Cao Ruolin

A pro-Japanese Chinese bureaucrat from Shanghai. He studied at Waseda University and other institutions. After returning to China, he served the Qing Dynasty, and in the spring of 1911, he became Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. After the Xinhai Revolution, he became a member of the House of Councillors and Deputy Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under Yuan Shikai, and in 1915 (Taisho 4), he approved Japan's Twenty-One Demands on China. In 1916, he became Minister-General of Transportation and Foreign Affairs, and even after Yuan's death, he played an important role in Duan Qirui's cabinet, arranging the Nishihara Loan. During the May Fourth Movement in 1919, he was burned down by students as a traitor, and was dismissed from his job. He later became active in the business world. During the Second Sino-Japanese War, he participated in Japan's puppet government, and after the war was designated a traitor, but after his release he defected to the United States.

[Shuzo Agawa]

“A Lifetime’s Memories” edited and translated by Cao Rulin Memoir Publishing Association (1967, Kashima Research Institute Publishing Association)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

中国の親日派官僚。上海(シャンハイ)の人。早稲田(わせだ)大学などに留学。帰国後清(しん)朝に出仕し、1911年春、外務部副大臣となる。辛亥(しんがい)革命後は袁世凱(えんせいがい)の下で参議院議員、外務部次長となり、1915年（大正4）日本の対華二十一か条要求を承認。1916年交通兼外交総長（大臣）となり、袁の死後も段祺瑞(だんきずい)内閣に重きをなし、西原借款を取りまとめた。1919年五・四運動の際、売国奴として学生の焼き討ちにあい、免職。のち実業界で活躍。日中戦争中は日本の傀儡(かいらい)政権に参加し、戦後漢奸(かんかん)に指名されたが、釈放後アメリカへ亡命した。

［阿川修三］

『曹汝霖回想録刊行会編・訳『一生之回憶』（1967・鹿島研究所出版会）』

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