Yuán Kèdìng courtesy name Yuntai (云台) was the eldest son of Yuan Shikai

Yuan Shikai

Yuan Shikai was an important Chinese general and politician famous for his influence during the late Qing Dynasty, his role in the events leading up to the abdication of the last Qing Emperor of China, his autocratic rule as the second President of the Republic of China , and his short-lived...

. His mother was Yuan's original wife, Yu (于氏), and Yuan Kewen

Yuan Kewen

Yuan Kewen , courtesy name Baocen , sobriquet Hanyun , was the second son of Yuan Shikai, and the younger brother of Yuan Keding. His mother was Yuan's third concubine, Jin , a Korean born in Seoul....

 was his younger brother.

In his childhood, Yuan followed his father to many places when he served in various positions in Qing Dynasty. He studied in Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

 and spoke fluent German and English. At the end of the Qing Dynasty, he served as a low-rank official in the government. After the Xinhai Revolution

Xinhai Revolution

The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution, also known as Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing , and established the Republic of China...

, under the instruction of his father, Yuan became a close friend of Wang Jingwei

Wang Jingwei

Wang Jingwei , alternate name Wang Zhaoming, was a Chinese politician. He was initially known as a member of the left wing of the Kuomintang , but later became increasingly anti-Communist after his efforts to collaborate with the CCP ended in political failure...

. According to the History of Xinhai Revolution, Yuan and Wang swore to be "brothers of different surnames" in front of Yuan Shikai.

After the death of his father, Yuan lived reclusively in the German concession in Tianjin

Tianjin

' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...

. In 1935, he moved to Baochao Lane (宝钞胡同) in Beijing. In 1937, he again relocated to Qinghuaxuan Villa in the Summer Palace

Summer Palace

The Summer Palace is a palace in Beijing, China. The Summer Palace is mainly dominated by Longevity Hill and the Kunming Lake. It covers an expanse of 2.9 square kilometers, three quarters of which is water....

. During the Sino-Japanese War

Second Sino-Japanese War

The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...

, Yuan refused to cooperate with the Japanese army and his life became impoverished.

In 1948, due to poverty, Yuan turned to his cousin, Zhang Boju (张伯驹), and moved into Tsinghua Garden. Thanks to the help of Zhang Shizhao

Zhang Shizhao

Zhang Shizhao , courtesy name Xingyan, penname Huangzhonghuang, Qingtong or Qiutong, was a Chinese politician of the 20th century. He was the Minister of Justice and Minister of Education of the Beiyang Government, led by Duan Qirui during the Republic of China period...

, after 1949, Yuan became a fellow of the Central Research Institute of Culture and History

Central Research Institute of Culture and History

Central Research Institute of Culture and History is an institute founded by Communist Party of China and Chinese government for senior intellects with united front and honorary purposes. Its principle is "respecting elders and promoting culture"...

, and thus had a steady income. He died in 1958 of illness.

Yuan had three children. His son, Yuan Jiarong (袁家融), studied in the United States and majored in geology.