Li Yuanhong's appointment as the military governor showed that the Revolutionaries needed a person with prestige to stabilize the situation and promote the development of the revolution after the Wuchang Uprising. Although Li Yuanhong was a military officer in the Qing Dynasty, he carried the banner in the Wuchang Uprising and became the leader of the revolution. The Revolutionaries chose Li Yuanhong as the governor because he had shown leadership and prestige in the uprising, which could stabilize the political situation in Hubei and promote the revolution. Although Li Yuanhong's personal character and his previous attitude towards the revolution were controversial, he was considered the most suitable candidate to serve as the governor under the revolutionary situation at that time. Li Yuanhong's appointment as the military governor marked the victory of the revolutionary party after the Wuchang Uprising and laid the foundation for the development of the 1911 Revolution.
The reason why Li Yuanhong refused to be the governor could be attributed to the following points. First of all, Li Yuanhong himself did not think that he was qualified to be the governor. He felt that this was a huge responsibility that required careful consideration. He even suggested that the Revolutionaries choose Sun Wen to be the governor. Secondly, Li Yuanhong had shown a passive and resistant attitude at the beginning of the uprising. He was worried about the outcome of the uprising. If it failed, it might cause him to lose his life. In addition, Li Yuanhong had also killed some members of the revolutionary party, which also led to his poor reputation among the revolutionary party. In the end, with the success of the uprising and the improvement of the revolutionary situation, Li Yuanhong's attitude began to change. To sum up, Li Yuanhong's reason for refusing to be the commander-in-chief was due to his own considerations and concerns about the revolutionary situation.
There were many reasons why Li Yuanhong was unwilling to be the governor. First of all, Li Yuanhong was not a member of the Revolutionary Party. He was not very active in the Revolutionary Party's actions. Before the Wuchang Uprising, Li Yuanhong had even been impeached by his superiors. Secondly, Li Yuanhong had great uncertainty about the outcome of the Wuchang Uprising. If the uprising succeeded, he might be sacrificed to the heavens by the Revolutionary Party, and if the uprising failed, he might also be sacrificed to the heavens by the desperate Revolutionary Party. This uncertainty caused Li Yuanhong to hesitate and reject the position of governor. In addition, Li Yuanhong was also worried that he did not have the qualifications to be the governor. He even suggested that Sun Wen be the governor. In short, the main reason why Li Yuanhong did not want to be the governor was that he was not proactive enough towards the revolutionary party and was worried about his own safety and the uncertainty of his future.
We can conclude that Li Yuanhong's character evaluation is controversial. Some people believed that he had a certain conscience and the idea of saving the country. He was called a figure of the Republic of China among the officials of the late Qing Dynasty and a moral model during the Northern Warlords Government. He had a good relationship with the soldiers in the army and did not owe them their salaries. He was praised as a virtuous person. However, there were also people who doubted his character. They believed that he had personally killed a member of the revolutionary party the day before the 1911 Revolution and had not contributed a single bit to the entire 1911 Revolution. Therefore, there were different opinions on Li Yuanhong's character.
Li Yuanhong's hometown was Mulan Village, Huangpi County, Hanyang Prefecture, Hubei Province.
The military towns of the imperial court referred to the military towns established by the imperial court during the Tang Dynasty. The purpose of the military governors was to protect the borders and ensure the safety of the central government. The Tang Dynasty set up military towns on the border and important areas, called Fan Zhen or Fang Zhen. The governors of the military towns were called jiedushi, and they were in charge of the local military and political power. At first, the military governors were only responsible for military affairs, but during the period of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, their power gradually expanded. They were not only in charge of the army, but also in charge of land, finance, people's livelihood and other matters. The Tang Dynasty established nine military governors and one Jinglue envoy, which were called the ten military governors of Tianbao. In the late Tang Dynasty, the military governor system gradually evolved into a state of military separation, often confronting the court. Therefore, the military governors of the imperial court referred to the military town system established by the Tang Dynasty.
Li Yuanhong was a president of the Republic of China with excellent calligraphy works. His calligraphy works were mainly in regular script. His style was vigorous and upright, with thick ink and well-proportioned strokes. His regular script works showed his deep calligraphy foundation and skillful skills. His handwriting was strong and ancient, and his style was steady and heavy. Overall, he looked graceful and luxurious. The font was full, gentle and elegant, dignified and magnanimous. Li Yuanhong's calligraphy works were widely circulated in famous mountains and temples both at home and abroad, and were regarded as the representative of traditional beauty. His calligraphy works displayed his personality of combining hardness and softness, both resolute and gentle. Li Yuanhong's calligraphy was one of the most important contributions to the art of Chinese calligraphy.
Li Yuanhong's family tree was not provided. Therefore, he could not provide an accurate answer.
Li Yuanhong's nicknames were "Li Bodhisattva" and "Mud Bodhisattva".
Most of Li Yuanhong's descendants had migrated overseas. Li Yuanhong's third generation descendant, Li Changjin, was involved in politics in Tianjin. He served as the executive committee of the National Federation of Industry and Commerce, the vice president of the Tianjin City Chamber of Commerce, and the deputy secretary general of the Tianjin City's Congress Standing Committee. Li Yuanhong's eldest son, Li Shaoji, inherited Zhongxing Coal Mine and served as a director. Li Yuanhong's granddaughter, Li Changlu, had been teaching in Henan and Tianjin and was now retired. Li Yuanhong's descendants attached great importance to the education of their hometown. The specific situation of the other descendants was unknown.