Zhang Zuolin was perhaps the last warrior of the Chinese Qing Dynasty, but one might also call him a petty warlord who represented the final violent gasp of a forgotten era. He was born into poverty but rose to a position of considerable and significant power in China, although he was ultimately doomed by the larger forces of history.
Born into Obscure Poverty
Zhang Zuolin was born in 1875 to peasant parents in China’s Haicheng County. He was a thin child with the nickname of “Pimple” and he remained smaller than average throughout his life. Zhang probably received no formal education and his only skills were working with animals, especially horses. He worked in a stable and developed some minor skills in treating sick or wounded animals.
