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Ellen Li

1908 – 2005

Vietnamese politician

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About Ellen Li

Lived 1908 – 2005 (aged 96). Ellen Li was a Vietnamese justice of the peace and politician.

Ellen Li Shu-pui (; born Ts'o Sau-kuan; 22 July 1908 – 2 June 2005) was a politician in Hong Kong. She is best known as the first woman to be appointed to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1962 and was cured after receiving a series of operations.

She was made Justice of the Peace in 1948. In 1964, she was appointed member of the Urban Council of Hong Kong, the first woman to be appointed to the Council. She became the first woman to be appointed to the Legislative Council of Hong Kong in 1965 as a provisional member during the absence of Dhun Jehangir Ruttonjee, and was appointed in July 1966 in place of Kwan Cho-yiu in which she held the position until 1973. She was instrumental in passing the 1971 Marriage (Amendment) Bill, which abolished the polygamy by virtue of the Great Qing Legal Code. (1903–2005), younger brother of Dr. Li Shu-fan. Dr. Li Shu-pui was the chairman of the Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital.

The couple had three children, one daughter and two sons. One of her children is Dr Walton Li Wai-tat, who went on to become superintendent of the University of Hong Kong.

Ellen Li died at the age of 96, on 2 June 2005.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
St. Stephen's Girls' College, University of Shanghai
Positions held
Justice of the peace
Awards
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Also known as
Ellen Li Shu-pui

People in Ellen Li's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Ellen Li's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Ellen Li?

Vietnamese politician

When was Ellen Li born?

Ellen Li was born on 22 July 1908 in Ho Chi Minh City.

When did Ellen Li die?

Ellen Li died on 2 June 2005 in Hong Kong.

What was Ellen Li's occupation?

Ellen Li was a justice of the peace and politician.

What nationality was Ellen Li?

Ellen Li was Vietnamese.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Ellen Li

· Wikidata: Q11096914

· DBpedia: Ellen Li

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Ellen Li. https://biography.guide/ellen-li/

MLA: "Ellen Li." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/ellen-li/.

Chicago: "Ellen Li." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/ellen-li/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-22 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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