Page:Eminent Chinese Of The Ch’ing Period - Hummel - 1943 - Vol. 2.pdf/349

 became involved in a clash with the Japanese and the Palace Guards. The Japanese, thereupon left Seoul with their minister and some pro-Japanese Koreans. Upon Yüan devolved the maintenance of order in the city until the end of January 1885 when permitted him to return to China. The incident was settled in April 1885 by the Tientsin Convention (see under ) by which China and Japan agreed to withdraw their respective garrisons from Korea.

After a few months of leisure in China Yüan Shih-k'ai was commissioned by Li Hung-chang (in August 1885) to accompany the Korean Tai Wün Kun back to Seoul to counteract the influence of the queen. After his arrival in Seoul in October, he received appointment as China's commissioner of commerce, with the rank of a prefect and the powers of a resident. For eight years he represented China in Korea, enjoying a high prestige and an exalted position, until the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War (1894). In July of that year he returned to China and was appointed intendant of the Wenchow, Chuchow and Taichow Circuit in Chekiang, but did not fill the post, going instead to Manchuria to help Chou Fu (see under ) send supplies to the armies fighting the Japanese. After the war he went to Peking where he gained the confidence of Prince Ch'ing (I-k'uang, see under ) and and through their influence was made responsible for the training of the army corps, known as Ting-wu chün 定武軍. This corps was organized in 1894 by Hu Yü-fên 胡燏棻, aided by German instructors. Yüan expanded it to seven thousand men and established a school for military officers. His army, fully equipped and highly disciplined, impressed Jung-lu favorably when the latter inspected it in 1896. The following year Yüan was promoted to be provincial judge of Chihli, and in 1898, during the One Hundred Days' Reform (see under ), was given the title of vice-president of a Board. The reformers cultivated his friendship in the hope of securing his military support. It is generally believed, however, that he disclosed their plans to Jung-lu, thus bringing their movement to a sudden stop—resulting also in the "retirement" of Emperor Tê-tsung (i.e., q.v.), and the resumption of power by the Empress Dowager (i.e. , q.v.). Whatever his part in this episode, Yüan became the latter's favorite, and retained command of his army which was now renamed the Wu-wei yu-chün (see under ), one of the five armies designed to defend Peking.

In May 1899 some of the forces of Yüan Shih-k'ai, under the command of Chang Hsün (see under ), were sent to Têchow, Shantung, to defend that province against German encroachments. A month later Yüan was made junior vice-president of the Board of Works and late in 1899 was sent to Shantung as governor. He suppressed the rising tide of Boxers in that province, and thus forced them northward into Chihli where they won official approval and brought on the Boxer War of 1900. During the war Yüan maintained order in Shantung and expanded his army to twenty thousand men. On September 7, 1901 the Protocol of Peking was signed, thus ending the Boxer War. When two months later Li Hung-chang died, Yüan was summoned to take his place as governor-general of Chihli and as Pei-yang Ta-Ch'ên 北洋大臣, in charge of foreign and military affairs in North China. His appointment was due chiefly to the fact that he was in command of the only modern army in North China and had won the approval of foreigners for suppressing the Boxers in Shantung.

From December 1901 to September 1907 Yüan Shih-k'ai directed various reform programs in North China, such as the establishment of schools, the introduction of new methods of industry, and the organization of police forces. But his main interest was the expansion of the regular army, using the Wu-wei yu-chün as a nucleus. One division (chên 鎭, later known as shih 師) was organized in 1902, one in 1903, two in 1904 and two more in 1905. This new army, known as the Pei-yang lu-chün 北洋陸軍 was completely under his control by virtue of the fact that five of the division commanders and all the superior officers had been his students or protégés. Among these generals may be mentioned: Wang Shih-chên 王士珍 ; Fêng Kuo-chang 馮國璋 ; and Tuan Ch'i-jui 段祺瑞.

In 1905, and again in 1906, Yüan Shih-k'ai served as chief inspector of the army maneuvers conducted in northern Honan. As founder of this modern army he won high acclaim. Nevertheless, his increasing power was regarded with suspicion, particularly by some Manchus. In August 1907 he was suddenly summoned to Peking and made Minister of Foreign Affairs 951