Yuan Shikai marked his name in Chinese history for
all its best and faults. From a failed civil service exam taker, he rose to be
one of the greatest generals in modern Chinese history and won the Presidency
of the Republic of China. As he headed a nation facing transition and turmoil,
he resorted to strength and pomp that garnered criticism and disgust.
Nevertheless, his name became intertwined to the story of the death of an
empire and the birth of a Republic, revealing its fragility and weakness.