He helped the Manchus crush the reform movement of the early 1900s, which attempted to modernise the Chinese system within the imperial context, as had been done successfully in Japan.

Yuan Shikai's written guarantee of protection to Pu Yi and the Manchu court that allowed for the peaceful transfer of power to the Republic in 1912.

When the Republican forces made their play for power in 1911, Yuan stepped in on their side against the Manchus, and hastened their demise. But he harboured personal ambitions of his own, and attempted to have himself made emperor (the picture above shows him in imperial garb). He completed many of the steps in this direction, and in 1914 he carried out the annual rites to the gods to pray for a good harvest, the last person to do so.

But the gods were against him. He died in 1916 before actually ascending the dragon throne.