Zhan Shichai

Zhan was born in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, in 1841.

His height was claimed to be over 8 feet (2.44 m), but there are no authoritative records.

[2] Zhan's first wife, Kin Foo, accompanied him on his trip across Europe and she performed alongside her husband until she fell ill and died while traveling to Australia in 1871.

The following year, Zhan later married Catherine Santley, a Liverpudlian whom he met in Sydney, Australia.

Zhan died in Bournemouth in 1893 at 51 years of age, four months after his wife.