Li Yuanhong (;

courtesy name A courtesy name ( zh, s=字, p=zì, l=character), also known as a style name, is an additional name bestowed upon individuals at adulthood, complementing their given name. This tradition is prevalent in the East Asian cultural sphere, particula ...

; October 19, 1864 – June 3, 1928) was a prominent

Chinese Chinese may refer to: * Something related to China * Chinese people, people identified with China, through nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity **Han Chinese, East Asian ethnic group native to China. **'' Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic ...

military and political leader during the

Qing Dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing, was a Manchu-led Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China and an early modern empire in East Asia. The last imperial dynasty in Chinese history, the Qing dynasty was preceded by the ...

and the

Republic of China Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...

. He was the Provisional Vice President of the Republic of China from 1912 to 1913 as well as the

president of the Republic of China The president of the Republic of China, also known as the president of Taiwan, is the head of state of the Taiwan, Republic of China (Taiwan), as well as the commander-in-chief of the Republic of China Armed Forces. Republic of China (1912– ...

between 1916 and 1917, and between 1922 and 1923. He was born in

Huangpi Huangpi District () is one of 13 urban districts of the prefecture-level city of Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province, China, situated on the northern (left) bank of the Yangtze River. The Sheshui enters the Yangtze at Huangpi. The district i ...

Hubei Hubei is a province of China, province in Central China. It has the List of Chinese provincial-level divisions by GDP, seventh-largest economy among Chinese provinces, the second-largest within Central China, and the third-largest among inland ...

. Li initially pursued a military career, graduating from the

Tianjin Military Academy Baoding Military Academy or Paoting Military Academy () was a military academy based in Baoding, during the late Qing dynasty and early Republic of China, in the first two decades of the 20th century. For a time, it was the most important military ...

in 1896. His leadership and military acumen quickly earned him recognition, leading to his involvement in significant historical events, including the

1911 Revolution The 1911 Revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, ended China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing dynasty, and led to the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC). The revolution was the culmination of a decade ...

that ended over two hundred years of Qing rule in China. Li's role in the revolution, particularly his reluctant yet crucial leadership of the

Wuchang Uprising The Wuchang Uprising was an armed rebellion against the ruling Qing dynasty that took place in Wuchang (now Wuchang District of Wuhan) in the Chinese province of Hubei on 10 October 1911, beginning the Xinhai Revolution that successfully overthr ...

, established him as a key figure in the new Republic. In the early years of the Republic, Li held several important positions, including serving as Vice President and later as President. His tenure was marked by efforts to stabilize the new republic amidst internal strife and external pressures. His first presidency (1916-1917) ended abruptly due to a coup by the warlord

Zhang Xun Zhang Xun (; September 16, 1854 – September 11, 1923), courtesy name Shaoxuan (), art name Songshou Laoren (), nickname Bianshuai (, ), was a Chinese general and Qing loyalist who attempted to restore the abdicated emperor Puyi in the Manch ...

, who attempted to restore the Qing Dynasty. Li was restored to the presidency in 1917 but struggled to assert control in the fragmented political environment. Li's later years were spent in relative obscurity after retiring from political life following his second term as president. He continued to be respected for his contributions to the establishment of the Republic of China and his commitment to

constitutionalism Constitutionalism is "a compound of ideas, attitudes, and patterns of behavior elaborating the principle that the authority of government derives from and is limited by a body of fundamental law". Political organizations are constitutional to ...

and national unity. Li died in

Tianjin Tianjin is a direct-administered municipality in North China, northern China on the shore of the Bohai Sea. It is one of the National Central City, nine national central cities, with a total population of 13,866,009 inhabitants at the time of the ...

, leaving behind a legacy of cautious yet principled leadership during one of China's most turbulent periods. His efforts to bridge the old imperial order and the new republican era are remembered as a testament to his dedication to his country.

Early life

A native of

, he was the son of a Qing veteran of the

Taiping Rebellion The Taiping Rebellion, also known as the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Revolution, was a civil war in China between the Qing dynasty and the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. The conflict lasted 14 years, from its outbreak in 1850 until the fall of ...

named Li Chaoxiang (). He graduated from the

naval academy in 1889 and served as an engineer in the

First Sino-Japanese war The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 189417 April 1895), or the First China–Japan War, was a conflict between the Qing dynasty of China and the Empire of Japan primarily over influence in Joseon, Korea. In Chinese it is commonly known as th ...

. His cruiser was sunk and he survived because of his life belt, since he could not swim. He later joined the

New Army and became senior military officer in

Hankou Hankou, alternately romanized as Hankow (), was one of the three towns (the other two were Wuchang and Hanyang) merged to become modern-day Wuhan city, the capital of the Hubei province, China. It stands north of the Han and Yangtze Rivers w ...

. In 1910, he attempted to break up revolutionary rings that infiltrated his 21st Mixed Brigade. He did not arrest anyone caught in subversive activities, but simply dismissed them.

National prominence

When the

Xinhai Revolution The 1911 Revolution, also known as the Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, ended China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing dynasty, and led to the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC). The revolution was the culmination of a decade ...

of 1911 broke out, the Wuchang mutineers needed a visible high-ranking officer to be their figurehead. Li was well respected, had supported the

Railway Protection Movement The Railway Protection Movement (), also known as the "Railway Rights Protection Movement", was a political protest movement that erupted in 1911 in late Qing China against the Qing government's plan to nationalize local railway development proje ...

, and knew English, which would be useful in dealing with foreign concerns. He was reportedly dragged from hiding under his wife's bed and forced at gunpoint to be the provisional military governor of Hubei despite killing several of the rebels. Though reluctant at first, he embraced the revolution after its growing momentum and was named military governor of China on 30 November. Qing Premier

Yuan Shikai Yuan Shikai (; 16 September 18596 June 1916) was a Chinese general and statesman who served as the second provisional president and the first official president of the Republic of China, head of the Beiyang government from 1912 to 1916 and ...

negotiated a truce with him on 4 December. While Li commanded the rebel army,

Sun Yat-sen Sun Yat-senUsually known as Sun Zhongshan () in Chinese; also known by Names of Sun Yat-sen, several other names. (; 12 November 186612 March 1925) was a Chinese physician, revolutionary, statesman, and political philosopher who founded the Republ ...

of the

Revolutionary Alliance The Tongmenghui of China was a secret society and underground resistance movement founded by Sun Yat-sen, Song Jiaoren, and others in Tokyo, Empire of Japan, on 20 August 1905, with the goal of overthrowing China's Qing dynasty. It was formed ...

became the first provisional president in

Nanjing Nanjing or Nanking is the capital of Jiangsu, a province in East China. The city, which is located in the southwestern corner of the province, has 11 districts, an administrative area of , and a population of 9,423,400. Situated in the Yang ...

on 1 January 1912. Li was made vice president as a compromise and he formed People's Society to campaign for the presidency. Meanwhile, the north was still under the control of the Qing. A negotiation made Sun step down in favor of

as president with Li keeping his vice-presidency. This ended the Qing dynasty and reunified north and south China. People's Society later merged with the pro-Yuan Republican Party. In 1913, he combined the Republicans with

Liang Qichao Liang Qichao (Chinese: 梁啓超; Wade–Giles: ''Liang2 Chʻi3-chʻao1''; Yale romanization of Cantonese, Yale: ''Lèuhng Kái-chīu''; ) (February 23, 1873 – January 19, 1929) was a Chinese politician, social and political activist, jour ...

's Democratic Party to form the Progressive Party. The Progressives became the biggest rivals to the opposition

Nationalists Nationalism is an idea or movement that holds that the nation should be congruent with the state. As a movement, it presupposes the existence and tends to promote the interests of a particular nation, Smith, Anthony. ''Nationalism: Theory, Id ...

led by Sun. He supported Yuan against Sun during the Second Revolution which earned him the enmity of his former comrades. When Yuan pulled off his presidential coup, Li was viewed as a potential threat and confined in

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

where he became a passive bystander under Yuan's grip. Yuan could never fully trust Li because he wasn't a protégé within the

Beiyang Army The Beiyang Army (), named after the Beiyang region, was a Western-style Imperial Chinese Army established by the Qing dynasty in the early 20th century. It was the centerpiece of a general reconstruction of the Qing military system in the wake ...

's inner circle and because of his past association with the revolutionaries. Nevertheless, Yuan married his son to Li's daughter to strengthen their ties. Li kept his office and honors as vice president but had no power. Some factions called on Li to claim the presidency when Yuan crowned himself emperor in 1916. He refused for fear of his life but he also declined the aristocratic title of Prince granted by Yuan in the

Empire of China (1915–16) Chinese Empire (), or Empire of China, refers to the realm ruled by the Emperor of China during the era of Imperial China. It was coined by western scholars to describe the Ming and Qing dynasties (or imperial Chinese dynasties in general). ...

, a decision which would help his standing later on. Li remained in self-imposed isolation at his residence during the monarchic period, and until the death of Yuan.

Presidency and later life

Li served as president from 7 June 1916 to 17 July 1917. When Yuan died, he left a will containing Li's name along with Premier

Duan Qirui Duan Qirui (, pronounced ) (March 6, 1865 – November 2, 1936) was a Chinese warlord, politician and commander of the Beiyang Army who ruled as the effective dictator of northern China in the late 1910s. He was the Premier of the Republic of C ...

and

Xu Shichang Xu Shichang (Hsu Shih-chang; ; courtesy name: Juren (Chu-jen; 菊人); October 20, 1855 – June 5, 1939) was a Chinese politician who served as the President of the Republic of China, in Beijing, from 10 October 1918 to 2 June 1922. The only p ...

. The will was an imperial tradition started by the

Kangxi Emperor The Kangxi Emperor (4 May 165420 December 1722), also known by his temple name Emperor Shengzu of Qing, personal name Xuanye, was the third emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the second Qing emperor to rule over China proper. His reign of 61 ...

, and was not constitutional in the republic. Nevertheless, the Beiyang generals pressed Li into office, since he was acceptable to the rebellious southern provinces. Li tried to return to the 1912 constitutional arrangement, but Duan held the real power. The

National Assembly of the Republic of China The National Assembly was the authoritative legislative body of the Republic of China, from 1947 to 2005. Along with the Control Yuan (upper house) and the Legislative Yuan (lower house), the National Assembly formed the tricameral parliament ...

reconvened on 1 August 1916, after having been disbanded over two and a half years earlier. Duan was eager to pull China into

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

but Li was more hesitant. They conflicted greatly over Duan's decision to cut ties with

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. Li forced Duan to resign on 23 May 1917, when the premier's secret loans from

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...

were exposed. Duan fled to Tianjin to muster his forces, and most generals abandoned the government. In response, Li asked General

for assistance. In exchange, Zhang asked for the dissolution of parliament which was granted on 13 June. Zhang, who was secretly pro-German, unexpectedly occupied Beijing from 14 June to 12 July 1917 and kept the president prisoner. Zhang then proceeded with a move that would undermine most of his support when he attempted to restore Emperor

Puyi Puyi (7 February 190617 October 1967) was the final emperor of China, reigning as the eleventh monarch of the Qing dynasty from 1908 to 1912. When the Guangxu Emperor died without an heir, Empress Dowager Cixi picked his nephew Puyi, aged tw ...

and the Qing dynasty on 1 July. Li was released to the Japanese legation where he asked for Duan's assistance in saving the republic. Duan overthrew Zhang within two weeks, and restored the republic by 12 July; Duan himself was reinstated as premier by 14 July. Vice President

Feng Guozhang Feng Guozhang (; 7 January 1859 – 12 December 1919) was a Chinese general and politician in the late Qing dynasty and early republican China who was Vice President from 1916 to 1917 and then acting President of the Republic of China from 1917 ...

was made acting president in Nanjing. On 17 July, distraught from recent events, Li officially resigned from office and moved to Tianjin in retirement. He served again as president of China between 11 June 1922 and 13 June 1923 after

Cao Kun General Cao Kun (; courtesy name: Zhongshan () (December 12, 1862 – May 15, 1938) was a Chinese warlord and politician, who served as the President of the Republic of China from 1923 to 1924, as well as the military leader of the Zhili clique ...

forced out President

. Li was chosen because he was respected by all of the factions and was hoped to reunify the country. He accepted only with the private assurances that

warlord Warlords are individuals who exercise military, Economy, economic, and Politics, political control over a region, often one State collapse, without a strong central or national government, typically through informal control over Militia, local ...

forces be disbanded; they were never honored. Like his first term, he called back the original National Assembly but he was even more powerless than before. He organized the "Able Men Cabinet" consisting of prestigious experts but it became undone when he arrested the finance minister for graft after examining rumours and circumstantial evidence; a court threw out the charges. Cao soon harbored presidential ambitions himself and orchestrated strikes to force Li out of office. Cao went as far as trying to bribe the assembly into impeaching him. When Li was vacating the capital, he attempted to take the presidential seal with him but was intercepted. He fled to Japan for medical treatment and returned to Tianjin in 1924 where he later died. His tomb, built in 1935 and restored in 2011, is situated on campus of

Central China Normal University Central China Normal University (CCNU) is a public normal university located in Wuhan, Hubei, China. It is affiliated with the Ministry of Education, and co-funded by the Hubei Provincial People's Government. The university is part of Project ...

in Wuhan. He married

Wu Jingjun Wu may refer to: Places * Wu (region) (), a region roughly corresponding to the territory of Wuyue ** Wu Chinese (), a subgroup of Chinese languages now spoken in the Wu region ** Wuyue culture (), a regional Chinese culture in the Wu region *Wu ...

(1870-1930) and had four children. File:RetartoDeLiYuanhongLibroDePutnamWeale.jpg, Li Yuanhong about 1917 File:Li Yuanhong riding horse and attend parade.jpg, Li Yuanhong riding a horse and attending a parade Image:Li Yuan-hung.jpg, Li Yuanhong in civilian attire

References

External links

* , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Li, Yuan-Hung 1864 births 1928 deaths 20th-century Chinese heads of government Burials in Wuhan Empire of China (1915–1916) People of the 1911 Revolution Politicians from Wuhan Presidents of the Republic of China Progressive Party (China) politicians Republic of China politicians from Hubei Republican Party (China) politicians Tongmenghui members Vice presidents of the Republic of China

Early life

National prominence

Presidency and later life

See also

References

External links