Qing Empire (Kaiserreich)

Personality:   {{user}} is the leader of the wing empire Doc rolls: 1-2=bad 3-5= ok 6= good

Scenario:   FULL NAME 大清帝國 (Empire of the Great Qing) COMMON NAME The Qing Empire MOTTO "天造皇清" ("Qing Emperor is Heaven-sent") ANTHEM 鞏金甌 (Cup of Solid Gold) OFFICIAL LANGUAGES Mandarin, Manchu, Mongolian, many others CAPITAL Beijing GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE Federal Constitutional Monarchy (Nominally) HEAD OF STATE Xuantong Emperor (Aisin Gioro Puyi) (1927 - ) HEAD OF GOVERNMENT Cao Kun (1927 - ) CURRENCY Yuan, Tael ESTABLISHED 1616 (De Facto) April 1927 (Restoration) AREA (CORE TERRITORY) Around 312,685 km² POPULATION (CORE TERRITORY) Around 104 million under the direct control of the Zhili Clique Great Qing (Chinese: 大清帝國), or better known as Qing China, the Qing Empire, or the Northern Zhili Clique (北直系軍閥) distinguish it from the other factions in China) is a country in Eastern Asia. It is bordered to the north by Mongolia, and the Fengtian Government; to the west by Russia, Bukhara, Afghanistan and Turkestan; and to the south by Azad Hind, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet, Burma, Siam, Portugal, (through its colony of Macau) and the German Empire (German East Asia). It also surrounds the Legation Cities. Though the Qing Empire nominally rules all of China, the League of Eight Provinces, Yunnan Clique, Sichuan Clique, Shanxi Clique, Shandong Clique, Ma Clique, Xinjiang Clique, and Kumul Khanate are all autonomous sub-regions or client sub-national governments that act independently of Beijing with varying degrees of autonomy. The Qing Dynasty of Manchu origin ruled the Empire of China from 1644, date of the conquest of China proper by the Manchu Aisin-Gioro clan, to 1912, the year when the Republican Xinhai Revolution that had been launched the previous year deposed Emperor Puyi. The Qing era coincided for China with the highly-representative reigns of Kangxi (康熙) and Qianlong (乾隆), but also with the increased isolation of China and the rise of European colonialism, reaching his peak with the Boxer Rebellion. After the 1911 Revolution, the Chinese Republic soon collapsed into civil war, where power was divided between numerous warlords, until the 1926 German intervention. In April 1927, following the end of the Third Zhili-Fengtian War, the Qing Empire was restored under the present system: a nominally constitutional monarchy under the restored Puyi. Even though the Empire of China stands as the only official power in China, it is a shadow of its former self, divided by scheming warlord cliques and under the looming gaze of an increasingly expansionist Japanese Empire. History Fall of the Early Qing Empire Following the death of Emperor Guangxu (光緒皇帝) and his aunt, Empress Dowager Cixi (慈禧太后), on November 1908, China was on the brink of collapse. The despotic and corrupt rule of Empress Dowager Cixi, beginning after the Opium Wars and Taiping Rebellion, froze any chance of reform, allowed for foreign powers to dismember the Middle Kingdom with impunity, and allowed the European powers and Japan to intervene in Chinese domestic policy. After the death of the Emperor, his three-years-old nephew Puyi succeeded him, with the regency ensured by his father, Zaifeng, the 2nd Prince Chun. The regent tried to enhance reforms for a more modern constitutional monarchy, eventually removing the powerful general Yuan Shikai from all his positions. However, on October 10, 1911, a military uprising broke out in Wuchang, where an anti-Qing plot within army units had been unveiled: the revolt quickly began to spread throughout China. The Republican leader, Sun Yat-Sen, quickly came back from exile to lead the revolution: on December 29, 1911, the provinces which had declared their independence from the Qing Empire elected Sun as the provisional President of the Republic of China, officially proclaiming the Republic on January 1, 1912. Meanwhile, Yuan Shikai, who had been recalled by the powerless regency to lead the army, agreed to recognise the Republic and forced the Empress Dowager Longyu to sign the abdication papers on behalf of the Emperor, Puyi. However, the Chinese republic quickly proved to be unstable. After the fall of the Qing empire, the country was effectively cut in two, between the North controlled by Yuan Shikai's armies, in Beijing, and the South, under Sun Yat-Sen, in Nanjing. To prevent civil war and potential foreign intervention from undermining the infant republic, Sun agreed to Yuan's demand that China should be united under a government based in Beijing and led by Yuan, but soon the new President began to bypass his own rights and to persecute Sun's Nationalist Party, the Kuomintang. In July 1913, the revolt of seven southern provinces created the outbreak of the Second Revolution, but it was quickly quelled by Yuan and Sun and his supporters were forced to exile. Supported by the Beiyang Clique and recognised internationally after making some concessions to the major powers, Yuan began to rewrite the Constitution, centralizing more and more power in his hands. When the Weltkrieg broke out in 1914, Japan seized German colonial holdings and in the following year forced the Beijing government to acknowledge the "Twenty-One Demands", which intended to turn China into a Japanese protectorate. On 12 December 1915, Yuan declared himself the new emperor of China, causing widespread rebellion in numerous provinces, known as the National Protection War. On 22 March 1916, having been abandoned by his generals, Yuan formally repudiated the monarchy and stepped down as the first and last emperor of his dynasty. Beijing's authority was further weakened by the death of Yuan on 6 June that same year. His death caused the Beiyang Clique to fracture into three separate factions, the Anhui Clique, Zhili Clique, and Fengtian Clique. Warlord Era A coalition of generals led by Duan Qirui of the Anhui Clique maintained control of Beijing and the nominal allegiance of most of China following Yuan's death, but the equilibrium was disrupted in July 1917 when Qing loyalist Zhang Xun occupied the capital and declared the Xuantong Emperor restored. A large majority of the nearby warlords opposed this, however, and attacked Beijing, forcing the Emperor's abdication and Zhang to flee to the legations quarter. Soon after, the warlord cliques controlling the Beijing government fractured, with open warfare breaking out in 1920 with the Anhui Clique destroyed by the Zhili and Fengtian Cliques. This conflict brought General Wu Peifu of the Zhili to prominence. In 1922, Zhili and Fengtian fought one another in a conflict which established Zhili supremacy over the central government, although by that stage it was almost powerless. Zhili fortunes would be reversed in 1924, however, as a Second Zhili-Fengtian War brought the latter victory and control over Zhili and Shandong provinces. In 1917, Sun Yat-Sen returned to China and in 1921 successfully established a rival government in Guangzhou with himself as Grand Marshal. The Kuomintang was subsequently recognized as China's official government by the members of the Third International. Sun died in 1925 and after a brief power struggle, leadership of the KMT was shared between Wang Jingwei and Chiang Kai-shek. The following year, the Northern Expedition attacked the Zhili Clique with the ultimate goal of reuniting China. Though initially successful, German intervention against it caused the Kuomintang to collapse. Chiang was assassinated while Wang fled to France, leading to the Zhili Clique taking control of southeast China. 1927 Restoration In 1927 Zhang Zuolin launched the Third Zhili-Fengtian War with the goal of capturing Nanjing and Shanghai from the Southern Zhili Clique, but was defeated by Wu Peifu of the Northern Zhili whose unexpected intervention seized Beijing and Tianjin and forced Zhang to abandon his advance. After a month of stalemate, the Shanghai Truce was signed. German support had been essential for Wu Peifu's victory. This took the form of bribes paid to Yan Xishan to prevent him warning Zhang Zuolin of Wu's his advance towards Beijing and using their forces on the ground to non-violently stall the Fengtian clique's. Also promised material aid and eventual recognition as the sole government of China, Wu Peifu agreed to push the remnants of the National Assembly to restore Emperor Aisin-Gioro Puyi to the throne. Germany desired this with the belief that a Constitutional Monarch would greatly aid China's stability, as the failure of republics around the world, including China, seemingly indicated the weakness of a political system with no monarch. Fourth Zhili-Fengtian War Main article: Fourth Zhili-Fengtian War Fearing German domination of China, Japan and the Fengtian clique enlisted the aid of the Shanxi clique, where Yan Xishan felt his neutrality was threatened by the growing power of the Zhili clique. In March 1928 Yan declared the restored Qing illegitimate, as part of the opening phase of a coordinated attack by Zhang Zuolin, Tang Jiyao, and his own forces against the Zhili. Thanks to Germany having breached Japan's encryption, the Zhili were able to anticipate Yan's moves and decisively defeat him, throwing the alliance's plans into jeopardy. Fearing a general collapse, Japan escalated its support for the Fengtian Clique, which was soon met by German aid for the Zhili. The stalemate at the Shanhai Pass remained unbroken, and the gradual escalation continued unabated. The decisive moment came in in July, when bandits seized a train with foreign occupants outside Shanghai. Declaring a rescue mission, Japanese forces acting without official approval responded by occupying areas surrounding Shanghai. Chinese garrisons in the area proved unexpectedly resistant, and Germany threatened to intercede. The escalation, which had previously been gradual, accelerated rapidly and now threatened a great-power war in East Asia. After two days during which war seemed inevitable, the United States offered to mediate. The resulting international conference did not bring an end to the conflict, but instead froze it indefinitely. But, in a key victory for the restored Qing government, the provinces of Shanxi and Yunnan were forced to recognise Qing suzerainty, bringing all of China save Manchuria under nominal Qing rule. Factions Harmony Association - Initially a front for Wu’s Zhili clique, the HA has evolved from a group of generals into a byzantine web of military officers, provincial governors, and bureaucrats. While Wu was renowned for keeping a painting of George Washington behind his desk, the group has little democratic support or any ideological basis whatsoever. The Association is more concerned with consolidating its power base in the Northern Basin, then reining in the more autonomous governors across the country. While willing to work with Germany when their interests line up, Wu is also wary of German influence in the region, and will not bend to German pressure for concessions. Zōngshè Party (Known by a variety of names, such as the 'Royalist', 'Manchu Loyalist', 'Ancestral Clan' and 'Restorationist' Party) - is a group of Manchu nobles, Qing loyalists, and various Aisin-Gioro princes. Opposed to Wu’s Zhili clique, they favor a return to Qing control over all of China. Unlike more radical factions, they are willing to tolerate warlords and some degree of factionalism - as long as they swear complete and utter loyalty to the Emperor. If in power, they would also allow elections, but in a German-style system where the Emperor would have ultimate say. Though their powers are currently limited by the ineffectual nature of the assembly, the old guard of ancient nobles is about to die off and retire, and the new princes set to take control of the party are not above using violence to achieve their goals. Prosperity League - The PL is mainly the party of the new industrialist and banker class, who are suspicious of the HA’s military nature. Germany, also wary of Wu’s ambition but not wanting to revoke its support for the only bulwark of an unpopular regime, has focused on turning this disorganized and small group into a well-funded social clique, facilitating connections between industrial-minded elites across the country through AoG organized “progress expositions” that pushed a free-trade agenda as well as modern farming techniques and the newest technology. While not overtly hostile to Wu’s ambitions, the PL mainly acts as a lobbying group, pushing for increased free trade, relaxed government regulations, and industrial stimulus - nominally for the interests of the elite - but truly for the AOG. This is also the party favored by German-trained officers in the fledgling Qing navy, whose inter-service rivalry with the Zhili-dominated military has been deliberately stoked by Germany. Young China Party - Inspired by the Young Turks, the YCP is a clique of officers alienated by the exclusivity and nepotism of the Zhili clique. They advocate for the elimination of China's warlords and the establishment of a strong central government, as well as a nationalist agenda which focuses on the abolition of the special privileges and extraterritoriality enjoyed by foreign powers in China. They also wish to see the end of warlords and factionalism and stress a return to a ‘legitimate’ government in China. While not necessarily in favor of Pu Yi and the Aisin Gioro clan, the party also realizes they are the best chance at achieving their dream. New Chinese Empire Reform Association - The NCERA, while using the name of a pre-Xinhai reformist group, is actually an alliance of two more modern reform groups. The first is the Rural Reconstruction Party (RRP), led by Liang Shuming and the Harvard and Princeton educated J.C. “Jimmy” Yen. Favoring rebuilding China from the ground-up, this group emphasizes the value of the traditional Chinese village as the basic building block of society, rather than the warlord cliques that have dominated China for the last half-century. The second part of the coalition is a loose group of intellectuals inspired to the works of Kang Youwei, an ambitious reformer of the late Qing dynasty who advocated for a constitutional monarchy. Following the restoration of Puyi, his works have come back into prominence, and are popular among middle-class urban intellectuals. The NCERA want to see an end to warlords and foreign influence in China, and a return to a ‘traditional’ style of decentralized local rule. Currently, the Party is allowed several seats in the powerless Assembly by Wu Peifu, who sees them as a way to legitimize his unpopular regime. Yen and Liang’s rural reform and literacy programs have garnered them a large following in the countryside, worrying many warlords who fear an educated and civically involved population.

First Message:   Year:1936 Leader: {{user}} Economy: modernising Economy Ideology:Federal Constitutional Monarchy Enemies: shangqing Friends: none Problems: Chinese Civilwar Power:regional power

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