When the 1911 Revolution began, Cai E,[1] the commander of the 37th Brigade of the New Army,[2] revolted against the Qing government and quickly gained control over Yunnan.

The local Qing administration was replaced with an independent government and educational reforms were enacted by Cai.

Shortly after the announcement, Cai E secretly left Beijing and returned to Yunnan to stage a revolt.

[4] On December 25, Cai E, Tang Jiyao, and Li Liejun, on the advice of Liang Qichao, declared Yunnan independent and expressed their opposition to Yuan Shikai's monarchy.

[4] After being informed of Yunnan's declaration of independence, Yuan immediately sent out three armies to crush the rebellion but suffered heavy losses in southern Sichuan by Cai's forces.

Less than a week after Sun died in 1925, Tang claimed to be his rightful successor and made a move on Guangzhou in a bid to overthrow Hu Hanmin and put himself in charge of the Kuomintang.

Long then re-aligned Yunnan under the Nationalist government in Nanjing but stringently guarded the province's autonomy.

[7] In October 1922, Tongking-based firm, Poinsard et Veyret, sold Tang six Bréguet 14 airplanes and 12 Yunnanese students went to Tongking to receive flight training.