Lu Zhongqi

Lu Zhongqi (1874 – October 29, 1911), courtesy name Ziming, was a native of Jiangsu. He was born in Jiangsu Province during the Qing Dynasty and later served as a compiler at the Hanlin Academy in Beijing. He also studied military sciences in Japan. Among his family members was his eldest son, Lu Guangxi, who also served as a compiler at the Hanlin Academy and studied military affairs in Japan.

In October 1911, Lu Zhongqi was appointed as the military governor of Shanxi. During his tenure, the Xinhai Revolution broke out. He arrived in Taiyuan on October 6, initially responsible for local administration. Four days later, the Wuchang Uprising occurred. Subsequently, Changsha and Xi'an declared independence from the Manchu Qing government. During this tumultuous period, Qing officials in Shanxi withdrew, and assets were transferred to foreign banks. Prince Qing moved large sums of wealth, causing several banks to go bankrupt and officials to flee.

Lu Zhongqi attempted to stabilize the situation by dispatching newly formed troops to leave Taiyuan to prevent the Shaanxi uprising army from crossing the Yellow River eastward. He also mobilized troops to guard military arsenals and ordered a large stockpile of modern firearms and ammunition be sent to Henan in an effort to thwart the Shanxi New Army's rebellion. However, these measures intensified tensions and eventually triggered the uprising on October 29, 1911. The insurgent troops, led by Yan Xishan, stormed the governor’s office. They questioned Lu Zhongqi whether he participated in the uprising.

On the day of the uprising, Lu Zhongqi refused to surrender and tried to negotiate with the soldiers. Ultimately, he was shot and killed in a chaotic massacre. According to the "Draft History of Qing," when facing the attacking soldiers, Lu Zhongqi asked, "Are you rebels against evil?" before being shot dead. His eldest son, Lu Guangxi, who tried to rescue his father, was also killed. Lu’s wife, Mrs. Tang, and his servants perished amid the chaos.

Following the uprising, Lu’s family members and some retainers all perished; only with the help of servants and relatives were other members of the Lu family able to escape. At the time of his death, his 13-year-old grandson, Lu Dingyuan, was also wounded. In later accounts, Yan Xishan emphasized that although their political positions differed, he still admired the loyalty and integrity of the Lu family and accorded them respectful and generous funeral honors.

Lu Zhongqi’s death marked the end of his role as a Qing official in China's modern history. He lived from 1874 until October 29, 1911.