Tan Yankai

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Tan Yankai (譚延闓; Wade-Giles: T'an Yen-k'ai) (1876-1930) was a Chinese politician from Hunan. A member of Liang Qichao's Constitutionalist Party, he campaigned for a parliament and restrained monarchy. As the party renamed itself the Progressive Party after the Xinhai Revolution, he was a major leader. He left and joined the Kuomintang and became military governor of his home province. His support for Sun Yatsen's attempt to overthrow President Yuan Shikai in 1913 led to his ouster. He returned to power after Yuan's death and lead his province into resisting the Beiyang Army in 1917 which saved Sun's Guangdong base. After a brief attempt in spearheading federalism, his subordinates forced him to resign. When Chen Jiongming was driven out of Guangzhou, Tan was made home minister by Sun. He served as Chairman of the National Government during the first half of the Northern Expedition and again during its conclusion. Tan was a member of Wang Jingwei's Wuhan faction. He was the first internationally recognized head of state of the Nanjing based Kuomintang government. He is entombed near the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing.

His daughter, Tan Xiang, married Chen Cheng.

Preceded by Chiang Kai-shek	Chairman of the National Government 1927–1928	Succeeded by Chiang Kai-shek
Preceded by Zhang Zuolin	Internationally recognized head of state 1928	Succeeded by Chiang Kai-shek