Word: feng
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...People," said the tall, amiable Chinese in his Manhattan apartment last week, "are always progressing." In 67 years, China's Feng Yu-hsiang (known to the West as the "Christian General") has progressed at a fabulous pace. These days, a good many Americans who call themselves liberals hail him as a great Chinese democrat...
What is the secret of Feng's progress? Wrote a Chinese newspaper recently: "During the period of 1916 to 1925, he turned his spear backward seven times, at the rate of about once a year." That was a pretty good explanation, except for two points: 1) it dealt with only a small segment of a long and tortuous career, and 2) some might not understand that American for "turned his spear" is "double-crossed...
...Rascal. Feng (rhymes with rung) was born a peasant, entered the Imperial Chinese Army in his teens, was promoted to regimental commander; in 1911, he took part in the coup against the Manchu dynasty. He became a Methodist. He also became the servant of a succession of warlords, to each of whom he proclaimed his loyalty with tears streaming down his cheeks; when a more powerful rival appeared, Feng transferred his tears and loyalties to him. In 1923, Warlord Tsao Kun captured China's government and made Feng a full marshal. Once, when Feng visited his boss...
Next year, his lord teacher Tsao was fighting the notorious Japanese-backed ex-bandit and warlord, Chang Tso-lin; Feng calmly attacked the rear of Tsao's armies, imprisoned Tsao, and, for a while, became China's "strong man." He removed the better part of the Imperial City's ancient treasures after putting out the ly-year-old Boy Emperor Pu Yi. He allied himself with Chang. He also married the secretary of the Peking Y.W.C.A. (his first wife, a peasant, had just died...
Then he betrayed his ally, Chang, and then the man who helped him betray Chang. Things were getting a little hot for Feng, and he escaped to Russia. In Moscow, he attended classes in revolutionary technique under Karl Radek. A year later, he returned to China and went about organizing a private army. But when it looked as though General Chiang Kai-shek would beat them, he threw over the Communists and joined Chiang...