Biography of Duan Qirui

Name: Biography of Duan Qirui
ISBN: 9787101108897

彭秀良Zhonghua Book Company · ChinaDec 2021

3.5

Word count: 206K words
Chapters: 24
ISBN: 9787101108897

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Summary

Duan Qirui (1865–1936) graduated from the Beiyang Military Academy and first won fame by helping Yuan Shikai train troops at Xiaozhan. Together with Feng Guozhang and Wang Shizhen, he became known as one of the 'Three Heroes of Beiyang.' After the founding of the Republic, he took charge of the government six times, serving as Minister of War, Premier, and Provisional Chief Executive. His political life spanned the rivalry between the presidency and the cabinet, the declaration of war on Germany, the defeat of Zhang Xun's restoration, and alliance with the southern provinces, as he consistently pursued national unification by force. The March 18th Tragedy of 1926 brought his political career to an end. Drawing on extensive sources and diverse scholarship, the author recounts Duan's major deeds—such as his 'three acts of creating the republic'—in detail and offers his own judgment on Duan's merits and faults.

Editor's review

Duan Qirui: A Biography, written by scholar Peng Xiuliang and published by Zhonghua Book Company, is one of the more solid biographical works on this Beiyang military and political leader in recent years. The book's Douban rating has remained stable at around 7.5, reflecting readers' recognition of its balance between academic quality and readability. Unlike stereotyped historical narratives, Peng Xiuliang's writing delves into archives and historical sources, striving to restore the complex image of Duan Qirui as a core participant in the political situation of the late Qing and early Republic. The book not only details his political and military actions in the 'Three Reconstructions of the Republic' and the treacherous 'Presidential Office-State Council conflict' but also delicately portrays his personal characteristics, social networks, and even his observance of national integrity in his later years, providing readers with a key individual perspective for understanding the warlord era. The editors believe the book's value lies in its historical view of 'sympathetic understanding'—it does not rush to simple moral judgment of historical figures but places them in the specific historical context of institutional rupture between old and new and the collapse of central authority, analyzing their choices and limitations. This approach makes Duan Qirui's image transcend the single labels of 'warlord' or 'politician' and become three-dimensional and full of tension. For readers who wish to pierce the fog of history and understand the difficulty of modern China's transformation, this book is an important key.

Who it's for

A good fit for

History enthusiasts interested in Beiyang warlord history and the political ecology of the early Republic
Readers who wish to go beyond textbook conclusions and deeply understand complex historical figures
Scholars and students studying modern Chinese political and military history
Readers who enjoy biographies based on solid historical sources and rigorous narrative

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking light, entertaining historical stories or unofficial anecdotes
Readers hoping for absolute judgments of right and wrong and clearly positioned historical evaluations

Reading tips

When reading, consult historical maps of the early Republic to understand the geographical and spatial logic of military actions and political changes
For key events mentioned in the book, such as the 'Presidential Office-State Council conflict' and the 'Nishihara Loans,' it is advisable to consult other historical sources to form a multi-dimensional understanding
Pay attention to the author's analysis of Duan Qirui's relationships with Yuan Shikai, Li Yuanhong, Feng Guozhang, and others; this is key to understanding factional politics

About the publisher

Zhonghua Book Company China · Founded in 1912

Zhonghua Book Company is a publisher known for collating ancient texts and academic publishing, with its output centered on Eastern philosophy, culture, classic works, art, and historical reading. Its library contains 532 titles, including Chen Shou's Records of the Three Kingdoms, Guo Qingfan's Collected Commentaries on Zhuangzi, the four-volume Chinese Literature: Four Great Classical Novels, and the two-volume Table of Seal and Clerical Script Forms from Qin, Han, Wei, and Jin. These titles span historical classics, commentaries on the philosophers, classical novels, and philological reference works. Representative authors include Chen Shou, Guo Qingfan, Wu Cheng'en, Shi Nai'an, Cao Xueqin, Luo Guanzhong, Xu Wenwu, and the Hanyu Dazidian character-form group, reflecting a focus on primary sources and scholarly editors. Its publishing character lies in combining authoritative editions and annotated texts with both accessible classics and specialized research. Public information on its fuller catalog is limited; this note describes only the directions evident in the library's holdings.

版权信息
追思祖父段祺瑞
序言
第一章颠沛流离的青少年时代
第二章接受近代军事教育
第三章追随袁世凯
第四章在辛亥年的大潮中
第五章直接指挥的两次军事行动
第六章反对帝制到底
第七章实行责任内阁制
第八章努力实现对德宣战
第九章击破张勋复辟闹剧
第十章无法实现武力统一的政治理想
第十一章输掉了所有本钱的直皖战争
第十二章临时执政难有作为
第十三章悠闲的晚年生活
第十四章躲避日本人的纠缠
第十五章段氏家风与家族后人
第十六章身边幕僚的出路
第十七章身后荣辱几度沉浮
附录一段祺瑞生平大事年表
附录二段祺瑞小传
附录三参考文献
附录四人名索引

FAQ

Are the historical sources in this book reliable?

The author Peng Xiuliang is a professional historian. The book is mainly based on archival documents from institutions such as the Second Historical Archives of China, published source collections, and contemporary newspapers and periodicals, and it references a large body of existing research; its historical foundation is relatively solid.

Is this book a comprehensive vindication of Duan Qirui?

It is not a simple vindication. The author strives for an objective presentation, affirming his actions in safeguarding national unity and opposing imperial restoration while also critically analyzing the factional struggles and decision-making errors of his time in power, aiming to provide a more three-dimensional historical understanding.

What are the features of this book compared with other biographies of Duan Qirui?

Published by Zhonghua Book Company, this book has strong academic standardization; in narrative it pays more attention to combining individual fate with the broader trends of the times and analyzing the logic and dilemmas of his political behavior. Compared with some more literary biographies, its depth of historical interpretation is more prominent.

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About the author

彭秀良 Author

Peng Xiuliang is a Chinese author writing on social work and history. Public information about him is limited, and biographical details remain scarce. Six of his works are currently included in the collection, spanning social work, regional history, and biography. In social work, he has written Understanding Social Work in One Reading and The Origins and Development of Social Work in China, explaining the discipline's history and practice in an accessible style. On history and regional culture, he has authored Six Hundred Years of Youyan: The Past and Present of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban Agglomeration and Xiong'an New Area: Geography, History, and Culture, focusing on urban change and the geography and culture of North China. He has also written biographies of the Republican-era figures Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui. His writing balances scholarly popularization with readability, bringing professional knowledge and historical understanding to general readers.