Who was Zhan Tianyou? His statue stands before you. This is the Zhan Tianyou statue.
This isn’t just any monument. It commemorates a remarkable man. Zhan Tianyou was a pioneering Chinese railroad engineer. He’s known as the Father of China’s Railroad. His legacy is immense. He built China’s first railway without foreign help.
Zhan Tianyou was born in Nanhai county. This is now part of Guangzhou. His family was involved in business and commerce. At twelve years old he was chosen to study in the United States. He joined the Chinese Educational Mission. This was China’s first major experiment in overseas education. He attended Yale University. His major was Civil Engineering. He specialized in railroad construction.
After graduating he returned to China. He wasn’t immediately given engineering work. The Qing government found the foreign-educated students’ behavior un-Chinese. They were sent to work as translators or navy officers. Zhan Tianyou served at the Foochow Arsenal. A few years later this was destroyed during the Sino-French War.
Finally in 1888 he became an engineer. He began working under a British engineer. He was quickly promoted. He worked on the Tientsin to Tangshan railway. This later extended to become the Peking Mukden Line. He spent twelve years on this railway.
Later he became chief engineer. He built a special railway for Empress Dowager Cixi. This was a short line. It enabled her to visit her ancestors’ tombs. This success led to more railways being built in China.
In 1905 he was chosen for his most famous project. He became chief engineer of the Peking-Kalgan Railway. This was the first railway in China built entirely without foreign assistance. Many doubted the success of this project. The railway crossed rugged mountains north of Peking. Zhan Tianyou used innovative techniques. He completed it two years ahead of schedule and under budget. He is even said to have been a technical advisor for the Lo Wu Bridge. This was built as part of the Kowloon-Canton Railway.
Zhan Tianyou’s achievements were significant. He was elected a member of the North British Academy of Arts. He was a founding member of the Chinese Institute of Engineers. He received an honorary doctorate. He was also elected to the American Society of Civil Engineers. His peers called him the Father of Chinese Railroads.
This statue. This is a tribute. It remembers the life and work of Zhan Tianyou. The Father of China’s Railroads. He was a son of Guangzhou. His contributions to China and the world are undeniable. A true pioneer. Let us remember Zhan Tianyou. Let us appreciate this Zhan Tianyou statue.