Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, leader, and thinker who played a big role in creating modern China. He was born on November 12, 1866, to a poor family in Guangdong. After studying in Hawaii and graduating from the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese in 1892, he began working to change China.

Sun is best known for leading the 1911 Revolution, which ended the old Qing dynasty and helped start the Republic of China (ROC). He became the first president of the new government's Provisional Government of the Republic of China in 1912.

Even though he gave up the presidency to another leader, Sun kept working to make China stronger and fairer. His ideas, called the Three Principles of the People, focused on creating a united country, giving people more say in government, and improving life for everyone. Today, both Taiwan and mainland China honor him as a big hero in their histories.

Names

Main article: Names of Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen had many names. His family name was Sun Deming. As a baby, he was called Tai Tseung. In school, he was given the name Sun Wen, and he used this name for most of his life.

He also had special names used for different occasions. His courtesy name was Zaizhi, and his art name was first Rixin, then later changed to Yixian. In English, his name is often written based on how it sounds in Cantonese.

His most famous name, Sun Zhongshan, comes from a name he used in Japan while he was hiding there. After he passed away, his birthplace was renamed Zhongshan to honor him.

Early years

Sun Yat-sen was born on 12 November 1866 in a village called Cuiheng in Guangdong, China. His family did not own much land, and his father worked in Macau. Sun went to school in Hawaii, where he learned English, British history, and other subjects. He studied at ʻIolani School and Oahu College, now known as Punahou School. During his time there, he admired American leaders like Abraham Lincoln and was inspired by ideas of democracy and self-rule.

After returning to China, Sun studied medicine. He attended schools in Hong Kong and later graduated from the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese in 1892. Along the way, he met many friends who shared his dreams for change in China.

Religious views and Christian baptism

Sun Yat-sen was a Christian. Some people think he may have used his Christian beliefs for political reasons because he did not often go to church or celebrate special Christian days like Christmas or Easter.

Sun was baptized in Hong Kong in 1884 by an American missionary. He attended a church while studying medicine and often compared his ideas for change to the work of Christian groups. His Christian beliefs were linked to his hopes for improving China through fair laws and new ideas.

Becoming a revolutionary

Sun Yat-sen was a key figure in changing China. In 1888, he was in Hong Kong with a group of thinkers called the Four Bandits at the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese.

In 1891, Sun met friends in Hong Kong, including Yeung Ku-wan, who led the Furen Literary Society. They wanted to change China’s government. In 1894, Sun wrote a letter to a leader in China asking for changes but was not allowed to meet him. After this, Sun decided to work for big change. He moved to Hawaii and started the Revive China Society, the first group working for a new China. Members came from Chinese people living far from China, especially those from less wealthy backgrounds. Soon, the Furen Literary Society joined with the Revive China Society. Sun helped lead this new group, which hid its work behind a business called “Kuen Hang Club”^: 90 . Members promised to work hard for China.

Sun also worked with a group called the Tiandihui, also known as the triads, to get support for his plans. In 1895, China lost a big war, and some people thought the government just needed to change a little. But Sun and others believed China needed a full change to become a modern nation-state like a republic. These ideas did not succeed at the time.

First uprising and exile

First Guangzhou Uprising

In 1895, Sun Yat-sen and his group tried to start a big change in Guangzhou to end the rule of the Qing dynasty. The plan was led by Yeung Ku-wan from Hong Kong, but it was discovered, and many people were caught. The try did not work. Sun got help from his brother, who sold much of his land and cattle in Hawaii to support the cause. Some of Sun's family hid at his brother's home in Kula, Maui.

Exile in the United Kingdom

In 1896, Sun went to London to raise money for his group. He was caught and held at the Chinese Legation, but after 12 days, he was freed thanks to the help of James Cantlie, newspapers, and the Foreign Office. This made him a hero in the United Kingdom. Sun wrote a book about this experience called "Kidnapped in London."

Exile in Japan

Sun traveled to Japan and arrived in Yokohama in 1897. He met with Tōten Miyazaki and other people who wanted to work against Western powers. Sun also met Mariano Ponce, a diplomat from the First Philippine Republic. During the Philippine Revolution, Sun helped get weapons for the Philippines, hoping they would stay free and help him later. However, the United States won the war, so this plan did not work. Sun got money and a big house in Tokyo to live in. In 1902, he married a young Japanese girl named Kaoru Otsuki, even though he already had a wife in China.

From failed uprisings to revolution

Huizhou Uprising

On October 22, 1900, Sun Yat-sen started an effort to attack Huizhou and nearby areas in Guangdong. This happened five years after another failed attempt in Guangzhou. Sun asked for help from local groups. But this effort also did not succeed.

Getting support from Siamese Chinese

In 1903, Sun secretly visited Bangkok to ask for money and support for his cause. He spoke to Chinese people living there, saying they were very important for his plans. One local merchant gave him money to help.

Getting support from American Chinese

Sun needed special papers to enter the United States because of rules that limited Chinese people coming in. In 1904, while staying in Maui, he got special papers saying he was born in Hawaii. Later, he used this to enter the United States and ask for support.

Returned to exile in Japan

In 1900, Sun went to Japan for safety. While there, he talked with a local leader and shared his thoughts about change in China. In 1915, he married Soong Ching-ling in Japan, with help from a local supporter.

Unifying forces of Tongmenghui in Tokyo

In 1904, Sun created a group called Tongmenghui with other Chinese students in Tokyo. The group aimed to remove rulers from China, create a republic, and share land fairly. The group grew to include many members.

Getting support from Malayan Chinese

Sun also asked for help from Chinese people living in Malaysia and Singapore. They gave him money and created reading groups to share his ideas.

Uprisings

Sun led several efforts to change China’s government, but many of them failed. These included attempts in 1907 and 1908.

Anti-Sun factionalism

Because some of these efforts failed, some members of Sun’s group did not support him anymore. They questioned his leadership and spread stories saying he was only doing it for himself.

1911 revolution

In 1910, Sun asked for money in Malaya to support more efforts. In April 1911, a big effort led by Huang Xing failed, but it helped start more uprisings across China. On October 10, 1911, a major uprising happened in Wuchang, leading to the end of China’s imperial rule. Sun returned to China after hearing about this success.

Republic of China with multiple governments

Provisional government

Main article: Provisional Government of the Republic of China (1912)

On December 29, 1911, leaders from different areas met in Nanjing and chose Sun Yat-sen to be the leader of the new government. January 1, 1912, marked the start of a new calendar for the young republic. Sun worked hard to keep the spirit of change alive, even when things did not go as planned at first. He brought together many smaller groups to form a stronger team with shared goals.

Beiyang government

Main article: Beiyang government

Yuan Shikai, who led a big army group, was promised he could become president if he helped end the old rule. In February 1912, the old ruler stepped down, and Sun gave up his position so Yuan could take over. However, the new government did not have its own army and struggled to control many troops.

New Nationalist party in 1912, failed Second Revolution and new exile

The group led by Song Jiaoren joined forces with others to create the Kuomintang, or Chinese Nationalist Party, in August 1912. The party did very well in elections the next year, but Song Jiaoren was attacked and hurt soon after. Later, Sun and his supporters tried to remove Yuan Shikai from power, but they were not successful. Sun had to leave the country and went to Japan.

Warlords chaos

In 1915, Yuan tried to make himself emperor, which led to confusion and fighting across China. Sun took part in efforts to protect the country’s rules and supported different leaders during this time of trouble. He also reached out to groups abroad for help and shared many ideas about what China might become.

Alliance with Communist Party and Northern Expedition

Further information: Northern Expedition

Guangzhou militarist government

China was divided among different regional leaders. Sun Yat-sen returned to China in 1916 to push for uniting the country. In 1921, he set up a military government in Guangzhou and became its leader. During this time, several different governments operated in southern China to challenge the one in the north.

First United Front

Main article: First United Front

Sun believed that to bring China together, he needed to lead a military campaign from the south. To achieve this, he worked closely with the Chinese Communist Party. With help from the Soviet Union, Sun built up his military strength. He created a military school near Guangzhou, which trained leaders for his army.

Financial concerns

In 1924, Sun asked his brother-in-law to start China's first central bank. This was part of his plan to build a stronger economy, but some merchants opposed his ideas.

Final years

Sun Yat-sen worked hard in his last years to help China. In 1924, he gave important speeches about his ideas for the country. He talked about ending unfair rules and unfair treaties with other countries.

Sun became very sick and went to the hospital. Doctors tried to help him, but he passed away on March 12, 1925, at the age of 58. His body was kept safe and later placed in a special building called the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum in Nanjing.

Legacy

After Sun Yat-sen passed away, there was a struggle over who should lead the country. Different groups claimed they were the true followers of Sun’s ideas. One leader even destroyed a tomb to show his power.

Sun Yat-sen became a very important figure in Chinese history. People in both mainland China and Taiwan respect him highly. In Taiwan, he is called the “Father of the Nation.” In mainland China, he is seen as a leader who started big changes in the country.

Sun’s ideas, called the Three Principles of the People, have been talked about by many leaders. Some people believe these ideas connect to later political movements in China.

Views

Sun Yat-sen believed that Christianity could help improve China. He traveled to other countries to gain support and resources. He admired how Hawaii developed economically and wanted China to become modern and independent, standing up against other powerful nations.

Sun Yat-sen thought that the government should control big businesses and help smaller ones. He wanted China to be equal with other countries and for all Chinese people to have fair chances to succeed. He was inspired by ideas about land ownership and taxes.

Relationship with Japan

Sun Yat-sen believed that Japan's Meiji Restoration helped inspire change in China. He thought the ideas from Japan's revolution could help China become stronger, just like Japan did.

Sun worked with many Japanese people, including leaders and businessmen, who supported him financially. He also gave a famous speech called the Great Asianism Lecture, where he talked about the importance of working together as Asians instead of following Western ways. He praised Japan's progress but also encouraged them to stay true to their own values.

Family

Main article: Family tree of Sun Yat-sen

Sun Yat-sen was born on 12 November 1866 to Sun Dacheng and his wife, Lady Yang. He had several older and younger siblings. At age 20, he married Lu Muzhen, and they had three children together. During his time in Japan, Sun had relationships with other women, including Kaoru Otsuki and Soong Ching Ling. In 1915, he married Soong Ching Ling, who was one of the Soong sisters. Soong Ching Ling’s sister, Soong Mei-ling, later married Chiang Kai-shek.

Cultural references

Memorials and structures in Asia

Many cities in China have main streets named Zhongshan Lu to honor Sun Yat-sen. Parks, schools, and landmarks also carry his name. His hometown, Xiangshan in Guangdong, was renamed Zhongshan in his memory. Important sites include the Temple of Azure Clouds in Beijing and several universities and memorial halls across Guangzhou, Kaohsiung, Taipei, and Singapore. Streets and parks in places like Calcutta (now Kolkata), Russia, Malaysia, and Indonesia also remember him.

Memorials and structures outside Asia

Outside Asia, many places honor Sun Yat-sen. In New York City, St. John's University has a building named after him. Vancouver has a large traditional Chinese garden, and Honolulu has a park in its Chinatown. Statues of Sun can be found in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Toronto, and San Francisco. In Melbourne, a statue was placed in the city's Chinatown to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Republic of China.

In popular culture

Sun Yat-sen has been shown in many stories, including operas, TV shows, and movies. One opera called Dr. Sun Yat-sen was created in 2011 by a composer from New York. This opera tells stories about his life.

Several films and TV shows also feature Sun Yat-sen. These include The Soong Sisters, Road to Dawn, and Once Upon a Time in China II. In these stories, actors play the role of Sun Yat-sen as he worked to change China.

Works

Sun Yat-sen wrote several important books. One was called Kidnapped in London from 1897. Later, he wrote The Outline of National Reconstruction in 1918 and The Fundamentals of National Reconstruction in 1924. Finally, The Principle of Nationalism was published in 1953.