Xu Shichang

{{Short description|President of the Republic of China (1855–1939)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Xu Shichang

| native_name = {{No bold|徐世昌}}

| native_name_lang = zh-hant

| image = Xu Shichang.jpg

| birth_date = {{birth date|1855|10|20|df=y}}

| birth_place = Weihui, Henan, Qing Dynasty

| death_date = {{death date and age|1939|6|5|1855|10|20|df=y}}

| death_place = Tianjin, Republic of China

| education = jinshi degree in Imperial examination (1886)

| signature = Xu Shichang Signature(Kao).png

| office = President of the Republic of China

| term_start = 10 October 1918

| term_end = 2 June 1922

| premier = Qian Nengxun
Gong Xinzhan (acting)
Jin Yunpeng
Yan Huiqing (acting)
Sa Zhenbing (acting)
Liang Shiyi
Zhou Ziqi (acting)

| predecessor = Feng Guozhang

| successor = Zhou Ziqi

| office1 = Premier of the Republic of China

| term_start1 = 22 March

| term_end1 = 23 April 1916

| president1 = Yuan Shikai

| predecessor1 = Lu Zhengxiang (as Prime Minister of the Empire of China)

| successor1 = Duan Qirui

| term_start2 = 1 May 1914

| term_end2 = 22 December 1915

| president2 = Yuan Shikai

| predecessor2 = Sun Baoqi (acting)

| successor2 = Lu Zhengxiang (as Prime Minister of the Empire of China)

{{Collapsed infobox section begin |cont = yes |Imperial offices

| titlestyle = border:1px dashed lightgrey;}}{{Infobox officeholder

| embed = yes

| order3 = 1st

| office3 = Prince Qing's Cabinet{{!}}Minister of the Cabinet
of the Imperial Cabinet

| term_start3 = 8 May

| term_end3 = 1 November 1911

| monarch3 = Xuantong Emperor

| primeminister3 = Yikuang, Prince Qing

| alongside3 = Natong

| predecessor3 = Position established

| successor3 = Position abolished

| office4 = Grand Councilor

| term_start4 = 1905

| term_end4 = 1906

| monarch4 =

| predecessor4 =

| successor4 =

| office5 = Grand Secretary of the Tiren Library

| term_start5 = 17 August 1910

| term_end5 = 5 August 1911

| monarch5 =

| predecessor5 =

| successor5 =

| office6 = Assistant Grand Secretary

| term_start6 = January

| term_end6 = 5 August 1911

| monarch6 =

| predecessor6 =

| successor6 =

| office7 = 5th Minister of Mail and Communications

| term_start7 = 9 February 1909

| term_end7 = 17 August 1910

| monarch7 = Xuantong Emperor

| predecessor7 = Chen Bi

| successor7 = Tang Shaoyi

| order8 = 1st

| office8 = Viceroy of the Three Eastern Provinces

| term_start8 = 12 June 1907

| term_end8 = 8 February 1909

| monarch8 = Xuantong Emperor

| predecessor8 = Position established

| successor8 = Xiliang

{{Collapsed infobox section end}} }}

| party = Anfu Club

| otherparty = Anhui clique

}}

Xu Shichang (Hsu Shih-chang; {{zh |c = 徐世昌 |p = Xú Shìchāng |w = Hsü² Shih⁴-ch'ang¹ }}; courtesy name: Juren (Chu-jen; 菊人); October 20, 1855 – June 5, 1939) was a Chinese politician who served as the President of the Republic of China, in Beijing, from 10 October 1918 to 2 June 1922. The only permanent president of the Beiyang government to be a civilian, his presidency was also the longest of the Warlord Era. Previously, he was Minister of the Cabinet of the Imperial Cabinet during the Qing Dynasty.

Biography

Xu Shichang's ancestral hometown was Yinxian County (current Yinzhou District), Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. Born in Weihui, Henan, he was Yuan Shikai's closest friend. He was at one time the Viceroy of the Three Northeast Provinces, served as minister of the cabinet in Prince Qing's Cabinet,{{Citation needed|date=November 2018}} and tutored Emperor of China Puyi.{{sfnp|Chi|1970|p=63}} At the end of the Qing dynasty, Xu was made chief of the general staff despite being a civilian.{{Citation needed|date=November 2018}} Following the overthrow of the monarchy and the Republic of China's establishment, he was appointed minister of state by Yuan Shikai in 1912, as the latter hoped that this would appease the pro-Qing Royalist Party.{{sfnp|Chi|1970|p=63}} Xu resigned as secretary of state (premier) in protest to Yuan's imperial ambition in late 1915. He resumed his post after Yuan abandoned monarchism on 22 March 1916.{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1916/03/23/archives/republic-displaces-monarchy-in-china-yuan-shihkai-decides-to-reject.html |title=REPUBLIC DISPLACES MONARCHY IN CHINA; Yuan Shih-kai Decides to Reject Imperial Post and Resumes the Presidency. |date=1916-03-23 |work=The New York Times |access-date=2018-03-09 |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

His election as president was largely engineered by Duan Qirui and his Anhui clique. He was chosen because he was a civilian yet had close ties to the Beiyang Army and was neutral to both its Zhili and Anhui cliques. Lacking any military power of his own, he had to play Duan, Zhili leader Cao Kun, and Fengtian leader Zhang Zuolin against each other to stay in power.

Xu believed the monarchy would eventually be restored, and to prepare Puyi for the challenges of the modern world had hired Reginald Johnston to teach Puyi "subjects such as political science, constitutional history and English".{{cite journal |title= "Saint Joan" From A Chinese Perspective: Shaw and the Last Emperor, Henry Pu-Yi Aisin-Gioro |first=Kay |last=Li |journal= Shaw |volume=29 |issue=2009 |page=113}}

He held a massive celebration in Beijing for China's victory in World War I on 18 November 1918. However, he then brought troops into the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War. A ceasefire with Sun Yat-sen's rival Constitutional Protection government was declared and intellectuals were given greater freedom. This lasted until news from France showed how Duan Qirui promised German territory in Shandong to Japan. Large student protests (May Fourth Movement) led to Xu cracking down with mass arrests. Ma Jun ({{lang|zh-hant|馬駿}}), a Muslim, led protests against the Versailles Treaty.{{cite book|author=Aliya Ma Lynn|title=Muslims in China|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=s4Lp8tgr3esC&q=zuo+baogui+killed+sino-japanese+war|date=1 August 2007|publisher=University Press|isbn=978-0-88093-861-7}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hzwxzzs.com/info/546_4.jspx |title=Info |publisher=hzwxzzs.com |access-date=2019-10-31}}{{cite book|author=北京李大钊故居研究室|title=李大钊北京十年（交往篇）|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RdzUCQAAQBAJ&q=%E9%A6%AC%E9%A7%BF+%E5%BE%90%E4%B8%96%E6%98%8C&pg=PT149|date=9 June 2015|publisher=中央编译局|pages=149–|id=GGKEY:5GWR5PC215D}}{{cite web|url=http://hlj.people.com.cn/n/2015/1110/c373746-27062124.html|title=英勇的回族英雄——马骏--黑龙江频道--人民网|website=hlj.people.com.cn}}{{cite web|url=http://www.81.cn/big5/yljnt/2013-10/18/content_5597792.htm|title=馬駿 - 英烈紀念堂 - 中國軍網|website=www.81.cn}}{{cite web|url=http://www.81.cn/yljnt/2013-10/18/content_5597792.htm|title=马骏 - 英烈纪念堂 - 中国军网|website=www.81.cn}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20160423085542/http://www.huizu360.com/huizu/news_view.asp?tid=5&id=2144][https://web.archive.org/web/20160423093312/http://www.huizu360.com/huizu/news_view.asp?tid=5&id=10006]{{cite web|url=http://www.xzbu.com/5/view-7174981.htm |title=回族烈士马骏_中国论文网 |date= |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406160540/http://www.xzbu.com/5/view-7174981.htm |accessdate=2021-09-21|archive-date=2016-04-06 }} The delegation was ordered home and China refused to sign or ratify the Treaty of Versailles. Consequently, the shaky alliance between the Zhili and Anhui cliques collapsed with Duan decisively defeated. This led to the era of high warlordism. Conflict with the south flared again in 1920 and he also failed to retake Mongolia. Cao Kun, who never liked Xu, pressured him out of office and restored Li Yuanhong.