Abstract: During the Sino一Japanese War of 1894-95,the Emperor’s faction opposed the policy of suing for peace and struggled with the faction around the Empress Dowager Cixi for political power.’The high level officials who played an important role in this taction saw Li Hongzhang as their chief opponent and repeatedly launched movements to”oppose Li.”The struggle to overthrow Li went through three phases after the negotiations between Li and the Japanese in 1895.The main aim of the anti一Li faction was to resist the efforts of the Empress Dowager’s faction to sue for peace by removing Li from his position of military leadership and installing pro-war officials to lead the war effort. Li's position was dependent on both the Empress Dowager’s faction and the Huai Army一Beiyang group.So these groups were also targets in the fight to overthrow Li.In the end,the Emperor’s faction did not succeed not only because Cixi's faction had already monopolized central government power,but also because the faction of the emperor and high officials itself had many weaknesses