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Xu Shichang | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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徐世昌 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| President of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 10 October 1918 – 2 June 1922 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Premier | Qian Nengxun Gong Xinzhan (acting) Jin Yunpeng Yan Huiqing (acting) Sa Zhenbing (acting) Liang Shiyi Zhou Ziqi (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Feng Guozhang | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Zhou Ziqi | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Premier of China | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 22 March – 23 April 1916 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Yuan Shikai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Lu Zhengxiang (as Prime Minister of the Empire of China) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Duan Qirui | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| In office 1 May 1914 – 22 December 1915 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| President | Yuan Shikai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Preceded by | Sun Baoqi (acting) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Succeeded by | Lu Zhengxiang (as Prime Minister of the Empire of China) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Personal details | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1855-10-20)20 October 1855 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 5 June 1939(1939-06-05) (aged 83) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Party | Anfu Club | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Other political affiliations | Anhui clique | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | jinshi degree inImperial examination (1886) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Signature | .png) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Xu Shichang (Chinese:徐世昌;pinyin:Xú Shìchāng;Wade–Giles:Hsü2Shih4-ch'ang1;courtesy nameJuren (Chinese:菊人;pinyin:Júrén;Wade–Giles:Chu-jen); 20 October 1855 – 5 June 1939) was a Chinese politician who served as thePresident of China from 10 October 1918 to 2 June 1922. A member of theAnhui clique, he was the only permanent president of theBeiyang government to be a civilian; his presidency was also the longest of theWarlord Era. Previously, he was Minister of the Cabinet of the Imperial Cabinet during theQing dynasty.
Xu Shichang's ancestral hometown was Yinxian County (currentYinzhou District),Ningbo,Zhejiang. Born inWeihui,Henan, he wasYuan Shikai's closest friend. He was at one time theViceroy of the Three Northeast Provinces, served as minister of the cabinet inPrince Qing'sCabinet,[citation needed] and tutored the final QingEmperor,Puyi.[1] At the end of theQing dynasty, Xu was made chief of the general staff despite being a civilian.[citation needed] Following the overthrow of the monarchy and the establishment of theRepublic of China, he was appointedminister of state by Yuan Shikai in 1912, as the latter hoped that this would appease the pro-QingRoyalist Party.[1] Xu resigned assecretary of state (premier) in protest ofYuan's self-proclaimed monarchy in late 1915. He resumed his post after Yuan abandoned monarchism on 22 March 1916.[2]
His election as president was largely engineered byDuan Qirui and hisAnhui clique. He was chosen because he was a civilian yet had close ties to theBeiyang Army and was neutral to both itsZhili and Anhui cliques. Lacking any military power of his own, he had to play Duan, Zhili leaderCao Kun, andFengtian leaderZhang Zuolin against each other to stay in power.
Xu believed the monarchy would eventually be restored, and to preparePuyi for the challenges of the modern world had hiredReginald Johnston to teach Puyi "subjects such as political science, constitutional history and English".[3]
He held a massive celebration in Beijing for China's victory inWorld War I on 18 November 1918. However, he then brought troops into theAllied intervention in the Russian Civil War. A ceasefire withSun Yat-sen's rivalConstitutional Protection Junta based inGuangzhou was declared and intellectuals were given greater freedom. This lasted until news from France revealed that Duan Qirui had promised former German territory inShandong to Japan. Large student protests in theMay Fourth Movement led to Xu cracking down with mass arrests. Ma Jun (馬駿), a Muslim, led protests against the Versailles Treaty.[4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12] The delegation was ordered home and China refused to sign or ratify theTreaty of Versailles. Consequently, the shaky alliance between the Zhili and Anhui cliques collapsed with Duan decisively defeated. This led to the era of high warlordism. Conflict with theanti-Beiyang movements in Southern China flared again in 1920, and he also failed to retakeOuter Mongolia.Cao Kun, who never liked Xu, pressured him out of office and restoredLi Yuanhong.
Xu retired from politics and moved to theBritish concession in Tianjin, where he died on 5 June 1939 at the age of 83.[13][14]
Media related toXu Shichang at Wikimedia Commons| Government offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Premier of China (Secretary of State) 1914–1915 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Premier of China (Secretary of State) 1916 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of China 1918–1922 | Succeeded by |
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