Yu Shanliu

Yu Shanliu (Baiyu: 于山六), born Jeuh Tzu-Sing (Baiyu: 于柱成), was a politician and military officer who ruled Bai as dictator from 1922 until his death in 1942. Rising to power as the leader of the Bai Fascist Solidatory Party, he was Chancellor of the Middle Bai Dynasty from 1910 to 1916 and returned to power as President after the 1922 coup and the establishment of the Bai Democratic Republic. During his dictatorship, he instigated the War of Fellow Brothers by invading Kaosha and other neighbouring states.

Yu was born in Khesong, Kaosha but was raised in Huoyuan when his family moved to Bai. He joined the Bai military in 1896 and quickly attained the rank of colonel. Even as a military commander, he joined politics and took over the Bai Fascist Party in 1908, leading the party to secure the most seats in the 1910 elections. The Jinlong Emperor was persuaded to appoint Yu as Chancellor, and the two cooperated on re-armament and promoting anti-communism and pan-Baiism. However, Yu faced considerable opposition from the Yongren Emperor, who eventually dismissed Yu over ideological differences and fears of Yu's political ambitions that would oust the monarchy.

Even dismissed and the Fascist Party disbanded, Yu still held popular support. With the backing of the military, Yu and his Party overthrew the Bai monarchy in 1922 and reorganised Bai into a one-party military dictatorship, removing all political opposition through his secret police and outlawing labour strikes. Yu's foreign policy aimed to restore the ancient grandeur of the Greater Bai Empire by expanding the country and the fascist sphere of influence. Directing large-scale rearmament, he ordered the invasion of Kaosha in 1928 and went on to launch military campaigns against Grinzez and Kanglapo. Despite initial successes, the subsequent failed military campaigns and the rebels' successes led to a loss in support of his regime. As rebels surrounded the capital, Yu committed suicide on 1 May 1942, which led to the collapse and surrender of the fascist government.

Early life and education
Kaoshan records showed Yu Shanliu was born Jeuh Tzu-Sing in Khesong, Kaosha on 30 October 1877. His father, Yu Qigong (于祺恭), was a gang leader trafficking goods and people across the Muinon Peninsula. His mother was widely believed to be a prostitute. His official biography published during his rule later claimed Yu was native Bai born in Huoyuan, with no references to his upbringing and family in Kaosha. Yu claimed his paternal grandfather, Yu Dongzheng, was born in Port Dunghoi to emphasise his Bai background, but that remained contested among historians.

As the Kaoshan police cracked down on the family-run smuggling route, the family fled to their friends in Huoyuan. His parents were eventually caught and extradited back to Kaosha, and Yu was raised by his distant uncle Rong Zhaoyang, who served as an immigration officer in the Bai Empire. His uncle then gave him the name Yu Shanliu.

Yu attended Pingsan Independent School and was considered by many teachers an excellent student. Many classmates noted he had charisma and was easy to make friends with. He joined the school's Xiangqi Club and won a couple of awards, which remained on the school's display of awards. According to Yu, he first gained an interest in politics when learning about the Qiaoxin Labour Riots of 1891 protesting against worsening labour conditions. By the end of the 19th century, the Middle Bai Dynasty was plagued by economic stagnation due to increasing corruption and divisions in the Bai government. The lack of meaningful political and economic reforms also led to the rise of political radicals – the far-right fascists and the far-left communists. Yu recalled engaging in plenty of political discussions with his uncle Rong and his teacher Hu Zhutong, a Bai Nationalist who shaped his early political views. He concluded the Riots were a result of the government's failure to take "serious" control of the economy and the country's failure to "adapt" to radically changing conditions.

Despite his excellent grades, his application to attend the Imperial Civil Service College (帝国公务员学院) was rejected, perhaps due to his Kaoshan background. Instead, on his uncle's urging, he went to sign up for the military and attended the Yushan Imperial Military Academy in January 1896. Yu was soon commissioned as an infantry officer in October of that year. By his own account, Yu expressed wishes to serve in the Imperial Navy and hoped for a transfer. Nevertheless, he reflected his days as an infantry officer were still pretty fulfilling.

Military service
Yu was assigned to the 7th Neilu Infantry Battalion, part of the Bei'an Imperial Contingent. While serving as a platoon commander, his superior Unit Commander Colonel Hong Haixin saw his leadership potential, and both became great friends. Yu viewed Hong as another "father figure" in his life who honed his leadership skills. Noting his nationalistic beliefs, Hong introduced Yu to his close acquaintance Xu Xian (徐宪), the founder of the Bai Solidatory Fascist Party (BFSP). Yu found the BFSP appealing because its political positions agreed with his own views. It was then Yu's views on the monarchy changed – initially apathetic, he viewed the monarchy as an "outdated system" to be removed for the "rejuvenation of the Bai people".

Still, he kept his anti-monarchist beliefs covert. While Hong offered to forge documents to allow him entry into the Party, Yu showed initial hesitance to join politics formally. He soon denounced Hu as an anti-monarchist, which allowed him to take over his position as Unit Commander in 1905 before his promotion to major. In 1907, due to his "outstanding contributions" to military service, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel while also working in the Imperial Army Headquarters Intelligence Bureau.

Entry into politics
It remained a debate when Yu began his unofficial involvement in politics. Even after denouncing Hu, Yu continued visiting Xu Xian and other key figures of the BFSP. It is believed that Yu had made use of his position as a unit commander, and later as an officer in military intelligence, to strengthen pro-nationalist sentiments in the military. At the same time, he passed on vital state secrets to the BFSP, allowing them to coordinate mass rallies and influence more people to join the Bai Fascist movement while avoiding arrests.

In 1908, however, Xu Xian was arrested for various state security charges, including making public remarks against the monarchy. Yu took advantage of the disarray in the party following Xu's arrest to consolidate and advance his own position in the BFSP. Working under Hong Minxi (洪敏熹) and later Hu Suiming (胡绥洺) as a propaganda assistant, he wrote and distributed literature to garner support for the BFSP. He also urged the party to soften its anti-monarchist stance to stand a better chance in the 1910 elections.

After he formally "retired" from the Bai military, Yu formally joined the party in August 1908 as its 1148th member. By then, especially with the execution of Xu Xian, Yu became a prominent figure in the BFSP as Director of Propaganda. To bolster his image as a devout Bai nationalist, he gave several speeches on the "Foundations of Bai Fascism", which influenced the party's direction and policies. Yu also led the Bai Patriotic Youth League, which would be the BFSP youth wing.

Personal life and family
Before joining the military, Yu married Sun Meijing, the daughter of his uncle's acquaintance, on 23 January 1896. While their marriage was arranged, the two were actually classmates and relatively close, often playing as Xiangqi partners. She bore him a son, Yu Zeming, who would be the country's future leader as Regent.