Ep. 231 | The Warlord Era (Part 1)
After years of requests to cover this topic, Laszlo finally gets around to the history of China’s Warlord Era that lasted from 1916 to 1928 and into the Nanjing Decade. In this Part 1 episode, Laszlo gives some background into the historical developments that led to the rise of, who some call, the first warlord, Yuan Shikai.
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Terms in Episode
| Pinyin/Term | Chinese | English/Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Ānhuī Clique (Wǎn Xì) | 皖系 | Also called The An-Fu Clique. One of the cliques that emerged after the death of Yuan Shikai. Leaders of this Clique were all from Anhui province |
| Běiyáng Army | 北洋军 | Literally "North Ocean Army." This army served as the centerpiece of the Qing Dynasty's military modernization efforts. |
| Běiyáng Fleet | 北洋艦隊 | The most powerful of China's four modern navies built up during the late Qing. Great, but not that great. |
| Běiyáng Tōngshāng Dàchén | 北洋通商大臣 | Minister of Běiyáng |
| Bǎinián Guóchí | 百年国耻 | China's so-called "Century of Humiliation" that lasted from the Opium War to WWII |
| Chóngqìng | 重庆 | Used to be part of Sichuan, now an independent municipality. Also known as Chungking |
| Cáo Kūn | 曹锟 | 1862-1938, Tianjin born warlord and government official. Leader of the Zhili Clique |
| Duàn Qíruì | 段祺瑞 | 1865-1936. Warlord and China politician. Also served as premier. Originally from Hefei, Anhui, he headed the Anhui Clique |
| Empress Dowager Cíxǐ | 慈禧太后 | 1835-1908, ruled China from 1861 to 1908 |
| Fèngtiān Clique | 奉天系 | One of the cliques that emerged after the death of Yuan Shikai. Leaders of this Clique were from Manchuria. Fengtian is an old name for Shenyang in Liaoning Province |
| Féng Yùxiáng | 冯玉祥 | 1882-1948, born in Anhui and best known as "The Christian Warlord." He changed sides a lot |
| Guǎngxī Clique (Guì Xì) | 桂系 | One of the cliques that emerged after the death of Yuan Shikai. The leader of this Clique was Li Zongren |
| Huái Army | 淮军 | Named after China's Huai River. Also called the Anhui Army. It was led by Li Hongzhang and later became part of the New Army and later, the Beiyang Army |
| Hàn Chinese | 汉族 | Ethnic Han Chinese, China's (and the world's) largest ethnic group. Also known as 华人 Hua Ren and 唐人 Tang Ren |
| Húběi Province | 湖北省 | Province in central China |
| Kāng Yǒuwéi | 康有为 | 1858-1927, scholar official known for his reforming efforts during the late Qing Dynasty |
| Liáng Qǐchāo | 梁启超 | 1873-1929, Chinese man of letters as well as a political figure of the late Qing and early ROC periods |
| Lǐ Hóngzhāng | 李鸿章 | 1823-1901, Qing era general, diplomat and politician |
| Lǐ Zōngrén | 李宗仁 | 1890-1969, Guangxi-born warlord, headed up the Guangxi Clique down in southern China |
| Miáo Rebellion | 苗乱 | The third of three rebellions centered in Guizhou Province that lasted 1854-1873 |
| Niǎn Rebellion | 捻乱 | Major peasant uprising in China that lasted 1851-1868. |
| Qiánlóng Emperor | 乾隆帝 | Qing dynasty emperor who reigned 1735-1796 |
| Qīng Dynasty | 清朝 | Dynasty that lasted 1644-1911 |
| Shāndōng | 山东 | Coastal province in north China |
| Shānxī Clique | 晋系 | One of the cliques that emerged after the death of Yuan Shikai. The leader of this Clique was Yan Xishan |
| Suí | 隋朝 | Dynasty in China that lasted 581-618 |
| Sòng | 宋朝 | Dynasty that lasted (in two parts) from 960-1279 |
| Sūn Chuánfāng | 孙传芳 | 1885-1935, Shandong-born military man known as the "Nanking Warlord." Part of the Zhili Clique |
| The Tàipíng Rebellion. | 太平天国 | Rebellion and civil war in China that lasted from 1850-1864 |
| Tiānjìn | 天津 | City just to the east of Beijing |
| Treaty of Shimonoseki | 下关条约 | Also known as the 马关条约, signed on April 17, 1895. It ended the First Sino-Japanese War |
| Táng | 唐朝 | Dynasty that lasted 618-907 |
| Tóngménghuì | 同盟会 | Sun Yat-sen's United League, forerunner to the Guomindang 国民党….or KMT. |
| Viceroy of Zhílì | 直隶总督 | The leader of Zhili Province. Held by Zheng Guofan, Li Hongzhang and Yuan Shikai. This viceroy held huge sway over the government in Beijing |
| Western Jìn | 西晋 | Unified dyansty that lasted from 266-316 |
| Wú Pèifú | 吴佩孚 | 1874-1939, Warlord, headed the Zhili Clique |
| Wǔchāng Uprising | 武昌起义 | Uprising that started on 10-10-1911 in the city of Wuchang. Led to the fall of the Qing Dynasty |
| Xiánfēng Emperor | 咸丰帝 | Qing emperor who reigned 1850-1861 |
| Xiāng Army | 湘军 | Army organized and led by Zeng Guofan. It saw action during the Taiping Rebellion |
| Xīběi Sān Mǎ | 西北三吗 | Old CHP episode 78…The Warlord Ma Clique of Northwest China |
| Xīn Jūn | 新军 | short for Xīnjiàn Lùjūn. 新建陆军 |
| Yuán Shìkǎi | 袁世凯 | 1859-1916, Military and government official and first president of the Republic of China. Also called "The First Warlord" |
| Yán Xíshān | 阎锡山 | 1883-1960, Warlord born and raised in Shanxi. Headed the Shanxi Clique |
| Yǒng Yíng | 勇营 | Regional militias that emerged during the Qing that consisted of local peasant soldiers |
| Zhílì | 直隶 | Ming and Qing era province that today mostly comprises Hebei |
| Zhílì Clique | 直隶系 | One of the cliques that emerged after the death of Yuan Shikai. The power base for this Clique was in and around Zhili |
| Zhāng Zuòlín | 张作霖 | 1875-1928, Liaoning-born warlord of Manchuria and major political figure as well. Also served as President of the ROC. |
| Zhāng Zōngchāng | 张宗昌 | 1881-1932, best known as "The Dogmeat General". Born in Shandong |
| Zhōu Dynasty | 周朝 | Western Zhou 1046-771 BCE and Eastern Zhou 771-221 BCE |
| Zēng Guófān | 曾国藩 | 1811-1872, Qing era statesman, general, scholar and leader of the Xiang (Hunan) Army. |
| Zǒng Dū | 总督 | Viceroy or governor-general |
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