Zhang Xun

Zhang Xun
Prime Minister of the Imperial Cabinet
In office 1 July 1917 – 12 July 1917
Monarch	Puyi
Preceded by	Yuan Shikai (1912)
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Personal details
Born	(1854-09-16)16 September 1854 Kiangsi
Died	11 September 1923(1923-09-11) (aged 68) Tientsin
Military service
Allegiance	Qing Dynasty Republic of China
Service/branch	Beiyang Army
Years of service	1884–1917
Rank	General officer

Zhang Xun (simplified Chinese: 张勋; traditional Chinese: 張勳; pinyin: Zhāng Xūn or; Wade–Giles: Chang Hsün; September 16, 1854 – September 11, 1923), courtesy name Shaoxuan, was a Qing loyalist general who attempted to restore the abdicated emperor Puyi in the Manchu Restoration of 1917. He also supported Yuan Shikai during his time as president.^[1]

Biography

He was born on September 16, 1854.^[1]

Zhang served as a military escort for Empress Dowager Cixi during the Boxer Uprising. He later served as a subordinate of General Yuan Shikai in the Beiyang Army. He fought for the Qing at Nanjing in 1911, and then after the fall of the Qing, he remained loyal to Yuan Shikai. Despite serving as a general in the new Republic, he refused to cut his queue, as a symbol of his loyalty to the Qing. He was called the "Queue General". He seized Nanjing from the KMT in 1913, defeating the Second Revolution. Despite allowing his troops to savagely loot the city, Zhang was named a field marshal by Yuan.^[1]

In 1917 Zhang entered Beijing to restore Puyi along with Kang Youwei but was thwarted by other generals. Zhang then took refuge in the Dutch legation and did not participate in politics again.^[1]

He died on September 11, 1923.^[1]

References