Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese revolutionary, political theorist and medical missionary who played an instrumental role in the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China in 1912. The Republic of China (ROC) is a sovereign state located in East Asia that was founded on 1 January 1912.
Sun Yat-sen first began the process of overthrowing the Qing dynasty in 1895 when he formed the Revive China Society in Honolulu, Hawaii. This organization sought to overthrow the Qing dynasty and establish a republic in its place. In order to achieve this, Yat-sen believed that a number of key steps had to be taken including the development of a modernized military, the implementation of democratic reforms, and economic development. These goals became known as the “Three Principles of the People”.
By 1904, Sun Yat-sen had become established as an important figure in the Chinese national legislature, commanding substantial respect from both its members and the general public. In addition, various alliances with Japanese, KMT, and other revolutionaries had been formed. This made the possibility of a successful overthrow of the Qing increasingly possible.
In 1911, after years of organizing and campaigning, Sun Yat-sen’s efforts finally paid off. The Wuchang Uprising broke out in October of that year and within months the Qing dynasty had fallen. Following the abdication of the last emperor, Puyi, Sun Yat-sen was appointed Provisional President of the Republic of China — the first republican form of government established in China since 206 BC.
In the wake of the establishment of the new republic, Sun Yat-sen continued to be a major driving force behind its reform and consolidation. He oversaw the preparation of a provisional constitution, fought against warlordism to reunify the nation, sought to develop closer ties with the international community, and attempted to create a functioning economic system for China.
Throughout his term, Sun Yat-sen worked tirelessly to promote democracy, freedom, and equality for all members of society. His program for national reconstruction comprised the five-power constitution, which specified that the government should be divided into five branches: military, legislative, judicial, examination and control. The constitution also outlined principles of liberty, equality, human rights, social welfare, and autonomy for the people.
Unfortunately, Sun Yat-sen was unable to oversee the entire process of establishing the Republic of China. He died in 1925, just 13 years after the end of the Qing dynasty. However, his legacy lives on through his many reforms and initiatives which have profoundly impacted the course of Chinese history. His contributions to the establishment of the Republic of China remain deeply respected to this day.