CHINE, ÉPOQUE RÉPUBLIQUE (1912-1949)

The hall mark Jurentang, 'Hall of Dwelling in Benevolence', belonged to Yuan Shikai (1859-1916). He became president of the new Republic in 1912 and took up residence in the Jurentang, which he renamed from the original Haiyantang, in the Forbidden City. During his presidency, Yuan established himself as the Emperor and held the very short-lived Hongxian reign in 1916, which lasted for only 83 days.