Yuan Shih-k’ai And The Early Modernization In Shandong Province

Amidst the winds of change at the end of nineteenth Century, China was at the life-and-death crossroads. In the Sino-Janpanese war in 1895, China was defeated by Japan who was a newly developed country, which has completely exposed its corruption and weakness. Later the imperialists acted more recklessly and care for nobody. The imperialists raised the wave to carve up Chinese, especially the German occupy the kiaochow bay. As the relationship between China and the foreign countries were deteriorating and conflicts were intensifying and spreading, each class in china raised the climax of saving the nation from subjugation. The Reform Movement of 1898 was an example, but with its failure, all parties became silence. However, Boxer Rebellion in local civil society was surging. The situation of Shandong was full of stress and danger. Shandong Province, whoes strategic situation was particularly important, lies in the front of coastal northern defense.It is convenience and is the protection of the capital city and its environs. What’s more, its special geographical position in the Chinese and foreign civilization confliction, and the frontline of traditional Confucianism and Taoism culture, make Shandong on the dangerous situation at the end of nineteenth Century.The winter of 1898, Yuan shih-k’ai was appointed in Shandong by the Qing government, who served as governor of Shandong. He not only stabilized the situation in Shandong and truly opened the road to early modernization. Since quite a period of time, the modernization of Shandong walked in the forefront of the country. Although the time of Yuan shih-k’ai as governor of Shandong was not long, but later before Yuan shih-k’ai died, all the productive governors of Shandong and the highest administrative and military officers in Shandong had a close relationship with Yuan shih-k’ai. Especially Zhou Fu,Yang Shixiang,Yuan Shuxun and Sun Baoqi, ZhouZiqi, JinYunPeng, Zhang Huaizhi and so on. In addition, the policy and strategy in Shandong were all influenced by Yuan shih-k’ai. In a word, Shandong in these time had been under the influence of Yuan shih-k’ai, and so was Shandong’s early modernization process. Therefore, we demonstrate the relationship between Yuan shih-k’ai and early modernization of Shandong during this period of time form at the end of the Qing Dynasty in 1899 when Yuan shih-k’ai became governor of Shandong to the early years of the Republic of China in 1916 when Yuan shih-k’ai died. It have important theoretical significance, academic value and realistic reflection for have an objective and fair evaluation of Yuan shih-k’ai who was heavyweight big man in the history of modern China, for tease development process of china’s early modernization in the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China, for explore and show the truth of modern Shandong Province local records and for take history as a mirror to the modernization of reform and opening-up of contemporary Shandong.Shandong’s early modernization slow development since the Opium War to before Yuan shih-k’ai served as governor. In addition to Ding baozhen made some contribution during the Westernization Movement when he was Shandong governor, almost no other accomplishments. And to Li Bingheng, Yu Yin period Shandong was conservative to the extreme, the southwest, northwest of Shandong Province became the site of Boxer Rebellion broke out. When Yuan shih-k’ai became governor of Shandong Province, the face of Shandong Province changed large. Since Yuan shih-k’ai as governor until his death, Shandong Province by the conservative gradually become more open, Shandong early modernization slowly unfolds and achieved remarkable achievements. For example, new talent introduction and training, Jiaoji railway and Jinpu railway opened to traffic, Jinan, Weixian, zhoucun, Longkou has opened as treaty port, modern industrial, ercial and agricultural development and so on. Faced invasion of the Western powers, Shandong rulers gave up blind violence to resist, began to adopt rational methods, using the constitution argue strongly with the Western powers, in order to safeguard the rights and interests in Shandong Province.Yuan shihrk’ai was the great helmsman in the development of early modernization in shandong. He recognized the background of international and domestic environment, and became a man ahead of times. He had the significant contributions to the development of shandong and China’s early modernization. Lastly, just because eventually he took to the road of the constitutional monarchyand obsessed with authoritarian political much reviled, much reviled.