page_title: Royalist Party
section_title: Foundation and early activities
hierarchical_section_title: Royalist Party / History / Foundation and early activities
caption_attribution_description: English: Chinese general and President of the Republic of China, Yuan Shikai
context_page_description: The Society for Monarchical Constitutionalism, better known as the Royalist Party, was a monarchist political movement, party and militant organization of the early Republic of China. Though it largely lacked a firm structure, and consisted of loosely tied factions, the Royalist Party played a major role in Chinese politics during the 1910s. Supported by the Empire of Japan, members of the Royalist Party repeatedly conspired to restore the monarchy, launched insurgencies, and attempted to enable the secession of Inner Mongolia and Manchuria from China.
context_section_description: Having ruled China since 1636, the Manchu Qing dynasty started to collapse upon the Xinhai Revolution's outbreak in October 1911. Diehard Qing supporters refused to accept this, and "blind to the inevitable trend" toward the formation of a republic, founded the "Society for Monarchical Constitutionalism" (later known as "Royalist Party") in December 1911. The society's purpose was to oppose republicanism, preserve the Qing dynasty as ruling house of China, and prepare for a "final showdown" with the republicans. Its initial headquarters was a shrine for the Eight Banners, and many of its first members were Manchu bannermen, as well as princes, courtiers, and relatives of the Qing dynasty. Its first leader was Imperial Guards General Liang-pi, while other notable members included Shanqi (Prince Su), Puwei (Prince Gong), General Tieliang, Duke Tsai-tse and Yü-liang. They sold their collections of paintings and antiques to raise money for the anti-republican resistance. At the time, parts of the Royalist Party advocated for the foundation of a secessionist "Manchuria-Mongolia" state to at least preserve the monarchy in the Qing Empire's north. Gungsangnorbu, a probable Inner Mongolian Royalist Party member, was raising money for the Mongol independence movement amid the Mongolian Revolution of 1911.
  The situation for the Qing imperial government was increasingly undermined by military and political setbacks caused by the opposing republicans, and the Republic of China was proclaimed first in the country's south on 1 January 1912. The Qing court and its leading officials realised that their position was becoming untenable. The matter was discussed among the Qing princes during a conference on 17–20 January, where the Royalist Party's members took a hardline stance against any agreement which included the monarchy's abolition. Other princes believed that they had to yield to the republicans, while a large number remained neutral. The conference came to no real conclusion. Meanwhile, Yuan Shikai, a powerful Qing general who effectively controlled much of the army, was pushing for a compromise with the republicans. While Empress Dowager Longyu was ready to agree to Yuan's proposal and abdicate, the Qing hardliners strongly objected and became determined enemies to Yuan. By 23 January, their political position had been significantly improved: General Tieliang had managed to rally a significant number of Manchu officials to oppose the abdication, while General Feng Guozhang had claimed that he could crush the revolution if the royalists could provide him with sufficient sums of money, providing a morale boost to the hardliners.
  The Royalist Party started to undermine Yuan, and had managed to greatly weaken him by 25 January. The hardliners themselves suffered two major reversals on 26 January, however, when Liang-pi was assassinated by a republican revolutionary and the Beiyang Army declared for the republicans. The Qing court accepted that it had no other option other than abdication, while the Royalist Party members dispersed and fled into the foreign concessions. In the subsequent time, the court tried to fully cooperate with the new authorities in order to be left in peace, while Yuan Shikai rose to China's first president and de facto military dictator.
caption: Yuan Shikai was among the most important opponents of the Royalist Party, first as a political rival during the Xinhai Revolution and later as President of China
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