Li Yuanhong | |
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黎元洪 | |
![]() Li c. 1915 | |
President of the Republic of China | |
In office 11 June 1922 – 13 June 1923 | |
Preceded by | Zhou Ziqi |
Succeeded by | Gao Lingwei |
In office 7 June 1916 – 17 July 1917 | |
Preceded by | Yuan Shikai |
Succeeded by | Feng Guozhang |
Provisional Vice President of the Republic of China | |
In office 1 January 1912 – 6 June 1916 | |
President | |
Succeeded by | Feng Guozhang |
Personal details | |
Born | 19 October 1864 Huangpi, Hubei, Qing China |
Died | 3 June 1928 Tianjin, Zhili, Republic of China | (aged 63)
Political party | |
Alma mater | Beiyang Naval College |
Awards | Order of Rank and Merit Order of Wen-Hu Order of the Golden Grain |
Military service | |
Allegiance |
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Branch/service |
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Battles/wars | First Sino-Japanese War Xinhai Revolution |
Li Yuanhong (Chinese: 黎元洪; pinyin: Lí Yuánhóng; courtesy name Songqing 宋卿; October 19, 1864 – June 3, 1928) was a prominent Chinese military officer and politician during the Qing dynasty and the Republic of China. He was the first Vice President of the People's Republic of China from 1912 to 1913 as well as the president of the Republic of China between 1916 and 1917, and between 1922 and 1923.
He was born in Huangpi, Hubei. Li initially pursued a military career, graduating from the Tianjin Military Academy in 1896. His leadership and military acumen quickly earned him recognition, leading to his involvement in significant historical events, including the 1911 Revolution that ended over two thousand years of imperial rule in China. Li's role in the revolution, particularly his reluctant yet crucial leadership of the Wuchang Uprising, established him as a key figure in the new Republic.
In the early years of the Republic, Li held several important positions, including serving as Vice President and later as President. His tenure was marked by efforts to stabilize the new republic amidst internal strife and external pressures. His first presidency (1916-1917) ended abruptly due to a coup by the warlord Zhang Xun, who attempted to restore the Qing Dynasty. Li was restored to the presidency in 1917 but struggled to assert control in the fragmented political environment.
Li's later years were spent in relative obscurity after retiring from political life following his second term as president. He continued to be respected for his contributions to the establishment of the Republic of China and his commitment to constitutionalism and national unity. Li died in Tianjin, leaving behind a legacy of cautious yet principled leadership during one of China's most turbulent periods. His efforts to bridge the old imperial order and the new republican era are remembered as a testament to his dedication to his country.
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