Ep. 214 | V.K. Wellington Koo (Part 1)
With the centenary of the Paris Peace Conference now upon us this month, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to commemorate the event by introducing the life of Wellington Koo.
In this first of a two-part series, we will look at the historical events that shaped his early life and career. We will also look at the backstory and set up to the Conference itself. Then in Part 2, we will look at the dramatic events that went on between January and April 1919 as well as the latter half of Wellington Koo’s life.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Bǎoshān | 宝山 | District in northeast Shanghai |
| Cáo Rǔlín | 曹汝霖 | 1877-1966, Signer of the 21 Demands (Yuan Shikai told him to) |
| Duàn Qíruì | 段祺瑞 | 1865-1936, Chinese warlord and multiple times the Premier of the Republic of China |
| Guāngxù Emperor | 光绪帝 | Reigned 1875-1908, second to the last Qing Emperor |
| Gù Wéijūn | 顧維鈞 | V.K. Wellington Koo 1888-1985 |
| I.M. Pei | 贝聿铭 | The great Chinese-American architect, born 1917 |
| Jiādìng | 嘉定 | District in northeast Shanghai |
| Jiāotōng Yínháng | 交通銀行 | The Bank of Communications |
| Jiāozhōu | 胶州 | The area that is called Qingdao today |
| Kūnshān | 昆山 | City that borders Jiangsu and Shanghai and Suzhou |
| Lín Yǔtáng | 林语堂 | 1895-1976 Renowned Chinese writer, translator, linguist, philosopher and inventor |
| Lù Zhēngxiāng | 陆征祥 | 1871-1949, Head of the Chinese delegation in Paris, former ambassador to Russia back when the Tsar was in charge. |
| Lǐ Hóngzhāng | 李鴻章 | Late Qing Era politician and diplomat. Signed more than his fair share of unequal treaties |
| Róng Yìrén | 荣毅仁 | 1916-2005, former Vice President of China, known as China's "Red Capitalist" and creator of CITIC |
| Shī Zhàojī | 施肇基 | Albert Sze Sao-ke, ROC era statesman and diplomat (also first Chinese to graduate from Cornell) |
| Soong Sisters | 宋姐妹 | Ailing, Meiling and Qingling |
| Sun Yat sen | 孙逸仙 | 1866-1925, father of the Republic of China |
| T.V. Soong | 宋子文 | 1894-1971, Brother to the Soong Sisters, all around utility player during the Republican era |
| Táng Shàoyì | 唐绍仪 | 1862-1938, First premier of the Republic of China and early mentor to Wellington Koo |
| Wáng Zhèngtíng | 王正廷 | 1882-1961, CT Wang, Chinese foreign minister, finance minister, Justice minister and a premier to boot |
| Wēihǎiwèi | 威海卫 | City bordering Yantai, leased to Britain from 1898-1930. Also known as Port Edward |
| Yuán Shìkǎi | 袁世凯 | 1859-1916, Chinese military man and government official. President of the ROC in 1912 |
| Yán Huìqìng | 严惠清 | 1877-1950, Weiching Williams Yen, diplomat and premier and president of China during the Republican era |
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