Baoding Military Academy
After graduating the Baoding Military Academy and the Imperial Japanese Army Academy with a government scholarship, he returned to China and joined the army as a minor commander. He became a brigadier general, head of the Board of Military Academy of the Department of Army in 1916, and a commander at Xia Nan. In 1918, he became a lieutenant general and principal of the Baoding Military Academy. In November 1925, he became assistant secretary of the Department of Army, and soon was promoted to Secretary of Army and commander of the national guard.