YUAN SHIH-KAI, Chinese soldier and statesman: b. Hsiang Clung, province of Honan ; d. Peking, 6 June 1916. Descended from a family long active in the service of the state, Yuan was destined from the beginning of his career to become a leader in military, foreign and domestic affairs. Yuan Chi-san, his grand father, achieved distinction in suppressing the Taiping rebellion (q.v.) and died (1864) as imperial commissioner andprovincial com mander-in-chief. Yuan qualified for a bach elor's degree and immediately attached himself to the (then despised) military profession. At the age of 20 he was appointed aide-de-camp to General Wu Chang-ching, then commanding the Chinese forces in eastern Santung. When the rebellion broke out in Korea (July 18$2) Li Hung Chang, then the helmsman of China's ship of state, sent an expeditionary force, to which Yuan was attached, to the assistance of the emperor and quelled the uprising. Yuan in 1884 was given command of the Chinese gar rison in Korea and the following year was ap pointed Imperial Resident. For the next nine years he was the de facto ruler, ably assisted by Sir J. licLeavy Brown. Yuan soon demon strated his uncompromising attitude and auto cratic methods, which involved him in many difficulties with the Japanese at Seoul. The Toaghak Rebellion (1893), the well-organized movement of the Nationalist party, followed by the sinking of the Kotzuhitsg, first proved China's military weakness. Protected by British blue jackets Yuan escaped to the coast. After tem porary peace Yuan was restored, Li Hung Chang sent SA00 troops to Yuan and ordered them to be trained in the Western fashion. This marked the beginning of China's modern army. Yuan ruled this small force with a rod of iron, but the men were slow to accept sub ordination and Yuan could not instill the neces sary spirit of devotion in his troops. After the cusp d'etat of 18% and the subsequent resump tion of power by the Empress Dowager, the military prowess and reputation of Yuan became an important factor. He always remained a close friend of the empress, who was able to maintain the ruling hand until her death, with the constant assistance of Yuan, by this time well versed in all important affairs ment. Vs'hett at the death of the Empress Dowager Tru Hsi (1908). Kuang Hsu came into power, he fulfilled an old grudge and caused Yuan's humiliating retirement, for it had been rumored that this close friend of the empress silently acquiesced in a plot to overthrow the state, in which Yuan's blood-brother, Jung LI,, was the dominating factor. During the Boxer uprising (1900) the military experience of Yuan became necessary and he was reinstated. As
sisting the different viceroys in keeping the trouble confined to the immediate vicinity of Tientsin, at the same time lending valuable aid to the allied forces then in China. As Viceroy of Ghihli, November 1901, he was welcomed by the natives and foreigners as the best guaran tee of restoration of order, and in this office he at once instituted educational and administra tive reforms. His statennanship was of a high order; he could always be trusted, and so with his appointment as administrative of the foreign office at Peking (September 1907) and member of the Grand Council, the foreign diplomats welcomed Yuan as a statesman well liked and respected. At this period China was in the throes of continual unrest, and lacking trained military leaders, was compelled to re call Yuan (October 1911); he was appointed president of the Council of Ministers on November 1, and Prime Minister two weeks later, with full power to meet conditions as he found them. His rise was rapid. The subjects in the south clamored for a republican form of government While the Manchu Tartar autocracy which had ruled the Celestial Empires since 1643, strove to withstand the inevitable, Yuan, ambi tious to become the supreme ruler, wavered be tween the (Old Buddha' of the Tartars and the reform movement; fully realizing his ability to continue the actual domination of China whether it were termed republic or monarchy, he con sented to be proclaimed provisional President of the republic of China (15 Feb. 1912). He was finally elected President 6 Oct. 1913, and im mediately announced that China undertook to observe all treaties and obligations incurred by the Manchu regimen. He immediately abol ished the Democratic opposition party, deprived members of their seats and suspended Parlia ment, and appointed an Administration Council until it could be reconstituted. The provisional constitution was completed in the spring of 1914, giving Yuan extensive powers, thus smoothing the way for his complete direct con trol of the empire. In November 1915 most of the provinces having voted for a return to monarchy, Yuan refused to ascend the throne as emperor; then changed his views and fixed the coronation for 9 Feb. 1916, and again abandoned the proposed idea of a monarchy. The provinces in the south again revolted, de claring that Yuan had forfeited his right by acceptance of the throne and proclaimed the vice-president, General Li Yuan-hung, as Presi dent of the new republic, but he was not gen erally recognized. Upon the death of Yuan the appointment of General Li Yuan-hung became certain, and he stepped into office 7 June 1916.