Yuan Shikai
Chinese general and statesman who briefly declared himself emperor.
via Wikipedia: Yuan Shikai · see source
Yuan Shikai was a Chinese general and statesman who served as the second provisional president and the first formal president of the Republic of China, leading the Beiyang government. He played a decisive role in securing the abdication of the Qing court and later declared himself Emperor of the Chinese Empire in December 1915, but was forced to abdicate in March 1916 after only 83 days.
- born
- 16 September 1859
- died
- 6 June 1916
- field
- Military and politics
- nationality
- Chinese
- known_for
- Leader of the Beiyang Army, President of the Republic of China, self-proclaimed
Verified Timeline
Lore & Background
Yuan Shikai was born to an affluent Han family in Xiangcheng county. After failing the imperial examinations twice, in 1876 and 1879, he joined the Huai Army and was stationed in Joseon (Korea) in 1882. He became the de facto governor of the Qing protectorate after helping thwart the Gapsin Coup in December 1884. Recalled to China in 1894, he was tasked with training the New Army the next year, which laid the foundation for his Beiyang Army. He played an active role in the Self-Strengthening Movement and late Qing reforms, including the abolition of the imperial examination system in favor of modern education. However, the Hundred Days' Reformists accused him of betrayal for tipping Ronglu off to their coup plan, which brought him into Empress Dowager Cixi's favor. Promoted to Viceroy of Zhili in 1902, he expanded the Beiyang Army into the best trained and most effective military force in China. Upon Cixi's death, he was dismissed by Prince Regent Zaifeng.
Reader's Guide
Yuan Shikai's significance lies in his central role during China's transition from imperial rule to republic. Following the Wuchang Uprising in October 1911, the Qing court recalled him from retirement and appointed him Prime Minister of the Imperial Cabinet. His Beiyang Army engaged in brief fighting with Sun Yat-sen's revolutionaries before opening negotiations, brokering a deal whereby Sun would step aside in Yuan's favor if Yuan secured the abdication of the Qing court. As a result, Yuan was elected provisional president of the Republic of China, before he became the president. In 1913, Yuan's alleged involvement in the assassination of Song Jiaoren and the reorganization loan affair provoked Sun Yat-sen's Second Revolution, which was decisively crushed. He then outlawed the Kuomintang, dissolved the National Assembly, and replaced the provisional constitution. In December 1915, Yuan proclaimed himself Hongxian Emperor, provoking the National Protection War. In March 1916, faced with widespread opposition to his monarchy, Yuan abdicated and restored the Republic, having been emperor for only 83 days. He died of kidney failure in June at the age of 56, leaving behind a significantly weakened Beiyang government and a fragmented political landscape, which soon plunged China into a period of warlordism.
Did You Know?
- Yuan Shikai failed the imperial examinations twice, in 1876 and 1879, before joining the Huai Army.
- He served as Chinese imperial resident in Korea for nine years, from October 1885, and operated as if he were above the law.
- Yuan left Seoul on 19 July 1894 by disguising himself as a Chinese servant of the Russian military attaché.
- He had three Korean concubines, and 15 of his children came from these three Korean women.
- Yuan declared himself Hongxian Emperor in December 1915 but abdicated in March 1916 after only 83 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Yuan Shikai?
Yuan Shikai (1859–1916) was a Chinese military commander and politician who led the Beiyang Army and became the first formal president of the Republic of China. He is best remembered for orchestrating the Qing dynasty's abdication and for his short-lived attempt to crown himself emperor.
What role did Yuan Shikai play in the fall of the Qing dynasty?
As the most powerful military figure in early-1900s China, Yuan negotiated the terms under which the last Qing emperor stepped down in 1912. His command over the Beiyang troops made him the de facto power broker who could either preserve or dismantle the imperial system.
Why did Yuan Shikai declare himself emperor in 1915?
After consolidating control as provisional president, Yuan proclaimed a hereditary monarchy in December 1915, likely believing an imperial title would grant him the centralized authority the fragile republic could not. The move was widely perceived as a personal power grab rather than a genuine dynastic restoration.
How did Yuan Shikai's imperial reign end?
Widespread provincial revolts, foreign diplomatic pressure, and defections within his own ranks forced him to renounce the throne in March 1916, just 83 days after his proclamation. He died of kidney failure six weeks later, in June 1916.
Why is Yuan Shikai considered a pivotal figure in the story of Chinese revolution and independence?
He was the man who effectively ended two millennia of imperial rule by securing the Qing abdication, yet his own imperial ambition showed how fragile the new republic's foundations still were. His rise and collapse encapsulate the turbulent transition from dynasty to modern state in early twentieth-century China.
More in Leaders Of Revolution And Independence 1-20
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