“Who was Qu Tongfeng?” someone asks. This is the tomb of General Qu Tongfeng. He lived from 1873 to 1929. Qu Tongfeng was a military general during the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China.
Qu Tongfeng’s life was full of twists and turns. He started his career in the navy at 16. Later, he joined the Northern Warlords. Qu Tongfeng became an important figure in the Zhili clique.
Imagine Qu Tongfeng as a young man. He abandoned his literary studies for a military career. He joined the “Tai’an” warship to study machinery and navigation. In 1893, he transferred to the “Dingyuan” warship and became a second-class mechanic.
During the Sino-Japanese War in 1894, Qu Tongfeng experienced naval battle. The “Dingyuan” was hit and caught fire. Qu Tongfeng fell into the sea and drifted for a night. He was rescued.
After the war, Qu Tongfeng joined Yuan Shikai’s new army. He entered the Tianjin Military Academy. In 1898, Qu Tongfeng went to Japan to study at the Zhenwu School. Later, he joined the Japanese Army Officer School. He graduated in 1904.
Returning to China in 1907, Qu Tongfeng became an instructor. He taught at military academies in Northern China. Later, he became the director of the military studies department. In 1910, Qu Tongfeng commanded the 74th Regiment in Yunnan. He soon became the commander of the 38th Brigade.
After the Wuchang Uprising in 1911, Qu Tongfeng supported the revolution. He organized an uprising in Dali, Yunnan. He became the Minister of Military Affairs and commander of the Second Division.
In 1912, Sun Yat-sen appointed Qu Tongfeng as the Northern Pacification Commissioner. Later, he became the director of the General Staff Research Institute. In 1913, Qu Tongfeng became the principal of the Baoding Military Academy.
Qu Tongfeng opposed Yuan Shikai’s acceptance of the “Twenty-One Demands” in 1915. He telegraphed his support for the students protesting. This led to his dismissal. After Yuan Shikai’s death in 1916, Qu Tongfeng was reinstated.
Qu Tongfeng became one of Duan Qirui’s “Four Great Vajras”. In 1917, he organized the Weiqing Mining Company. He sold coal mines to Japan.
During the Zhili-Anhui War in 1920, Qu Tongfeng commanded the Second Route Army. He was captured by Cao锟絥’s forces and dismissed. In 1922, Qu Tongfeng was released.
Later, Qu Tongfeng joined Sun Yat-sen in Guangzhou. Sun appointed him as the Northern Expedition Commissioner. Qu did not take the position. He represented Duan Qirui and allied with Zhang Zuolin against the Zhili clique.
In 1924, Feng Yuxiang launched the Beijing coup. Duan Qirui became the Chief Executive. Qu Tongfeng became a military advisor and was promoted to general. He also served as the director of the Aviation Bureau.
In 1926, Duan Qirui’s government was overthrown. Qu Tongfeng fled to Tianjin. He joined Zhang Zongchang’s army. On March 9, 1929, Qu Tongfeng was assassinated in Tianjin. He was 57 years old.
Qu Tongfeng’s life was a mix of military service, political intrigue, and shifting allegiances. His tomb here reminds us of a complex period in Chinese history. A time of warlords, revolutions, and foreign influence. Remember Qu Tongfeng’s name.