Cao Kun

Cao Kun was a President of Republic China and military leader of the Zhili clique in the Beiyang Army, he also served as trustee of the Catholic University of Peking.

Cao was born in a poor family in Tianjin. During the First SinoJapanese War in 1894, he went with the army to fight in Choson. After the war was over, he joined Yuan Shikai to participate in the training of New Army . Admired by Yuan, Cao managed to rise very quickly.

Source: Wikipedia