Yuan Shikai

Also known as Wei Ting · Rong An

Yuan Shikai, courtesy name Weiting and literary name Rong'an, came from Xiangcheng in Henan. After twice failing the provincial examination he joined Wu Changqing's brigade of the Anhui Army, went with it to Korea in 1882, and stayed on for years as the Qing resident handling Korean trade and diplomacy. After the war with Japan he began training the Newly Created Army at Xiaozhan in 1895, and in 1899 became acting governor of Shandong. From 1901, as governor-general of Zhili and commissioner for the northern ports, he built up the six divisions of the Beiyang Army and in 1905 joined Zhang Zhidong in asking for the end of the civil examinations. Dismissed in 1909, he was recalled after the Wuchang rising as prime minister and arranged the abdication of the Qing emperor. He was president of the Republic of China from 1912, tried to found a monarchy in 1915, abandoned it, and died in Beijing in June 1916. He lies in the Yuan Mausoleum at Anyang.