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.
Early Life
Born on September 16, 1859, Yuan Shikai came from an
aristocratic family in Xiangcheng, Henan Province. He faced no financial
problems for education as his family-owned land and had connections in both the
government and military. The talents of the young Yuan Shikai, however, laid
not towards intellectual or civil service pursuits as his 2 attempts in taking
the exam in 1876 and 1879 ended with failure. Rather he excelled in physical
activities like fencing and boxing and showed great interest in military arts.
Thus, realizing his true talents, he decided to take a military career path.
Military Career and Korean Exploits
Luckily, for Yuan Shikai, many of his relatives
served in the military and maintained connections. This allowed him to find
service as an assistant to Wu Zhangqing a distant relative and a commander in
the Huai (Anhui) Army of the illustrious and highly regarded military commander
as well as statesman Li Hongzhang.
 |
| Li Hongzhang, 1896 |
In 1882, Yuan received an appointment to Korea to
partake in a mission to curb the growing Japanese involvement in the affairs of
the Joseon Kingdom. He went to the Peninsula determined to make a name for
himself and redeem his pride for failing the civil service exams. He arrived in
Seoul amidst political tensions and rivalry. Like China, Joseon Kings of Korea
faced the divide between reform and tradition which the Japanese exploited to
extend their influence. Heungseon Dawongun or Grand Prince Heungseon attempted
to stage a coup against Emperor Gojong’s perceived bias towards the Japanese which
became known as the Imo Incident. Empress Myeongseong sought Qing intervention,
thus Yuan Shikai’s appointment to Seoul. Yuan successfully brought down the
revolt and successfully captured Heungseon Dawongun before sending him to
Tianjin. He also did well in preventing Japanese troops from kidnapping
Emperor Gojong during the episode called the Gapsin Coup. His actions and
achievements in Korea went well to his superiors, hence earning him praise and
high regard from his commander Li Hongzhang. In 1884, the Qing Empire and
Japan came to an agreement under the Convention of Tianjin to demilitarize
Korea by pulling out their forces from the Peninsula and requiring a
notification to the other party for any future troop deployment in Korea.
 |
| Heungseon Daewongun |
In 1885, Yuan received his new assignment as Qing
commissioner to Seoul. During his tenure, he gained further experience in
leadership, diplomacy, military, and civil affairs. He assisted the Korean
government in improving taxation and also gave the advice in the training of the
Korean Army. His advice came useful during the Donghak Rebellion and
subsequently the Sino-Japanese War of 1894 to 1895. After the war, he returned
to China to receive his new task – the creation of a modern New Army.
 |
| Caricature on the dispute between China, Japan, and Russia over Korea. 1887 |
Into the Grace of the Empress Dowager
In 1895, after seeing action in Korea during the
Sino-Japanese War, he received a hero’s welcome in China. With his return he
made a realization – modernization of the military was a must. Li Hongzang
recommended Yuan to lead the project to create a New Army in line with western
style. And so, Yuan set out to Tianjin to meet his unit initially known as the
Dingwu Army and train in the latest tactics and discipline as well as modern
weaponry. In this matter, he hired German drill sergeants to assist him in this
endeavor. He also secured modern armaments for the unit making it one of the
most formidable forces in China. Soon the Dingwu Army truly became the New Army
and later called the Beiyang Army. Besides becoming one of the most formidable
units in China, the Beiyang Army also served as Yuan’s private army. Later on,
his control of the Beiyang Army brought Yuan glory and security in his endeavors.
Moreover, it became the training ground for China’s future warlords.
 |
| Empress Dowager Cixi |
On the other hand, Yuan received in 1897 the post
of the chief prosecutor of Zhili Province (now known as Hebei Province), a position
he held concurrent to his military post. In the following year, he received yet
another appointment as President of the Board of Industry. His series of positions
proved Yuan made a name for himself as a competent and reliable official. As an
individual, Yuan’s feats truly made him remarkable as he held great offices
despite the fact he failed the civil service exams twice. Yuan’s rise to fame
continued in 1898 onwards
 |
| Guangxu Emperor |
The year marked a great conflict and a vital crossroad
for the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Guangxu actively supported a massive ambitious radical
reform of the whole Empire covering from the calendar to education and
economics. He wanted to reshape China in likes of Japan to turn the tables in
their favor. Of course, conservative elements in the Court firmly resisted the
reforms. The court descended into intrigue with reformists and conservatives
plotting coups. Yuan observed the arguments within the court and suddenly
approached by the reformist Tan Sitong. He received a plea for assistance from
the reformist to orchestrate a coup by besieging in her summer palace the
ultra-conservative Empress Dowager Cixi. In effect, Yuan had the faith of an
Empire in his hands, his decision directed the course of the reforms and the Dynasty.
In an act of betrayal of the reformist and loyalty to the Empress Dowager, he
forsook the plotters to the influential conservative Prince Rong Lu. The
Empress Dowager Cixi staged her own coup that ended with the Emperor stripped
of his powers sitting in the throne only as a figurehead. Tan Sitong executed
while other reformists such as Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao fled the country and
pushed some towards extremism.
 |
| Tan Sitong |
As a reward for his deeds, Yuan received from the
Empress Dowager the position of Governor of Shandong. He moved the Beiyang Army
to the province to set up a power base for himself. In 1900, he prevented the
notorious Boxers from coming into the province, thus when the Boxer War raged
in the same year, Shandong went unscathed. Furthermore, his Beiyang Army
remained intact while other armies of the Qing suffered almost annihilation in
the hands of western armies. His prudence in the Boxer crisis handed him
greater authority, power, and influence.
Becoming the Governor of a province with a powerful
military, Yuan’s position enhanced over the next years. With the death of his
mentor and patron Li Hongzhang, he succeeded to his position as Viceroy of
Zhili. He also became a grand councilor having a voice in the court and a say
in policy. During the twilight years of the Qing Dynasty or the 1st
decade of the 20th century, he supported many reforms implemented halfheartedly by the Empress Dowager and the court. Yuan championed the
establishment of Shandong College, later Shandong University. In 1905, he supported
the construction of China’s first government-sponsored railway line connecting
Beijing and Zhangjiakao. He promoted developments in industries and mining. He
called for the establishment of a police force that had a distinction in
responsibility from soldiers. Finally, he had his revenge on the civil service
examination when he witnessed its abolition in 1905. By then, Yuan had become a
prominent figure in court, but his situation turned sour in 1908.
Summing Up
From his failure in the civil service exams, Yuan Shikai rose to become a darling in the court. Trusted and highly regarded, he rose up to the challenges he faced in Korea, in military modernization, in court politics, and in governance. By 1908, he held significant influence in government as well as the military. But, by becoming powerful, he also collected enemies.
Bibliography:
Books:
Fairbank, John King.
China: A New History. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2006.
Websites:
Ch’en, Jerome. “Yuan
Shikai.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Accessed on July 26, 2020. URL: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Yuan-Shikai
David. “The Top 10 Facts
on Yuan Shikai - Qing China's Greatest General.” China Highlights. Accessed
July 26, 2020. URL: https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/china-history/yuan-shikai-facts.htm
Fercility. “Yuan Shikai.”
China Highlights. Accessed July 26, 2020. URL:
https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/china-history/yuan-shikai.htm
Pruitt, Sarah. “Who was
Yuan Shikai?” History.com. Accessed on July 26, 2020. URL: https://www.history.com/news/who-was-yuan-shikai
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