Portrait photograph under preparation

　 Yuan Shikai is an Army Generalissimo and statesman from the end of Qing Dynasty to the early days of the Republic of China. After the death of Li Hongzhang, Yuan Shikai became the most important person in the government of Qing. After the outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution in 1911, Yuan Shikai became provisional president of the Republic of China in 1912 (1st year of Taisho) (later became the president officially). Subsequently, he ascended to the throne of Emperor for himself, but he was deposed since it was difficult to maintain the position of the Emperor due to strong internal and external objections. Soon after the failure of accession to the throne of the Emperor, he died in 1916 (5th year of Taisho) at the age of 56.
　The Japan Center for Asian Historical Records retains the materials relating to Yuan Shikai.

As for underlined characters in the texts or chronological tables, small type is linked with related materials and bold-faced type is linked with the glossary, respectively.

Year Occurrence
1859 (6th year of Ansei) Born in Xiangcheng of Henan Province, China.
1881 (14th year of Meiji) Appointed as staff officer of Admiral Wu Changqing of the Huai Forces.
1882 (15th year of Meiji) Dispatched to Korea at the order of Qing government.
1885 (18th year of Meiji) Appointed as trade representative of Qing government in Korea.
1894 (27th year of Meiji)

Outbreak of the Tonghak Peasants' War and the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895
　Japan and Qing dispatched troops to Korea at the excuse of the Tonghak Peasants' War and the troops of the two nations battled each other in Korea.
(Pages 47 to 48, Volume 2 of Japanese pocket edition of "Saka no ue no Kumo")

Title: Government of Korea requesting Qing to dispatch the troops.
 Reference code: B03030207500
　This is an observation of the situations of the Korean Peninsula at the outbreak of the Tonghak Peasants' War and the reactions of Qing.
(Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)

1901 (34th year of Meiji) Took office as Governor General of Zhili Province and Superintendent of trade for ports, posts in Northern China concurrently.
1905 (38th year of Meiji)

Signing the Sino-Japanese Treaty on Manchuria.
　Article 5 and 6 of the Russo-Japanese Peace Treaty (the Portsmouth Treaty) state that the cession of the Russian interests in South Manchuria requires "the consent of the Qing government." Through the Sino-Japanese Treaty, Qing gave the consent to the articles of the Russo-Japanese Peace Treaty and concluded arrangements for various problems between Japan and Qing after the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895.

Title: Ratification of Sino-Japanese Treaty concerning Manchuria and attached agreement
 Reference code: A03033989700
　The 3rd image shows the name of Yuan Shikai as plenipotentiary of the Qing government.
(Source: National Archives of Japan (NAJ))

1911 (44th year of Meiji) Outbreak of the Xinhai Revolution in 1911 (Qing Dynasty was ruined and the Republic of China was founded).
1912 (1st year of Taisho) Appointed as Provisional President of the Republic of China.
1915 (4th year of Taisho)

Declared accession to the Emperor on his own accord.
　Yuan Shikai attempted to get the dictatorial powers by expanding the rights of the president and accessing to the throne of the Emperor (the monarchical movement). Yuan Shikai, however, failed in the attempts due to the internal and external objections.

Title: Yuan Shikai's plan for the Imperial System (secret) Vol. 1
 Reference code: B03050714200
　This is a part of the materials relating to the Imperial regime movements of Yuan Shikai.
(Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan)

1916 (5th year of Taisho) Died of a disease at the age of 56 after announcing the postponement of accession to the Emperor.