Jiang Hongjie was born in Jingde, Anhui. He studied law at Meiji University in Tokyo, Japan, from which he graduated with a Bachelor of Law degree. In 1897 he became the professor of Law in the Provincial College of Law in Shandong. In 1899 he was appointed as a district magistrate in the same province.
In 1907 Jiang Hongjie entered the Chinese Imperial diplomatic service as Vice-Counsul at Yokohama. After the Xinhai Revolution and the establishment of the Republic of China, in 1912 he was appointed private secretary to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. In 1915 he became First Secretary of the Chinese Legation in Tokyo. In 1921, 1922, 1925, 1930 and 1931 he served Charge d'Affairs. In 1931 he promoted be Councillor of the Legation to Japan. Later he promoted be Acting Ambassador to Japan.[1]