and rickshaw drivers, and participated in many different workers' movements in Wuhan, often as a leader.
On February 1, 1923, the Beijing-Wuhan Railroad Workers' Association held a large formal conference in Zhengzhou
. As Yang was the Association's legal counsel, he played a large part in the conference's activities. The conference met with obstruction from the Zhengzhou Police authorities, and there were several serious clashes between conference attendees and the police. That evening, a secret meeting of the conference was held, demanding that the government meet all of the workers' demands - dismissal of the Zhengzhou Police Chief, reimbursement of workers' lost property, etc. - within two days, otherwise the association would implement a full strike of workers along the entire Jinghan railway
. Shi Yang and Lin Xiangqian were chosen as leaders of the strike in the Jiang'an area, and they returned to Wuhan by train after the meeting.
The following days saw more workers' meetings to organize actions. On February 4, the Beijing-Wuhan Association issued the order to go on strike, and Yang instructed all Wuhan-area members to comply. On the afternoon of February 7, Xiao Yaonan, the military general who controlled most of Hubei Province, began using military force to put down the strike. That evening, Shi Yang was arrested at his home and taken to the Hankou police station. The following morning, he was transferred to a military facility in Wuchang, and in the afternoon was put on trial by a military tribunal
. Yang represented himself pro se, and vehemently criticized the reactionary nature of the Beiyang Army
. Warlord Wu Peifu
took command of the situation and, without waiting for the military trial to conclude, issued a secret order for Yang's execution, which took place in the early morning of February 15, 1923.
A large tomb was built for Yang in Wuchang in 1963, and he was re-interred there. It is located on Wuluo Street, about two miles up from the Yellow Crane Tower
and the Yangtze River. In 1993, a five-meter bronze statue of Yang was erected in his home village.
Zhushan County
Zhushan County is a county under jurisdiction of Shiyan City, Hubei Province, China.It has population of 440,000, an area of 3,590 km2....
, Hubei Province. He was a lawyer by trade, as well as a member of the Chinese Communist Party, and was one of the early leaders of the workers' rights movement in China.
Life
Shi Yang's family were rural farmers and were very poor. In 1907 he was accepted into the Yunyang Government Agricultural School's Silk Production study program, transferring three years later into the Yunyang Agricultural Middle School. Most schools, including Yang's, had closed during and after the chaos of the Xinhai RevolutionXinhai Revolution
The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China...
, and therefore in 1912 Yang decided to return to his home village and establish a school, acting as its headmaster. He also founded an agricultural association, and was asked to serve as its chair. In 1914, Yang was accepted into the Hubei Police School, and in 1915 entered the Hubei School of Jurisprudence to study law. He graduated as the school's valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
in 1917, and began practicing law at an office in Wuchang. In 1919, Yang opened his own practice across the Yangtze
Yangtze River
The Yangtze, Yangzi or Cháng Jiāng is the longest river in Asia, and the third-longest in the world. It flows for from the glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau in Qinghai eastward across southwest, central and eastern China before emptying into the East China Sea at Shanghai. It is also one of the...
in Hankou
Hankou
Hankou was one of the three cities whose merging formed modern-day Wuhan, the capital of the Hubei province, China. It stands north of the Han and Yangtze Rivers where the Han falls into the Yangtze...
at #5 Leatherwork Alley, Hualou Street and soon joined the newly-created Wuhan Jurisprudence Society and was selected as Vice Chair.
In June 1922, Yang was introduced to the Chinese Communist Party by Xu Baihao and Xiang Ying
Xiang Ying
Xiang Ying was a war-time Chinese communist leader reaching the rank of political chief of staff of the New Fourth Army during World War II until his assassination by a member of his staff in 1941.- Biography :...
and became a member. Two months later in August, he participated in the founding of the Wuhan Workers Union the earliest regional union in all of China (the group replaced the "Wuhan" in its name with "Hubei Province" in October of that year). Yang served as legal counsel for the union. Yang used his status as a lawyer to support strikers by factory workers and rickshaw drivers, and participated in many different workers' movements in Wuhan, often as a leader.
On February 1, 1923, the Beijing-Wuhan Railroad Workers' Association held a large formal conference in Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou
Zhengzhou , is the capital and largest city of Henan province in north-central China. A prefecture-level city, it also serves as the political, economic, technological, and educational centre of the province, as well as a major transportation hub for Central China...
. As Yang was the Association's legal counsel, he played a large part in the conference's activities. The conference met with obstruction from the Zhengzhou Police authorities, and there were several serious clashes between conference attendees and the police. That evening, a secret meeting of the conference was held, demanding that the government meet all of the workers' demands - dismissal of the Zhengzhou Police Chief, reimbursement of workers' lost property, etc. - within two days, otherwise the association would implement a full strike of workers along the entire Jinghan railway
Jinghan railway
The Beijing–Hankou or Jinghan Railway was a railway line extending from the Chinese capital Beijing to Hankou in Hubei province that was finished in 1905. It was originally known as the Peking–Hankow Railway. Across the Yangtze river in Wuchang was another line, the Canton–Hankow...
. Shi Yang and Lin Xiangqian were chosen as leaders of the strike in the Jiang'an area, and they returned to Wuhan by train after the meeting.
The following days saw more workers' meetings to organize actions. On February 4, the Beijing-Wuhan Association issued the order to go on strike, and Yang instructed all Wuhan-area members to comply. On the afternoon of February 7, Xiao Yaonan, the military general who controlled most of Hubei Province, began using military force to put down the strike. That evening, Shi Yang was arrested at his home and taken to the Hankou police station. The following morning, he was transferred to a military facility in Wuchang, and in the afternoon was put on trial by a military tribunal
Military tribunal
A military tribunal is a kind of military court designed to try members of enemy forces during wartime, operating outside the scope of conventional criminal and civil proceedings. The judges are military officers and fulfill the role of jurors...
. Yang represented himself pro se, and vehemently criticized the reactionary nature of the Beiyang Army
Beiyang Army
The Beiyang Army was a powerful, Western-style Chinese military force created by the Qing Dynasty government in the late 19th century. It was the centerpiece of a general reconstruction of China's military system. The Beiyang Army played a major role in Chinese politics for at least three decades...
. Warlord Wu Peifu
Wu Peifu
Wu Peifu or Wu P'ei-fu , was a major figure in the struggles between the warlords who dominated Republican China from 1916 to 1927.- Early career :...
took command of the situation and, without waiting for the military trial to conclude, issued a secret order for Yang's execution, which took place in the early morning of February 15, 1923.
A large tomb was built for Yang in Wuchang in 1963, and he was re-interred there. It is located on Wuluo Street, about two miles up from the Yellow Crane Tower
Yellow Crane Tower
Yellow Crane Tower is a famous and historic tower, first built in the year 223 AD, the current structure however, was rebuilt in 1981. The tower stands on Sheshan , at the bank of Yangtze River in Wuchang District, Wuhan, in Hubei province of central China.-History:- Legend :There are at least two...
and the Yangtze River. In 1993, a five-meter bronze statue of Yang was erected in his home village.