The mystery of the Yuan Shikai family’s short lifespan: no male in four generations lived past the age of 57, and it was not until the fifth generation that the situation was broken

Yuan Shikai was born on September 16, 1859. When he was born, it was when the fortune of the Yuan family was booming. At that time, there were as many as 13 children of the Yuan family serving as officials in the imperial court, making them the leading prominent family in Xiangcheng, Henan. Yuan Shikai's great-grandfather Yuan Yaodong was a scholar and married the daughter of Guo Rujue, a wealthy man in Huaining. Unfortunately, Yuan Yaodong died of tuberculosis when he was only in his 40s. Photos of Yuan Shikai's office

Although the Guo family was widowed in middle age, she taught her children well: the eldest son Yuan Shusan (Yuan Shikai's grandfather) once served as a tutor in Chenliu County; the second son Yuan Jia was a high-ranking official and served as an imperial envoy Minister, the emperor rewarded him with a yellow mantle; his third son Yuan Fengsan taught Yuzhou; although his fourth son Yuan Chongsan did not become an official, he was also a powerful figure in the local area. But unfortunately, Yuan Shikai's four grandfathers and brothers all died young, and the most accomplished Yuan Jiasan only lived to be 57 years old.

Yuan Shikai's grandfather Yuan Shusan gave birth to two sons: the eldest son Yuan Baozhong and the second son Yuan Baoqing. Yuan Baozhong was Yuan Shikai's biological father. He had six sons and three daughters in one marriage. Among them, the first wife gave birth to Yuan Shichang (died in infancy) and Yuan Shidun. After his first wife died of illness, Yuan Baozhong married the Liu family and had four sons, Yuan Shilian, Yuan Shikai, Yuan Shifu and Yuan Shitong. Yuan Shikai and his sons

Since his younger brother Yuan Baoqing was nearly 40 years old and still had no children, according to local customs, Yuan Baozhong adopted the 5-year-old Yuan Shikai as his son to Yuan Baoqing, who was an official in another place. From then on, Yuan Shikai lived with Yuan Baoqing and followed his uncle away from home. In June 1873, Yuan Baoqing died of illness in Nanjing at the age of 48. In November of the next year, his biological father Yuan Baozhong also died of illness in his hometown of Yuanzhai at the age of 51.

When Yuan Shikai was 15 years old, his cousin Yuan Baoheng (son of Yuan Jiasan), who was an official in the capital, returned to his hometown to visit relatives. Among the more than 10 nephews of the Yuan family, he discovered the unique Yuan Shikai. Yuan Baoheng deliberately cultivated Yuan Shikai and brought him to the capital to study. Under the careful training of brothers Yuan Baoheng and Yuan Baoling, Yuan Shikai made his debut. Yuan Shikai's sons studied abroad

In 1878, Yuan Baoheng, then Minister of Justice, died of illness in Kaifeng, Henan at the age of 52; in 1889, Li Hongzhang's right-hand man Yuan Baoling also died due to overwork. Excessive, died of illness in Lushun at the age of 48. The descendants of the Yuan family witnessed their elders passing away one after another, and finally made a shocking discovery: In such a huge family as the Yuan family, no man lived past the age of 57!

In order to solve the mystery of the Yuan family's short life, the Yuan family spent a lot of time on it. When Yuan Shikai was more than 10 years old, his family invited an expert to give him advice. The other party proposed a solution: the Yuan family lived in separate rooms to end the living environment of four generations under one roof. Photo of Generalissimo Yuan Shikai in military uniform

However, after living in separate rooms, the phenomenon of "high salary and short life" for the men of the Yuan family still existed, which became a long-lasting shadow in Yuan Shikai's mind after he became successful. It is said that after Yuan Shikai became the president, he asked a master to predict his fortune. The other party bluntly said that Yuan Shikai's life span would not exceed 58 years old. Yuan Shikai died in June 1916 at the age of 58. Facts have proved that he was completely correct.

As Yuan Shikai passed away, the Yuan family gradually withdrew from the stage of history. Perhaps it is in compliance with the old saying, the so-called "feng shui takes turns", starting from the next generation of Yuan Shikai, the strange situation of Yuan's male son not surviving to the age of 57 has finally been broken! Yuan Kewen, the second son of Yuan Shikai

Let’s first talk about Yuan Kewen, the second son of Yuan Shikai. Together with Zhang Boju, Zhang Xueliang and Pu Dong, they are called the “Four Young Masters of the Republic of China”. This person has extraordinary talents, is romantic and passionate, and is proficient in eating, drinking, whoring and gambling. Yuan Kewen did not escape the short-lived curse of Yuan family men. He died of illness in Tianjin in 1931 at the age of 42.

The only person in the fifth generation of the Yuan family who broke the strange situation was Yuan Shikai’s eldest son Yuan Keding. He studied in Germany when he was young and was proficient in German and English. Although he was also suave, Yuan Keding lived until the age of 77. Died in 1955.

Yuan Shikai's eldest son Yuan Keding

Yuan Keding had 1 son and 2 daughters, and Yuan Kewen had 4 sons and 3 daughters. The sixth and seventh generations of the Yuan family can be said to be prosperous and full of talents, including many elites. For example, Yuan Kewen's son Yuan Jialiu is a famous Chinese physicist. Most of the descendants of the Yuan family are currently staying away from politics and living all over the world.

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