Sun Yat-sen University in Moscow and the Chinese Revolution - KU ...

Chapter X
Feng Yu-hsiang—Honorary Student
at Sun Yat-sen University
The initial efforts of Soviet Russia to establish a foothold in China
can be traced back to the early days following the October Revolution
of 1917. But it was not until 1923, when the Russians established firm
relations with Dr. Sun Yat-sen in South China, that they made any
substantial headway in China. Michael Borodin left Moscow for
Canton in September, 1923. On the way, he stopped off in Peking,
where he had long conversations with Leo Karakhan, the Soviet representative
there. They discussed, among other things, the possibility of
establishing a Soviet foothold in North China in addition to the one in
the South. About the same time, Li Ta-chao and, later, Hsu Ch'ien,
helped this undertaking by providing concrete suggestions as to how it
might be implemented. Li and Hsu proposed to Karakhan that General
Hu Ching-i, commander-in-chief of the Second Kuominchun, then
based in Honan Province, was the most likely man in the North with
whom the Russians might develop a useful working relationship. Hu
Ching-i had long maintained close relations with the KMT and could
almost be regarded as a KMT member. The Russians accepted this
suggestion and began the lengthy negotiating and planning necessary
to send a substantial military advisory group to work with Hu Ching-i.
Before the advisory group actually was sent, however, Hu Ching-i died
of an infection from an abscess in April, 1925. The Russians had no
faith in his successor, Yueh Wei-chun. This time, Li Ta-chao, Hsu
Ch'ien, and perhaps others suggested that the Russians work out a relationship
with the commander-in-chief of the First Kuominchun,
Feng Yu-hsiang, who was stationed at Chiang-chia-k'ou. Again, the
Russians accepted the suggestion. At Li Ta-chao's request, Mao I-heng,
a professor in Peking, visited Feng Yu-hsiang and acquainted him with
the Russians' interest in providing him with military assistance. Feng
promptly named three subordinates, Liu Chi, T'ang Yueh-liang, and
Pao Shih-chieh, to directly negotiate in his behalf with Karakhan.
Meanwhile, the KMT appointed Hsu Ch'ien as its representative to the
First Kuominchun. Then, in behalf of the KMT, Wang Ching-wei,
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