ABSTRACT
Shansi is a distinct geographical entity in the heart of north China. The mountainous terrain of Shansi tends to isolate the province, and this has resulted in distinct Shansi dialects and customs. During the early 1930’s, Yen Hsi-shan concentrated his efforts on the internal development and reform of Shansi, emphasizing this time a policy of “building up industries for the salvation of China.” The existing balance of military forces in Shansi is summarized as follows by Yen’s Chief of Staff, who appears to be unusually frank and forthright. The Shansi Economic Control Bureau is just a body. Added to the usual provincial organs normally authorized by the Central Government, it has been recognized and authorized by the Central Government, and this, in effect, adds to Shansi’s economic autonomy. The most recent innovation in Shansi, however, is the “Three Self” program, aimed at “self-purification, self-defense, and self-government.”
