Liang Cheng

Liang Cheng (November 30, 1864 – February 3, 1917 ), courtesy name Liang Chentung, also known as Liang Pi Yuk, and later as Chentung Liang Cheng, was a Chinese ambassador to the United States during the Qing dynasty. He was primarily responsible for negotiating the return payment of all the US share of the Boxer Indemnity for the establishment of Tsinghua University and the Boxer Indemnity Scholarship Program.

Early life in the United States 1881 Phillips Academy baseball team. Liang is sitting in the front row on the far right. Liang was born in Panyu, Guangdong Province. At the age of 12, he was sent to study in the United States as part of the Chinese Educational Mission in 1876. He studied at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts, but returned to China in 1881 when the program was canceled.

One of the reasons for the cancellation of the mission was that the students were adopting too many American customs, and Liang was no exception. While at Phillips, he became a star baseball player for the school, most famously in a game against Phillips Exeter Academy in 1881, where he batted in three runs with two extra base hits.

Diplomatic career Early career After returning to China, Liang joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Beginning in 1885, he followed Zhang Yinhuan and served in the Chinese embassy to the United States, Spain, and Peru (one embassy served all three countries). He, along with Zhang, also participated in the negotiations for the Treaty of Shimonoseki, following China's defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War. From his second marriage, he had another son, for a total of eleven children.

Honors and awards Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) Legion of Honour (France) Order of the Rising Sun (Japan) Honorary graduate, Amherst College (1885) Honorary LL.D, Amherst College (1903) Honorary LL.D, Yale University (1906)