Maggs Bros.

“This edition of Who’s Who in China, fifth to be issued since 1918, contains the biographical sketches of more than 1,500 of the best known men and women of China. Most of the biographies are accompanied by photographs, a unique feature of the book… This volume represents a complete revision of preceding editions, including supplements, plus a considerable number of new sketches of persons who have come into prominence in the past four or five years. The names of several who appeared in preceding editions, but were taken by death, have been omitted, - with one notable exception, the late Dr. Sun Yat-sen, founder of the Kuomintang and “father” of the Nationalist movement… The biographies were obtained from newspaper accounts, official records, directly from the individuals themselves or from personal friends. The newspapers provide the best source of information regarding persons regarded as suitable for inclusion in the book, as practically every edition of every newspaper contains names of persons appointed to official or civil position or who have come into prominence sufficiently to have their names printed in the papers. Chief officials of all provinces, excepting Sinkiang, are included. Gen. Shen Shih-tsai, border defense commissioner of Sinkiang, China’s most western province, has resisted all registered letter appeals for the details of his life for publication.” (Preface).

The introduction to the supplementary volume states: “It was decided to publish the present supplement - containing some 300 biographies - of Chinese leaders who are active in some phase of the war of resistance, or other work which has not been so seriously affected by the hostilities”. It includes an entry for the young Mao Zedong. An essential and extremely rare reference-book for a fascinating array of personalities in the republican period of China.