Xie Shouchang (; 19 November 1897 – 22 December 1971) known by his

courtesy name A courtesy name (), also known as a style name, is a name bestowed upon one at adulthood in addition to one's given name. This practice is a tradition in the East Asian cultural sphere, including China, Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.Ulrich Theobald ...

Xie Guansheng () was a Chinese jurist who served as

Minister of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of justice (minister for justice in a v ...

from 1937 to 1948. After the government of the Republic of China moved to Taiwan, Xie was President of the Judicial Yuan 1958 to 1971.

Career

Xie was born in Shengxian,

Zhejiang Zhejiang ( or , ; , also romanized as Chekiang) is an eastern, coastal province of the People's Republic of China. Its capital and largest city is Hangzhou, and other notable cities include Ningbo and Wenzhou. Zhejiang is bordered by Jiang ...

. His grandfather, Xie Tingjun, was a businessman, and his father, Xie Kuang, a scholar. Upon graduating from primary school in 1910, Xie Guansheng was admitted to

Hangzhou High School Hangzhou High School (), or Hanggao, established in 1899, is one of the most famous high schools in Southern China. It was the earliest-founded public high school in Zhejiang Province. Its history dates back to Yangzheng College founded by Lin ...

. Two years later, Xie transferred to

Xuhui High School Xuhui High School () is a secondary school in Xujiahui, Shanghai. Founded in 1850 by Jesuits, Jesuit missionaries, its original name was Collège Saint Ignace ( en, St. Ignatius High School). After the Chinese Civil War, was moved and rebuilt i ...

, where he graduated and later became a teacher. Xie left teaching to join the

Commercial Press The Commercial Press () is the first modern publishing organisation in China. History In 1897, 26-year-old Xia Ruifang and three of his friends (including the Bao brothers Bao Xian'en and Bao Xianchang) founded The Commercial Press in Shang ...

, where he helped publish the first edition of the ''

Ciyuan The ''Ciyuan'' or ''Tz'u-yüan'' was the first major Chinese dictionary linguistically structured around words (''ci'' ) instead of individual characters (''zi'' ) used to write them. The Commercial Press published the first edition ''Ciyuan'' ...

'', released in 1915. Xie later served as secretary to , who invited him to study law at Aurora University in Shanghai. Xie later furthered his legal education at the

University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...

, where he earned a doctorate. After returning to China, Xie taught law at

Aurora University Aurora University (AU) is a private university in Aurora, Illinois. In addition to its main campus and the Orchard Center in Aurora, AU offers programs online, at its George Williams College campus in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, and at the Woodsto ...

and

Fudan University Fudan University () is a national public research university in Shanghai, China. Fudan is a member of the C9 League, Project 985, Project 211, and the Double First Class University identified by the Ministry of Education of China. It is als ...

, among other schools. In 1926, Xie was invited to join the Wuhan-based Nationalist government as a secretary for the

Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the government department responsible for the state's diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral relations affairs as well as for providing support for a country's citizens who are abroad. The entit ...

. Xie remained in his post after the Nationalist government had been consolidated in Nanjing. Concurrently, he was dean of the law school at

National Central University National Central University (NCU, ; Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: ''Kwet-li̍p Chung-yong Thài-ho̍k'', Wade–Giles: ''Kuo2 Li4 Chung Yang Ta4 Hsüeh2'' or ''中大'', ''Chung-ta'') is a public research university with long-standing traditions based in Taiwa ...

.薛化元，國史館現藏民國人物傳記史料彙編第一輯，1988年 In April 1930, Xie began work for the

Judicial Yuan The Judicial Yuan () is the judicial branch of the government of the Republic of China on Taiwan.''See'' Constitution arts. 77-82, ''available at'' ''See'' Additional Articles of the Constitution art. 5, ''available at'' It runs a Constitution ...

. He moved to the

Ministry of Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry. Lists of current ministries of justice Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia) * Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Just ...

in October 1934, becoming secretary of the ministry in March 1936. Xie succeeded as justice minister in August 1937. In May 1945, Xie was elected to the

Kuomintang The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...

Central Committee. On April 23, 1947, Xie was appointed to a special committee of the

Executive Yuan The Executive Yuan () is the executive branch of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Its leader is the Premier, who is appointed by the President of the Republic of China, and requires confirmation by the Legislative Yuan. ...

. He continued serving as minister of justice until December 1948, when he was named the secretary-general of the Judicial Yuan. Xie retreated to Taiwan with other Nationalist government officials after the Kuomintang lost the

Second Chinese Civil War The Chinese Communist Revolution, officially known as the Chinese People's War of Liberation in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and also known as the National Protection War against the Communist Rebellion in the Republic of China (ROC ...

. In May 1950, he was named Vice President of the Judicial Yuan, serving until March 1958, when he was promoted to President of the Judicial Yuan. Xie died on 22 December 1971 in Taipei, weeks after stepping down as President of the Judicial Yuan.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Xie, Guansheng 1897 births 1971 deaths Commercial Press people Republic of China politicians from Zhejiang Justice Ministers of the Republic of China Taiwanese Presidents of the Judicial Yuan Taiwanese people from Zhejiang University of Paris alumni Academic staff of Fudan University Academic staff of Nanjing University People from Shengzhou Law school deans Educators from Shaoxing Politicians from Shaoxing Chinese university and college faculty deans