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Marshal Tuan Chi-jui was born at He-fei Hsien, Anhui province, in 1864. He graduated from the Tientsin Military Academy in 1885. In 1889 he was sent to Germany where he worked for one year in an arsenal and also studied artillery science. Upon his return to China, he joined Yuan Shih-kai's camp. In 1895 Yuan Shih-kai started to train modern troops at Hsiao-Chan and gave one regiment of artillery units to Marshal Tuan to command. At the same time he was Director of the Military College at Hsiao-Chan. Marshal Tuan was retained by Yuan Shih-kai as a Senior Training Officer of his army the Right Wu-Wei-Chun. He was concurrently Director of the several departments and training halls. During the Boxer Trouble, when Yuan Shih-kai was Governor of Shantung commanding the Right Wu Wei Chun, Marshal Tuan rendered valuable service in assisting him to prevent the Boxer Movements from spreading southward. In 1901 Yuan Shih-kai succeeded Li Hung-chang as Viceroy of Chihli. Beginning from 1902 Yuan Shih-kai devoted full energy to train modern army divisions. At Paotingfu the training headquarters were established consisting of three departments, the Ordnance, the Staffs and the Education. Marshal Tuan was Chief of the Staffs Department. In 1903 two divisions were completely organized. In December that year Mershal Tuan was promoted to be Senior Commandant of the Training Headquarters and was given the brevet rank of Lieutenant General, in 1904. Marshal Tuan was ordered to be concurrently a Brigadier Commander of the third division. In 1905 the Right Wu Wei Chun was reorganized to become the Fourth Division of the Regular Ariny with Marshal Tuan as its Commander-in-Chief. He was Chief Commander of the northern army participating in the First maneuver held at Ho-Chien Fu, Chihli in the autumn of 1905. The London Times paid a very high tribute to the participating units. In February 1906 Marshal Tuan was transferred to be Commander-in-Chief of the Third Army Division holding concurrently the post of Director of the Peiyang Military College. In March 1906 he was appointed Tsung-Ping (Brigade-General) of T'ing Chow Chen, Fukien Province. In 1907 he became Director-General of all the military colleges and also Deputy-Lieutenant General of Chinese Units of the Bordered Yellow Banner Division. (Manchu Military Organization). Marshal Tuan was the Grand Jury of the Imperial Examinations for military students returned from Japan, for three times, namely, 1908, 1909 and 1901. In December 1909 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Sixth Army Division. In December 1910 he was transferred to be the Provincial Commander-in-Chief (ti-Tu) of Kiang-per, the most honored military position un the Ching government. Upon the outbreak of the First Revolution in October 1911, Marshal Tuan was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Second Army Corp to fight against the revolutionary troops. Later, acting upon the instruction of Yuan Shih-kai, then Prime Minister in Peking, Marshal Tuan took the lead in a telegram requesting the Manchu Emperor to abdicate. It was dated January 26, 1912 and February 12, occurred the abdication. Dr. Sun Yat-sen resigned from the Provisional Presidency on the following day and on the 15th the Nanking Provisional Assembly elected Yuan Shih-kai to succeed Dr. Sun. In March 1912 Marshal Tuan was appointed Minister of War and