Sun Yat-sen is widely considered to be the ‘Father of Modern China’, having played an important role in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of the Chinese Republic. Sun was a revolutionary leader, political theorist and statesman who was instrumental in the founding and development of modern day China.
Sun Yat-sen was born on 12 November 1866 in a small village in Guangdong Province, China. He was educated at the English language school of a Catholic Mission in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he was exposed to Western ideals and influences. In 1883, he furthered his education by studying medicine in Hong Kong. After working briefly as a doctor in his hometown of Cuiheng, Sun moved back to Hong Kong and dedicated himself to the revolutionary cause.
In 1895, Sun and a group of revolutionary followers organized the Revive China Society; a secret society dedicated to overthrowing the Qing Dynasty and replacing it with a republican system of government. This began Sun Yat-sen’s involvement in the revolution and the establishment of the Chinese Republic. Sun and his followers traveled to Japan, Hong Kong and Europe in search of support for their cause. They made many alliances and secured some financial backing to help fund the revolution.
In 1905, Sun published the famous Three Principles of the People which would form the ideological basis of the Chinese Republic. These principles were: Nationalism, Democracy and People’s Livelihood. He also wrote the Provisional Constitution of the Chinese Republic in 1906 and was elected its first President that same year.
Between 1906 and 1911, Sun worked to unify and organize the various revolutionary factions in China. In 1911, a popular uprising, known as the Wuchang Uprising, broke out in Wuchang City. This sparked a nationwide revolution against the Qing Dynasty and led to its eventual downfall. Sun Yat-sen was elected as the provisional president of the Chinese Republic on 1 January 1912 and in October of the same year, he returned to Nanjing to assume official office.
Sun Yat-sen is remembered today for his role in the modernization of China and his contribution to the establishment and growth of the Chinese Republic. He was a visionary leader who saw past the traditional dynastic rule and towards a more democratic and fair society. He was instrumental in developing and promoting the Three Principles of the People, a strong foundation upon which the Chinese Republic was built and continues to stand.
Sun Yat-sen died of cancer on 12 March 1925 but his legacy as the “Father of Modern China” lives on. The Chinese Republic has grown and developed since its establishment in 1912 under his guidance and remains one of the most powerful countries in the world today.