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| Zhili clique | |
|---|---|
| 直隸系軍閥 | |
 The Peiyang Star, which was derived from the five-coloured flag of theRepublic of China | |
| Active | 1920–1928 |
| Country |  Republic of China |
| Allegiance | Beiyang government |
| Type | Warlord faction |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| President | Feng Guozhang,Cao Kun |
TheZhili clique (Chinese:直隸系軍閥;pinyin:Zhílì xì jūnfá) was a military faction that split from theRepublic of China'sBeiyang Army during the country'sWarlord Era. It was named forZhili Province (modern-dayHebei), which was the clique's base of power. At its height, it also controlledJiangsu,Jiangxi, andHubei.
The Beiyang Army fragmented following the death ofYuan Shikai, who had been the only person keeping regional factions from contesting territory throughout China. Unlike other cliques, Zhili was formed by army officers, who felt they had been snubbed by PremierDuan Qirui regarding appointments and promotions. These officers rallied around PresidentFeng Guozhang, who had to share power with Duan's dominantAnhui clique in theBeiyang government. Lacking strong bonds, they were more willing to abandon or betray one another.[citation needed]
They advocated a softer line during theConstitutional Protection War. After Feng's natural death, leadership passed toCao Kun. Cao was victorious in theZhili–Anhui War (1920) though the credit belongs to his chief lieutenant,Wu Peifu, who was considered as one of the greatest strategists in China at the time. Relations with theFengtian clique, which gave nominal assistance against Anhui clique, deteriorated and Wu again brought victory during theFirst Zhili–Fengtian War (1922). In the next two years, the Zhili clique scored successive victories which led to Cao Kun's ascendancy to thepresidency via bribery. Cao's ambition brought all of his enemies against him and created dissent within the clique. Zhili might have won theSecond Zhili–Fengtian War (1924) and eventually reunite all of China had it not been forFeng Yuxiang's betrayal with theBeijing Coup.[citation needed] Cao was imprisoned and leadership passed to Wu who along withSun Chuanfang managed to hold central China for the next two years. During theKuomintang'sNorthern Expedition, they created a desperate alliance with their former Fengtian enemies but were defeated entirely. The Zhili clique was the only warlord faction to be destroyed as a result of the Northern Expedition.[citation needed]
They were also strongly anti-Japanese. Western powers were sympathetic but provided no support with the exception of foreign private businesses who appreciated their adoption of an anti-communist and anti-union stance in 1923. Wu Peifu had initially invited theChinese Communist Party to end theCommunications Clique's stranglehold over the railways but found the Communists to be a greater threat and put them down with violence.[citation needed]
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