The collection contains a volume of correspondence between General Chao and other prominent political figures in the 1920s and a calligraphy album commemorating Chao's 80th birthday

Born in 1880 in Hunan Province. Engaged in military studies in Japan in 1904, and returned to China in 1905 to join Sun Yat-sen's revolutionary cause. Went to study military in Japan again in 1906 and graduated from the Imperial Japanese Army Academy in 1909. Arrested by President Yuan Shikai for treason in 1913, and was released two years later. In the decade that followed, Chao was active in Hunan Province's military and political arena, becoming Governor of Hunan in 1921. He held that position until 1926, after a coup to oust him. He stepped down and fled to Shanghai. After the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese war in 1937, he collaborated with Chiang Kai-shek and refused to join the Japanese. He was elected member of the National Assembly in 1947. He went to Taiwan after 1949 and was appointed senior presidential adviser to Chiang Kai-shek. He died in Taipei in 1971.

4 oversize boxes (5.8 Linear Feet)

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