kingdom · China, Tibet and Mongolia

Empire of China (1915-1916)

1915 CE – 1916 CE · capital Beijing

Yuan Shikai's attempt to make himself emperor of China, which lasted only 83 days and plunged the country into the warlord era.

Origins

Yuan Shikai, president of the Republic of China, had dissolved parliament and concentrated power. Encouraged by supporters who argued that China needed a monarchy, and after staged petitions from provincial assemblies, he accepted the throne in December 1915 and adopted the reign title Hongxian from 1 January 1916.

Rule and society

The monarchy changed little in practice, as government continued through the existing ministries of the Beiyang government. It was deeply unpopular: Yuan's acceptance of most of Japan's Twenty-One Demands in 1915 had already damaged him, and Japan and Britain disapproved of the restoration.

Decline and legacy

In December 1915 Cai E and Tang Jiyao rose in Yunnan in the National Protection War, and other southern provinces declared independence. Losing the support of his own generals, Yuan abandoned the monarchy on 22 March 1916 and died in June, leaving the warlords to divide China.

Lineage

Beiyang government 1912 CE – 1928 CEEmpire of China (1915-1916)Beiyang government 1912 CE – 1928 CE

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Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Empire of China (1915-1916). In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/empire-of-china-1915-1916
MLA
“Empire of China (1915-1916).” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/empire-of-china-1915-1916. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Empire of China (1915-1916).” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/empire-of-china-1915-1916.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Empire of China (1915-1916)’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/empire-of-china-1915-1916 (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻