Wu P'ei-fu

The son of a tradesman, Wu joined the famous Peiyang Army of Y�an Shih-k'ai, the leading general of the Ch'ing dynasty (1644 - 1911/12) and the first president of the Republic of China, and rapidly rose to high position. After Y�an's death in 1916, Wu became the chief bulwark of the shaky Peking government.