Page 66 - Chinese works of art and paintings, March 19 Bonhams

Tang Shao-yi was the first prime minister of the Republic
of China. Born in Guangdong Province in 1861, he was
sent to the United States to attend grammar school, high
school and college. Following his return to China, he rose to
political prominence through several diplomatic appointments
within the imperial Chinese government. He served as
Consul-General in Korea, Special Commissioner to Tibet,
and Governor of Fengtian Province in Manchuria. He was
often dispatched on official missions as a special envoy of
the Qing imperial court. In 1908 one such mission brought
him to Washington for a visit that was heavily covered by the
American press. He led a delegation that presented gifts
to the Library of Congress and was received at the White
House. Tang Shao-yi was appointed Premier Minister after
the Republican Revolution of 1911 and later held additional
positions as Minister of Communications and Minister of
Foreign Affairs. He developed a lifelong interest in Chinese
porcelain during his years of public service. Upon retirement
and until his death in 1938, he devoted himself to collecting
porcelains, dividing his time between Shanghai and his villa
and gardens in Tangjiawan in southern China. Tang Shao-yi
acquired both fine porcelains and decorative Shiwan pieces
made in his native province of Guangdong. His collection
aptly reflected his sense of beauty and deep connection with
his family heritage.

唐紹儀出生於廣東省，少年時被派到美國，先入語言學校學
習語言，隨後就讀於美國高中和大學。唐紹儀返回中國之
後，很快在政治外交領域展露頭角。他曾擔任清政府駐朝鮮
總領事，奉天巡撫，以全權大臣身份赴印度與英國就西藏問 Tang Shaoyi and his first grandson, Tong Ping, at the family
題進行談判。另外，唐紹儀還常常作為清政府特別使節出國 residence in Zhuhai
訪問。１９０８年，唐紹儀出訪華盛頓。此次訪問引起了
美國媒體的廣泛關注和報導。由唐紹儀帶領的特別使團向美
國國會遞交了送給白宮的特別禮品。１９１１年辛亥革命之
後，唐紹儀被任命為中華民國首任國務總理，隨後還相機擔
任通訊總長和外交總長。 在繁忙的政治生涯之餘，唐紹儀喜
好收藏瓷器。在其淡出政治舞台至１９３８年遇害之間，唐
紹儀收集了大量瓷器作品，其中不乏一些上乘精品，另外也
包括一批來自其家鄉廣東石灣窯的作品。

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