Chang Chi-yun

Chang Chi-yun was a Chinese historian and politician who was one of the most influential figures in the Republic of China (Taiwan). He graduated from Tsinghua University in 1919 and obtained his PhD from Columbia University in 1925. He returned to China in 1926 and worked at various universities, such as Peking University, National Central University, and National Taiwan University. He was a pioneer in the study of Chinese history, especially the history of the Qing dynasty. He wrote many books and articles on various topics, such as the Taiping Rebellion, the Opium War, the Boxer Rebellion, and the Xinhai Revolution. He also participated in the excavation and research of the Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian, which was a major discovery of human evolution. He was also a prominent politician and educator in Taiwan. He served as the Minister of Education, the President of the Examination Yuan, the Vice President of the Legislative Yuan, and the President of the Control Yuan. He was also a member of the National Assembly and the Constitutional Drafting Committee. He played a key role in the drafting and revision of the Republic of China Constitution, which is the supreme law of Taiwan. He was awarded the Order of Brilliant Star, the Order of Propitious Clouds, and the Order of Chiang Chung-cheng. He was also a member of the Academia Sinica and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. He died in 1988 at the age of 89 and was honored as a pioneer, a visionary, and an inspiration to many.