# Chin Lan Pin — My Life in China and America character guide

> Chin Lan Pin in My Life in China and America by Yung Wing.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Chin

**First appearance:** 0018-xvi-proposal-of-my-educational-scheme

## Snapshot

A cautious official who lets others do the dangerous work and still collects the title, embodying everything Yung Wing finds frustrating about Qing bureaucracy.

## Who they are

Chin Lan Pin serves alongside Yung Wing on the Educational Mission, but his instinct is to avoid responsibility and let subordinates absorb the risk. When a fact-finding trip to Cuba is needed, he delays three months and sends Yeh Shu Tung ahead to do the actual labor—then returns to claim the laurels and a minister's post. His career quietly illustrates the reward system that Yung Wing believes is strangling China's best men.

## Relationships

### [Woo Tsze Tung](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se/characters/woo_tsze_tung)

_professional_

Chin Lan Pin and Woo Tsze Tung were colleagues in the Chinese Educational Mission, managing students abroad.

### [Chin Kiang](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se/characters/chin_kiang)

_family_

Chin Kiang and Chin Lan Pin were brothers, with Chin Kiang often supporting his brother's career.

### [Li Sien Lan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se/characters/li_sien_lan)

_professional_

Chin Lan Pin and Li Sien Lan were fellow officials who corresponded on educational and diplomatic matters.

### [Yung Wing](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se/characters/yung_wing)

_professional_

Chin Lan Pin and Yung Wing were colleagues in the Chinese Educational Mission, though they had differing views on its management.

## In the story

### [XVII: The Chinese Educational Mission](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se/chapters/xvii-the-chinese-educational-mission)

Co-commissioner, responsible for students' Chinese studies and expenses.

### [XVIII: Investigation of the Coolie Traffic in Peru](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se/chapters/xviii-investigation-of-the-coolie-traffic-in-peru)

Instructed by the government to investigate coolie conditions in Cuba, a parallel mission to Yung Wing's.

### [XIX: End of the Educational Mission](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se/chapters/xix-end-of-the-educational-mission)

Appointed joint minister to Washington, later returns as minister plenipotentiary.

### [Journey to Peking and Death of My Wife](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se/chapters/xx-journey-to-peking-and-death-of-my-wife)

Former minister who preceded Yung Wing in returning to China and supported the recall of the students.

### [An Opportunity Seized](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se/chapters/an-opportunity-seized)

Co-commissioner of the Mission, later Associate Minister with Yung Wing.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se/characters/chin_lan_pin
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/my_life_in_china_and_america_se/characters