Abstract:

YUAN Shi-kai's "dismissal from office and return to his hometown to recuperate" for three years is an important incident in the history of the late Qing Dynasty. However, the actual causes of YUAN's "dismissal", as well as the truth concerning his "return to the hometown" and "recuperation", were gradually obscured due to a series of political changes afterwards. Returning to the historical scenes after a close examination of new and old historical materials, we can easily find out that the traditional narratives have strong political implications and they were results of conscious or unconscious distortion and defamation by YUAN's political rivals or the ignorant. In addition, YUAN himself, his subordinates and friends did not defend him because of his "crowning himself as an emperor" and others. All of these helped to form the conventional image of YUAN.

Key words: YUAN Shi-kai, dismissal, return to the hometown, recuperation from illness