He enlisted in the
Huai Army in 1881, before joining the
New Army in 1895. He entered the military academy at
Tianjin in 1885, becoming an instructor in 1887. In 1905, he was put in charge of New Army units from
Shandong and
Guangdong provinces. In 1911, he was sent to suppress the
Wuchang Uprising, but later went supported the revolutionaries through the influence of relative
Feng Yuxiang. In 1912, he participated in the formation of the
Beiyang government of the
Republic of China. In June 1914, he was sent to
Shaanxi Province to suppress the
Bai Lang Rebellion. From December 1915 to 1916, he fought in the
National Protection War in defense of the
Empire of China, but refused to support
Zhang Xun's
restoration of the Qing dynasty in July 1917. ==Death==