Chen Xuechang

His Excellency Chén Xuéchāng
陳学昌
Colourised photo of Chen Xuechang in 1956
3rd First Minister of Xiaodong
In office 24th August 1951 – 20th March 1957
President	Shen Jianxiao Tao Guangmei
Deputy	Li Dongyuan Shen Jinping
Preceded by	Ma Renzhong
Succeeded by	Li Zhaozheng
Chairman of the Xiaodong Regeneration Society
In office 24th August 1951 – 20th March 1957
Deputy	Li Dongyuan Shen Jinping
Preceded by	Ma Renzhong
Succeeded by	Li Zhaozheng
Chairman of the State Presidium Acting
In office 14rd August 1946 – 25th September 1946
Prime Minister	Ma Renzhong
Preceded by	Yu Changshao
Succeeded by	Shen Jianxiao
Presiding Officer of the State Presidium
In office 10th April 1938 – 24th August 1951
President	Lu Keqian Yu Changshao Shen Jianxiao
Preceded by	Post established
Succeeded by	Luo Wenjing
Personal details
Born	(1897-06-16)June 16, 1897 Renpou, Zhongdong Prefecture, Xiaodong
Died	April 7, 1974(1974-04-07) (aged 76) Zhinning, Meifucun Prefecture, Xiaodong
Political party	Xiaodong Regeneration Society
Spouse	Liu Ran
Children	4
Alma mater	University of Baiqiao
Occupation	Politician
Military service
Allegiance	File:Flag of Xiaodong (1876-1951).png Xiaodong (1928-1933)
Branch/service	File:Flag of Xiaodong (1876-1951).png Xiaodongese Army (1928-1933)
Rank	General
Battles/wars	Senrian-Xiaodongese War, Xiaodongese Civil War

This is a Xiaodongese name; the family name is Chen (陳).

Chen Xuechang (Xiaodongese: 陳学昌, Chén Xuéchāng; June 16^th 1897 - April 7^th 1974 aged 76) was a Xiaodongese statesman who served as First Minister of Xiaodong from 1952 to 1957. He also served as the inaugural presiding officer of the State Presidium and its the acting Chairman in 1946.

A former officer in the Xiaodongese colonial army, he served in the Senrian-Xiaodongese War being taken in as a Senrian prisoner of war. Being returned to Xiaodong in a prisoner swap after the Treaty of Keisi, Chen was subsequently appointed as the regional military governor of his native Zhongdong Prefecture. As the governor of the Zhongdong prefecture he openly supported the Corrective Revolution and joined Lu Keqian's Army of National Salvation during the Xiaodongese Civil War, where he served as a general. Chen led the invasion of the Ba Republic where he was appointed military governor of the conquered territory. Chen was soon implicated in widespread human rights abuses in the former republic when serving as its governor from 1937-1938.

In 1938 he was appointed as the first Presiding Officer of the State Presidium by Lu Keqian, being seen as one of his close associates. During his tenure as Presiding Officer he was regarded as a "key architect in the emergence of a dominant party state" and the repression of opposition movements.

In 1951 following the death of Ma Renzhong Chen was appointed a consensus leader to succeed him as First Minister. Chen rose to power as a hardliner and was expected to champion such a line as First Minister - however he in office unexpectedly liberalised the political and cultural spheres allowing for more freedom of the press and protest whilst abolishing government cultural censorship. This led to the start of the "Xiaodongese Spring between 1954-1957, a period of gradual liberalisation.

The Xiaodongese spring however alienated conservative movements within the regime and led to an upsurge in nationalist activity, notably in Duljun. In October 1956 after civil rights protests in Henjintao Chen declared that the Xiaodongese spring was over and reimposed restrictions on the press, freedom of assembly and the political sphere - this move however alienated reformists in the regime who made up the core of his support. With little backing from his peers in the Regeneration Society Chen was ousted at a party conference in March 1957 by a compromise candidate, Li Zhaozheng. He was expelled from the Regeneration Society in 1959 and placed under de facto house arrest in 1965. He died whilst still under house arrest in 1974 of heart failure.

Chen's time in government was marked by economic growth and political stability - however his reforms were criticised by hardliners as ceding power to the opposition whilst reformers stated the reforms were to timid and that they were opportunist in nature. Chen's role in suppressing the Ba Republic has earned him notoriety amongst the Ba people where he remains a "totemic figure of hatred".