Zhang Zuolin (or Chang Tso-lin) (1873-1928)

Chinese warlord, ruler of Manchuria 1917-28. The son of a shepherd, Zhang was born in southern Manchuria and, taking advantage of the instability of his times, became a successful and wealthy plunderer of Russian border forces. He built up his own powerful private army and by 1917 had become de facto ruler of Manchuria. Zhang profited by selling economic concessions to the Japanese, and at the same time secured recognition of his authority in Manchuria from the USSR. From 1921 he also controlled Inner Mongolia and in 1925 he took Peking, establishing himself as military dictator. He was assassinated in June 1928 near Mukden (now Shenyang), when his train was blown up by Japanese military agents.

Known as the ‘Old Marshal’, he was succeeded as ruler of Manchuria by his son, Zhang Xueliang, who became known as the ‘Young Marshal’, but who faced growing pressures from the Japanese and Jiang Jie Shi's (Chiang Kai-shek's) nationalist forces.