Jeme Tien Yow
- Born:
- April 26, 1861, Nanhai, Guangdong, Qing Dynasty (present-day Guangdong Province, China)
- Died:
- April 24, 1919, Hankou, Hubei, Republic of China (present-day Wuhan, China)
- Nationality:
- Chinese
- Profession(s):
- Railway Engineer
Early Life and Education
- Born into a family in Guangdong province.
- Selected at age 12 to study at the Chinese Educational Mission in the United States.
- Studied at Hillhouse High School in New Haven, Connecticut.
- Graduated from Yale University with a degree in civil engineering in 1881.
Career and Major Achievements
- Returned to China in 1881 and faced initial difficulties finding engineering work due to anti-foreign sentiment.
- Joined the Imperial Chinese Railway Administration.
- Played a crucial role in the construction of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway (also known as the Peking-Kalgan Railway), completed in 1909. This was the first railway designed and built solely by Chinese engineers.
- Developed a method for tunneling through difficult terrain, known as the "vertical shaft method."
- Served as the Chief Engineer of the Guangdong-Hankou Railway and the Hunan-Hubei Railway.
- Pioneered the use of Chinese laborers and materials in railway construction.
Notable Works
- Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway (Peking-Kalgan Railway)
- Qinhuangdao Port expansion
Legacy and Impact
Jeme Tien Yow is considered the "Father of China's Railroads." His successful completion of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway, without foreign assistance, was a significant achievement that boosted national pride and demonstrated China's engineering capabilities. He helped to lay the foundation for China's modern railway system. For those interested in learning more about his life and achievements, you may find segments on a 'jeme tien yow biography channel'.