Zhan Shichai () (between 1841-1847 – 5 November 1893) was a Chinese

giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: ''gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...

who toured the world as "Chang the Chinese Giant" in the 19th century; his stage name is "Chang Woo Gow". Zhan was born in Fuzhou,

Fujian Fujian (; alternately romanized as Fukien or Hokkien) is a province on the southeastern coast of China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its cap ...

Province, in the 1840s, though reports of the year vary from 1841 to 1847. His height was claimed to be over , but there are no authoritative records. He left China in 1865 to travel to

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

where he appeared on stage, later travelling around Europe, and to the U.S. and Australia as "Chang the Chinese Giant". Zhan received a good education in various countries, and developed a good understanding of ten languages. In America, he earned a salary of $500 a month. Kin Foo, the Chinese wife who accompanied Zhan from China, died in 1871, and Zhan later married Catherine Santley, a

Liverpudlian Liverpool is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the List of English districts by population, 10th largest English district by population and its E ...

whom he met in Sydney, Australia. They had two children: Edwin, born in 1877 in

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flowin ...

, and Ernest, born in 1879 in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...

. In 1878, Zhan retired from the stage and settled in Bournemouth, where he opened a Chinese teahouse and a store selling Chinese imports. Zhan died in Bournemouth in 1893, four months after his wife, aged around 50. His coffin was long.The Gentle Giant
based on an article in the London evening newspaper "The Star" for 9 November 1893

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zhan, Shi Chai 1840s births 1893 deaths People from Fuzhou People with gigantism Qing dynasty people

See also

References