History Profile
General Yuan Shikai
Born & Died: 1859-1916
Ranks: Emperor of China, President of the Republic of
China, Prime Minister of the Imperial Cabinet,
Viceroy of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang
Military Service: 1881-1916
Becoming Emperor
Tension continued to intensify between the
Kuomintang and Yuan. His crackdown on the
Kuomintang began in 1913, the suppression
and bribery in the legislative chambers of the
KMT members, followed by an collapse of
the KMT from local organizations.
Biography:
Born in Zhangying and later moved to land easier
to defend. There the Yuans built a fortified village,
Yuanzhaicun which is now located inside
Wangmingkou township. Young Yuan enjoyed
riding, boxing, and entertaining with friends. He
wanted to pursue his career in civi services, but he
failed his examinations. Soon deciding that his
entry in politics would have to be accomplished
through the Huai Army, where many relations
served. His father’s connections were put to use
and he set foot in Tengshou, Shandong and
sought his post in Qing Brigade. Yuan married in
1876, to a woman of the Yu Family. She bore him
a son in 1878, all in all he married 10 wives in his
whole life.
Education
Instead of a regular education, Yuan was
trying to get into the military and finally after
a while he got in. He lead 500 troops in the
training art of modern war. Promotions kept
coming everywhere he went and participated
in the First Sino-Japanese War as commander.
Quote
“China should bury head to work diligently for 10 years
and then raise head to face Japan.”
Monarchy
Rivalry was advocated notably by Yang Du and
asked Yuan to take the title Emperor. Once he openly
declared himself emperor, opposition mounted
against him, especially from the revolutionaries and
leader Sun Yat-Sen. Sun set up a base in Tokoyo
where he fled to overthrow Yuan. Since this
unpopularity was spreading Japan withdrew their
support. Faced with opposition he repeatedly
delayed accession rite to satisfy his foes. Even after
his death many provinces continued and started to
rebel.
Legacy:
With his death, China was left with no general recognized central authority and the army fragmented into force
of combating warlords. Unfortunately, itʼs inaccurate to attribute other characteristics of warlordism as his
preference, since his military reformer career attempted to create an new army based on the Japanese model.
Throughout his life, he demonstrated the understanding of staffing, military ed, and regular transfers of officer
personnel by coming together to make a modern military organization. His return to power in 1911 seemed
willing to sacrifice an ideal in his imperial ambitions, instead ruled by combinations of violence and bribery that
destroyed idealism of the early Republican movement.