Zhan Tianyou (1861-1919), an expert in railway engineering in late Qing Dynasty and modern times in China, was the earliest outstanding patriotic engineer in China. Originally from Wuyuan County, Huizhou Prefecture, Anhui Province (now Jiangxi Province), Nanhai County, Guangdong Province. 1872 (eleven years of Tongzhi), Zhan Tianyou, who was only 12 years old, went to Hong Kong to enroll in the "Preparatory Course for Young Children Going Abroad" organized by the Qing government. 1878 completed the middle school course with excellent results and was admitted to the Civil Engineering Department of Yale University to study railway engineering. 188/kloc-0 graduated from Yale university with honors in.