Background
He was born in Ho-fei, Anhwei, China (Hefei, Anhui, China) in 1864.
He was born in Ho-fei, Anhwei, China (Hefei, Anhui, China) in 1864.
He graduated from the Peiyang Military Academy in Tientsin, China (Tianjin, China) in 1885. Then he studied artillery science in Germany in 1889.
Chi-jui Tuan was assisted Yuan Shih-kai in training modern troops in 1895, and in suppressing the Boxer Uprisings in Shantung in 1900.
He also took different high positions such as commander of the 3rd division of the Imperial Army in 1904, Commander of the 6th division in 1909, Commander of the Government Army in Northern Kiangsu in 1910.
During the 1911 Revolution, he first fought on the side of the Manchu House, but later took lead in asking the Manchu Emperor to abdicate. After establishment of the Republic, he was appointed Minister of War in the first Republican Cabinet in 1912.
Then he became acting Prime Minister in May-July 1913, military Governor of Honan, and concurrently Minister of War in September 1913, marshal and President of the College of Marshals in 1914, Prime Minister in 1916-17 and concurrently Minister of War in 1917.
Mr. Tuan favored China's participation in the World War on the side of the Allies and was responsible for China's declaration of war upon Germany, 1917. In 1917 he suppressed Chang Hsun's attempt to restore the Manchu monarchy and in 1918 reinstated as Prime Minister and Minister of War.
He also organized the powerful Anfu political party and became its leader in 1918. Then in 1919 he became Director-General of the Frontier Defense Bureau, was a Provisional Chief Executive of China in November 1924-25.
