Yuan Shikai was born in Yuanzhai, Xiangcheng County, Henan Province on August 20th, 2009 during Xianfeng period of Qing Dynasty. On the day when Yuan Shikai was born, his great uncle Yuan Jiasan just wrote a letter to his family from Huainan, telling them that he occupied Linhuai, an important base of the Nian Army, with heavy troops, and all the ministries of the Nian Army retreated. People say that he lives happily and has great wealth. Yuan Baozhong, Yuan Shikai's father, was overjoyed at the news, so he named his son "Kai" and named his son Shao Wu according to the family ranking. This also seems to indicate the military career of newcomers.
Yuan Shikai lived in Yuan Zhai since he was a child. Yuanzhai is a fortress to resist the attack of the Nian army, unite as one and defend family safety. The fortress is one foot high and surrounded by a deep ditch outside the wall. There is a turret in the northeast corner, northwest corner, southwest corner and southeast corner of the village. At ordinary times, there are guards on duty in every corner building, east and west gate of the village, and dozens of guards take turns to keep watch day and night. A suspension bridge stands in front of the village entrance, symbolizing safety and isolation. Although life in the castle is relatively stable, people in Yuancun feel nervous every time the army invades and the dust flies. /kloc-more than 0/5 people had to board the turret and shoot and cheer until the army retreated.
According to disciple Rong 'an, when Yuan Shikai was five years old, he was carried to the watchtower and watched the battle fearlessly. We can explain it this way: children are fearless when they don't know anything, and they are not afraid to do things when they are born bold. On the contrary, Yuan Cun can't resist psychological panic and imbalance from time to time. Yuan Shikai lived in Yuan Zhai since he was a child. He feels insecure about his fate and unstable and uncertain about his hometown, so he longs for a powerful force to protect his family.
Childhood memories and experiences made Yuan Shikai write a heroic poem when he was a teenager: "If you can't let Long Hudou appear in front of you, your murderous look will soar to the sky." I want to open my mouth to the sky and swallow Hu Tianjiao. "Hu Tianjiao" here should refer to the nomadic people who invaded the Central Plains in history. Their ships are very powerful, and guns are profitable in western countries. At the age of twenty, he had failed in the imperial examinations twice, and there was no hope of losing his reputation in Beijing. This may be his chance to join the army.
1882, he went to Korea with Wu Changqing to pacify the chaos, and then began his military career and became a real professional soldier.
From 65438 to 0883, Yuan Shikai, as Minister of Commerce and Trade, was stationed in the vassal country of North Korea to help it train the new army and control taxes. Yuan Shikai worked in Korea for 12 years and learned the lessons of the war of resistance in the era of great power weakness. He firmly believes that "training is the top priority of strengthening the country and enriching the people."
199565438+On February 8th, with the approval of Empress Dowager Cixi, Emperor Guangxu finally issued the appointment, and Yuan Shikai became the supervisory minister of the "new army" and the founder of China's modern army. At this time, Yuan Shikai was only 36 years old and his career was in full swing.
Standing training is the beginning of Yuan Shikai's close combination of personal ambition and major national responsibilities and interests.
Tianjin Railway Station is a small town in Haihe River Basin. After 1895, Yuan Shikai was unique among thousands of small towns in China because his new army was incorporated into the territory of Europe and America. Since then, Tianjin Railway Station has opened the prelude for Beiyang Warlords Group to enter China's political arena.
The main figures of Beiyang Group, such as Duan, Feng, Xu Shichang, Cao Kun, etc. At this time, gathering under Yuan Shikai will dominate the future fate of China.
190165438+129 October, Empress Dowager Cixi issued an imperial edict in xi 'an in the name of Emperor Guangxu, pointing out that the main contents and methods to adapt to the political reform are: "Taking the country as a chapter, governing people's livelihood by officials, and implementing imperial examinations in schools, military affairs, political finance and other aspects. When should I change careers, merge provinces, adopt others, consult others, how to govern the country, how to make ends meet, and how to prepare? "
Four days later, Yuan Shikai was the first to stand up and support the New Deal, and submitted the famous "Obeying the Purpose, Respecting the Things, Seeing the Appearance, Preparing the Chastity, Choosing the Position" to the court, proposing to grant officials, advocate practical learning, increase practical learning, enlighten the people's wisdom, retrain, finalize the case, know the truth of people, and stay and train soldiers.
However, the Qing Dynasty had already carried too much luggage. Just like a terminally ill organism, it needs a comprehensive exchange of blood, involving not only the political system, but also the fields of economy, finance, military affairs and education. Therefore, in such a great historical change, Yuan Shikai has undoubtedly become a driving force and leader in various fields. Yuan Shikai is in the alternation of the old and the new, and it is impossible to completely transform into a new person.
Yuan Shikai tried to combine the Beiyang Army with the revolutionary forces of the Allies and Nanjing, and merged the new army and the provincial council into a state power. Yuan Shikai's constitutional procedure prevented the civil war in China and initiated the peaceful abdication of the emperor under the feudal system of China for more than two thousand years. In this sense, without the checks and balances of Yuan Shikai, there would be no Republic of China.
However, Yuan Shikai still hasn't got rid of the limitations of the times. His feudal imperial consciousness led him to subjectively diagnose the plight of China at that time as imperial malnutrition.
After the failure of the emperor system, Yuan Shikai asked Zhang Yinan, an aide, to draft a manuscript that abolished the emperor system for more than ten years. At that time, he said, "I was too confused to listen to you, so." If we want to abolish the imperial edict today, we must first draft it. As he spoke, he showed Zhang Yinan a draft drafted by Wang Shitong and said, "I think we should directly order the abolition of the imperial system and burn the books."
When Zhang Jianyuan said this, he couldn't help feeling depressed. He said, "It's all because the president was blinded by the bad guys." Yuan went on to say, "It's all my own fault. I can't blame anyone. "
Yuan Shikai left a mirror for future generations. Mirror or magic mirror? Or both?
In this regard, Yuan's second son commented on his father like this: "The first man was born smart and ambitious. For 30 years, those in power have been armed and trained. But people hate death because of mistakes, rape mistakes and unfinished great achievements. Sad husband, pain! "