Zhili Clique

The Zhili Clique (Chinese: 直系軍閥), or officially known as the League of Five Provinces (Chinese: 五省聯合), is a loose confederation of Chinese provincial government, formerly known as the League of Five Provincial Armies (Chinese: 五省聯軍), the polity centered around the prominent leader of Zhili clique, Cao Kun, the current League-Marshal (聯合大帥). The league continued its existence as the compromise point between the provincial commanders (都督, Provincial governor that held by military, have the power to command the provincial army) of partner provinces after the new formation of Beijing Government in 1931. Initially, it aimed to unite Zhili's provincial armies under Sun Chuanfang, then League-Marshal. After the Northern Expedition, the league was dissolved after its failure of maintaining the frontline at the time. Then the league has been restored for new mobilization after the final meeting of military council before the eruption of Central Plains Pacification War. Even using the old name, the alliance was only the Zhili clique members, no one was even held the title of Provincial Commander (都督府都督) until the end of war in 1931. 
Soon after the end of war, Grand Marshal Zhang Zuolin declared the formation of new government, Sun Chuanfang has been delegated by the clique to be represented in new government and appointed to First Vice President of Supreme Political Advisory Council by grand marshal, equivalent to the country's vice-president, and must remain in Beijing for works. This led to Cao Kun to be stepped in place of Sun Chuanfang as the new league-marshal. Meanwhile, Wu Peifu, a skilled Zhili general known for his administrative expertise during peacetime, continued to handle the league's administrative duties as Chief Prefect (行政府執政官). He maintained this role as he had for the Zhili clique prior to the increased politicization of military cliques.
== Controlled Provinces ==
Province 	Governing Institution 	Ruler 	Portrait	Alignment 	Note
Henan 	Henan Military Gubernatorial Office (河南省都督府) 	Qi Xieyuan 	 	Old Guard 	De facto first among equal of member governors due his closeness to the League-Marshal
Jiangsu 	Jiangsu Military Gubernatorial Office (江蘇省都督府) 	Zhou Yinren 	 	New Guard 	Allied to Wu Peifu after Sun Chuanfang has been appointed in Beiyang government's important position
Anhui 	Anhui Political Administrative Committee (安徽省政治管理委員會) 	Chen Tiaoyuan	 	Non-aligned 	Formerly defected to KMT during the Northern Expedition, later re-joined the Zhili clique during NRA's Retreat to South—currently a neutral warlord among the League warlords.
Hubei 	Hubei Military Gubernatorial Office (湖北省都督府) 	Wu Peifu 	 	New Guard 	Currently serving in the league's government as Chief Prefect, de facto premier of Zhili clique.
South Zhili Autonomous Region	Zhi-Lu Administrative Office (直魯行政公署) 	Chu Yupu 	 	Fengtian Clique	Chu Yupu is only a Fengtian general who served in Zhili's important position due to the autonomous region established as the demilitarized zone by the Grand Marshal per an agreement between Sun Chuanfang and Zhang Zuolin to keep the distance between the Zhili clique and the Fengtian clique and symbolize the unholy alliance of two rival Beiyang army.
Category:China
Category:Chinese Warlords
Category:Far Eastern Countries
Category:Asian Countries