Wu Tingfang, an important figure in the political life of the late Qing and early republic, was an innovator in pioneering reforms in China's government and political system. He was the first Chinese to become a barrister, and then a Legislative Councillor, in Hong Kong. In 1882, Wu began a lengthy association with Li Hongzhang. Besides serving as China's Minister to the United States and other countries, he sought to implement reforms in law, diplomacy and administration. In 1911, he was instrumental in negotiating the abdication of the Qing Emperor and served briefly as Minister of Justice in the first republican cabinet. His later years were marked by his continued support for Sun Yat-sen and the republic's constitutional principles. This biography provides a comprehensive review of Wu's life as an active politician and a reformist during the turn of the century, and sheds considerable light on a crucial period in Chinese history.