His crew followed orders from Yuan Shikai to sail up the Yangtze and help put down the Wuchang Uprising later that year.

However, when he saw that the Qing empire was collapsing, Du and his sailors mutinied, joining the Republican government.

The uprising was what forced the Qing naval minister Sa Zhenbing to resign his post.

In 1922, he was made chief of the navy and helped the Zhili clique defeat Zhang Zuolin.

In the spring of 1923, Shanghai's fleet rebelled and Du took responsibility by resigning but was recalled in November.