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introduction
The internal strife of the imperial family at the end of the Qing Dynasty was a power struggle between the Qing dynasty and the government of the Republic of China and within the Qing dynasty after the fall of the Qing dynasty. The background of this internal strife was the Xinhai Revolution, a great anti-imperialist and anti-feudal democratic revolution that overthrew the feudal society that had ruled China for more than 2,000 years, established the Republic of China, and ended the last dynasty in Chinese history. After the Wuchang Uprising on October 10, 1911, the revolution spread throughout the country, and the Qing government had to abdicate on January 1, 1912, agreeing to the establishment of the Provisional Government of the Republic of China. Sun Yat-sen became the provisional president of the Republic of China, and the Xinhai Revolution was victorious.
However, this revolution did not completely solve China's social contradictions and ethnic problems, the Qing court still tried to restore the imperial system, and the government of the Republic of China also faced the dilemma of warlord chaos and foreign invasion. In such a historical environment, the internal strife of the imperial family in the late Qing Dynasty became an important and complex topic in modern Chinese history.
I. The causes and process of the internal strife of the imperial family in the late Qing Dynasty
The late Qing Dynasty was the beginning of modern Chinese history and the formative period of modern Chinese semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. During this period, the Qing Dynasty faced great pressure and challenges from inside and outside, which led to increasingly intensifying contradictions and differences between the imperial family, which eventually turned into a bitter internal dispute.
1. The political crisis and social turmoil of the late Qing dynasty, which led to contradictions and differences between the imperial family
In the late Qing Dynasty, the West forced the Qing court to sign a series of unequal treaties, ceding territory, opening trade ports, paying reparations, allowing missionary services, and infringing on China's sovereignty and interests. At the same time, many anti-Qing uprisings and national movements broke out in China, such as the Taiping Rebellion, the Twister Uprising, and the Boxer Rebellion, which seriously shook the foundation of the Qing Dynasty's rule.
Under these circumstances, different political tendencies and interest demands emerged among the royal family, some advocating stubbornly resisting foreign aggression, some advocating changing the law to strengthen oneself to deal with external troubles, and some advocating cooperation with foreign countries to seek stability. These different political positions led to factional struggles and power struggles within the royal family.
2. After Emperor Xuantong ascended the throne, conservatives such as Empress Dowager Cixi and Prince Zaifeng fought fiercely with reformists such as Empress Dowager Longyu and Puyi
In 1908, the Guangxu Emperor and Empress Dowager Cixi died one after another, and Puyi succeeded the emperor as the Xuantong Emperor. Empress Dowager Longyu served as regent and appointed the three kings Zaize, Zaixun, and Zaiyi as ministers of Gu Ming. Empress Dowager Longyu and the Three Kings were reformists, and during their reign they introduced a series of new policies, such as constitutional, educational, military, financial, and judicial reforms.
However, these reforms were opposed and obstructed by the other four ministers appointed by Empress Dowager Cixi during her lifetime—Zaifeng, Duanhua, Yinchang, Shaoying, and other conservatives. Conservatives saw the New Deal as a sabotage and compromise of the traditional system of the Qing Dynasty, a submission and imitation to foreign countries. They used their influence and influence in Korea to secretly undermine the implementation of the New Deal and planned a coup against the reformists.
On September 4, 1911, the conservatives staged the "September Fourth Coup", forcing Empress Dowager Longyu to issue an edict to abolish the New Deal and remove all three reformist kings from office. At the same time, conservatives also tried to win over foreign powers in order to maintain Qing rule. However, their coup did not save the crisis of the Qing Dynasty, but instead intensified the people's resistance and created conditions for the outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution.
3. After the outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution, different attitudes and choices emerged within the imperial family, some supported the republic, some advocated restoration, and some compromised and abdicated
On October 10, 1911, the Wuchang Uprising broke out, marking the beginning of the Xinhai Revolution. The Xinhai Revolution was a great anti-imperialist and anti-feudal democratic revolution, a bourgeois democratic revolution in modern Chinese history aimed at overthrowing the feudal society that had ruled China for more than 2,000 years and establishing a democratic republic. The Xinhai Revolution developed rapidly throughout the country, and the provinces successively declared their separation from the Qing Dynasty in response to the Republic of China. The Qing court was in an unprecedented predicament. In this case, different attitudes and choices arose within the royal family.
Some royal families supported the republic, such as Pujie, Puwei, and Puru. They realized that the Qing Dynasty was irretrievable and that only by cooperating with the revolutionary party could they preserve their interests and security. They actively participated in the formation of the North-South Peace Conference and the Nanjing Provisional Government, and held a number of important positions after the establishment of the Republic of China.
Another part of the royal family advocated restoration, such as Zaifeng, Duanhua, Yinchang, Shaoying, etc. They insisted on the legitimacy and sanctity of the Qing Dynasty and were unwilling to give up their privileges and status. They used their influence in the northern army and foreign forces to instigate many counter-revolutionary activities, such as the Second Revolution, the War to Protect the Motherland, and the restoration of Zhang Xun. However, their attempts to restore them all ended in failure.
There were also some royal families who compromised and abdicated, such as Empress Dowager Longyu and Puyi. They felt powerless to resist in the revolutionary situation, and could only accept the conditions put forward by the revolutionary party, sign the "Provisional Law of the Republic of China" and the "Edict of Abdication of the Qing Emperor", and declare the official end of the Qing Dynasty. They want to abdicate in exchange for favorable treatment and protection of dignity.
The internal strife of the imperial family in the late Qing Dynasty was the result of the political crisis and social turmoil in the late Qing Dynasty, and it was also an inevitable scene in the process of China's modernization. It reflected the different attitudes and choices between the imperial family in the face of foreign aggression and internal change, and also influenced the course and outcome of the Xinhai Revolution.
Second, the reasons and impact of Yuan Shikai's comeback
Yuan Shikai was an important figure during the New Deal in the late Qing Dynasty, mastering the Beiyang army and local strength, and played a key role in the Xinhai Revolution. Yuan Shikai became the first president of the Republic of China after the Xinhai Revolution, but he was not satisfied with the republican system and longed to restore the imperial system. Taking advantage of divisions within the imperial family and external pressure, Yuan Shikai planned the Hongxian Imperial Movement in an attempt to establish the Chinese Empire, but was met with widespread opposition and resistance.
The reason for Yuan Shikai's comeback
1. Yuan Shikai has strong personal ambition and desire for power. He participated in the conspiracy to depose the emperor during the New Deal at the end of the Qing Dynasty and tried to control the imperial government. After the Xinhai Revolution, he used his military and political influence to force the Qing court to abdicate and accept the post of president recommended by the southern revolutionaries. But he did not agree with a republican system, believing that Chinese was not suitable for democracy and needed a strong monarch to rule. He once said, "Democracy is an ideal, not a reality." Chinese people have always been accustomed to absolute monarchy, not to democracy and freedom. ”
- Yuan Shikai was tempted and threatened by external forces. At that time, the international situation was very complicated, and all major powers were vying for China's interests and spheres of influence. In order to maintain his status and authority, Yuan Shikai had to negotiate and compromise with foreign countries.
He once accepted the 21 demands of Japan and ceded China's rights and interests in Shandong, Northeast China, Inner Mongolia and other places. At the same time, he has also been supported and encouraged by some foreign governments and businessmen, believing that he can maintain China's stability and order and protect foreign interests in China. Some foreigners even provided him with loans and arms to help him realize his dream of an imperial system.
- Yuan Shikai was supported and approved by some of the imperial family and old courtiers. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, some royal families and old vassals still missed the glory and privileges of the old days and were unwilling to accept the republican system. They believed that Yuan Shikai was a capable, experienced and prestigious figure who could restore the dignity and unity of the Chinese nation.
The most important of these were the Qing Dynasty Minister Zaifeng (son of Aisin Kyaw Shichang) and the regent of the Qing Dynasty Governor Zaixun (uncle of Aisin Kyoro Puyi). On December 11, 1915, they petitioned Yuan Shikai to accept the throne as emperor and become head of the Chinese Empire. They believe that this is a necessary move to "conform to the will of God, conform to the will of the people, restore the ancestral cause, and revitalize China."
The impact of Yuan Shikai's comeback
- It provoked resistance and anger among the people of the whole country. His imperial movement was strongly opposed and resisted by southern revolutionaries, northern warlords, student groups, the press, civil society and other circles. They believed that Yuan Shikai was a tyrant who betrayed the republic, undermined democracy, was tyrannical, and betrayed the country for glory, and that he must overthrow his rule and restore the republican system.
They launched the National Defense Movement, organized the National Defense Army, and fought many battles with Yuan Shikai's Beiyang Army. They also launched strikes, school strikes, market strikes, bank strikes and other forms of protests, causing social unrest and chaos.
- Accelerated the division and decline of the Republic of China. His imperial movement led to the collapse and disintegration of the government of the Republic of China. The Beiyang warlords he had controlled also split and rebelled, and some generals such as Zhang Xun, Duan Qirui, and Feng Guozhang turned against him, or remained neutral and no longer obeyed his orders. He also lost foreign support and trust, and some foreign governments and businessmen withdrew their loans and arms from him, and even severed diplomatic relations with him.
On June 6, 1916, Yuan Shikai died of serious illness, ending his short and tragic imperial career. After his death, the Republic of China fell into deeper crisis and chaos, with warlords in various places, civil wars continuing, and people living in poverty.
3. Promote the progress and change of Chinese society. Although his imperial movement failed, it also inspired the Chinese people to pursue and awaken to democracy and freedom. He made the Chinese people see clearly the backwardness and corruption of the feudal autocracy, and also made the Chinese people realize the superiority and necessity of the republican system. He provided the background and conditions for a series of major events in modern Chinese history, such as the May Fourth Movement, the Northern Expedition, and the War of Resistance Against Japan. He also created a favorable environment and opportunity for the birth and development of the Communist Party of China.
III. The Significance of Yuan Shikai in Modern Chinese History
Yuan Shikai was an important and controversial figure in modern Chinese history, who was both credited to the country and the nation and sinned against the republic and democracy. He is a product of, and epitomized of, the turbulent and changing era of the late Qing Dynasty and early People's Dynasty. It reflects the complex and contradictory mentality and attitude of Chinese society in the face of aggression and oppression by Western powers.
It reflects the difficult and tortuous course and process experienced by the Chinese people in their pursuit of national independence and national prosperity. He showed the challenges and difficulties encountered by Chinese politics in realizing republican and democratic realization.
The significance of Yuan Shikai to China's modern history should not be simply generalized, but should be objectively analyzed and evaluated. He can neither be completely denied nor blindly praised. He has both a side worthy of recognition and learning, and a side worthy of criticism and vigilance. He is not only a revelatory figure in Chinese history that cannot be ignored.
The internal strife of the imperial family in the late Qing Dynasty and the comeback of Yuan Shikai reflect the complexity and difficulty of China's modern social changes, and also show the pursuit and persistence of the Chinese people for a democratic republic. These events were all important components of China's democratic revolution, which struck at feudal forces, promoted social progress, and laid the foundation for later historical development.
However, these events also inspired the awakening and resistance of the Chinese people, who were no longer willing to endure the oppression and shackles of the old system, who longed for the independence of the country and the liberation of the nation, and who insisted on upholding the republican system and democratic principles.
The internal strife of the imperial family in the late Qing Dynasty and the comeback of Yuan Shikai left important lessons and experiences for Chinese history, and also provided useful reference and enlightenment for China's modernization construction. From these events, we can see the necessity and urgency of China's social change, as well as the difficulty and twists and turns of China's social change.
In short, we should inherit and carry forward the Chinese people's pursuit and adherence to democracy and republic, and we should also learn from and draw on the excellent achievements of Western civilization. We should adhere to the policy of reform and opening up, and we should also adhere to the core socialist values. We should strive to realize the Chinese dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
reference
"Qingshi Record"
The Complete Works of Yuan Shikai
"New Compilation of Xinhai Revolutionary Historical Materials"
"Manuscript of the Prince of Fuqing"