Historical Studies (Chinese Edition)

No.5, 2017

 

Infighting among the Imperial Family in the Last Years of the Qing Dynasty and the Return of Yuan Shikai (Abstract)

 

Zhu Wenliang

 

The Empress Dowager Cixi’s deathbed edict gave rise to a power structure of mutual containment between Empress Dowager Longyu and the Prince Regent Zaifeng in the Xuantong reign period. The dismissal and return of Yuan Shikai was naturally predicated on Longyu’s attitude. Zaifeng’s younger brother Zaitao, who was promoting military reform, had intended to let Yuan Shikai return to office, but Longyu’s opposition prevented this from coming to fruition. With the setting up of the imperial cabinet, the fighting between Zaitao and Longyu’s supporter Zaize over the Prime Ministership intensified. The imperial family’s infighting meant that each party sought to win over Yuan Shikai, creating the conditions for his return. After the Wuchang Uprising, Yuan made the decision to return to office, but he attached some conditions, the chief of which was “becoming Commander-in-Chief of the Insurrection-Suppressing Army.” Zaize’s support was instrumental in the Qing court’s basically agreeing to Yuan’s demands on October 21, 1911. Yuan’s return thus derived from the support of the imperial family rather than from pressure exerted by the Western powers.