Wen Yingju

Wen Pengjiu, male, Han ethnicity, was born on December 25, 1905, and died in December 2004. His original name was Wen Yingju, courtesy name Pengjiu. He was born in Yixingbu, Tianjin. Coming from an educational family, he received basic education in his early years. In 1913, he entered the Yixingbu Minli Fifth Primary School. In 1919, he was admitted to the Tianjin Zhili Provincial Normal School, beginning formal academic training.

In 1926, Wen Pengjiu ranked first in the entrance examination and was admitted to Beijing Chaoyang University, majoring in law. The following year, he participated in the patriotic movement in Tianjin, focusing on national liberation and resistance against Japan. In 1929, he was recommended to study in Japan, attending Meiji University and Waseda University’s First High School Academy, majoring in political economy. During that period, witnessing the Japanese invasion after the Mukden Incident (“September 18 Incident”), he dropped out to return to China.

In September 1932, Wen Pengjiu went to Germany for studies, attending Humboldt University (later Berlin University) and Freiburg University. He joined the Chinese Anti-Japanese National Salvation Union and the Anti-Imperialist League, publishing numerous anti-Japanese and resistance propaganda materials. After returning to China in February 1938, he served as a political instructor in the Anti-Enemy Youth Corps of Huangchuan County, Henan Province, collaborating with Yang Hucheng and others to resist Japanese invasion.

In spring 1941, he was appointed deputy director of the office of the commander of the 38th Army of the Chinese People's Army, secretly assisting underground work. In winter 1944, he arrived in Chongqing and received high praise from prominent Kuomintang figures such as Yu Youren, Feng Yuxiang, and the democratic figure Shen Junru. After the end of the war of resistance, he joined the Foreign Affairs Group of the CPC Central Committee and participated in the preparatory work for the founding of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of New China.

In May 1947, he joined the Chinese Communist Party. That year, he successively taught at the College of Finance at Beifang University in Lucheng, Shanxi, and at North China University of Finance and Economics in Shijiazhuang. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Wen Pengjiu held important positions including Deputy Director of the Western Europe and Africa Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Political Counselor at the Swiss Embassy, and Consul General at the Geneva Consulate General. In 1955, he studied at the Central Party School. In 1960, he served as Director of the Fifth Department of the Central Foreign Cultural Liaison Committee.

During the Cultural Revolution, Wen Pengjiu was subjected to unfair treatment and was released immediately upon Zhou Enlai’s instruction. In August 1978, he was reassigned to work in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Later, he served as an executive director and then advisor of the Chinese People's Friendship Association, retiring in April 1984.

Regarding his family, his elder brother was Wen Yingshi, and his grandnephew was the former Premier Wen Jiabao. His wife was Liu Jiangwen, and they had children Wen Ning, Wen Xing, and Wen Wen. Wen Pengjiu cared deeply about his hometown’s development, visiting it multiple times, supporting local construction, and donating personal collections to promote cultural projects. He passed away in December 2004 at the age of 99.