The Founding of
China’s Republic
HI 168: Lecture 5
Dr. Howard Chiang
Kang Youwei
Liang Qichao
Social & Political Reform: 1900-1910
Education:
- Hanlin academicians studied Western learning
- October 1901 – national school system at each
territorial level of government administration: county,
prefecture, province, and capital
- Run alongside traditional examinations
- Abandoned eight-legged essay
- 1905:
- end of civil service exam system (August 1905)
- Russo-Japanese War – Russia defeat
- Sun Yat-sen’s Revolutionary Alliance (Tongmenghui)
- December: Ministry of Education – revolutionized
the education system – curriculum and social impact
Yuan Shikai
Social & Political Reform: 1900-1910
Military:
- Army of the Green Standard was disbanded
- 1901 traditional military exam system abolished
- Baoding Military Academy founded by Yuan Shikai
after the Boxer uprising -> Northern (Beiyang) Army
Government:
- abolished Yunnan, Hupei, and Guangdong governors
- Foreign Ministry (1901); Ministry of Trade (1903), and
Ministries of Police and Education (1905)
- Constitutionalism based on Japanese model
- mission to England, France, Germany, US, & Japan
Beiyang Army
Social & Political Reform: 1900-1910
Government:
- Constitutionalism
- critics demanded that the government move faster
- August 1908: government announced 1916 for the
promulgation of the constitution & 1917 parliament
- ‘Principles of Constitutionalism’:
- ‘(1) The emperor of the Great Qing dynasty shall
reign over and govern the great Qing empire with his
majesty’s unbroken line of succession for ages
eternal. (2) The emperor shall be sacred and
involable’
- Qing emperor more powerful than Jap emperor
- 1910: constitution in 1912 and parliament in 1913
Empress
Dowager Cixi
- died Nov 15 1908
Prince Chun,
Puyi (R), & Pujie (L)
Anti-Manchu Revolutionary
Movement
- Nationalism
- boycott of American goods in May 1905
- Tatsu maru incident of 1908
- Reformists (Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao, etc.)
vs.
Revolutionaries (Sun Yat-sen) – radical action
- 1894 Revive China Society
- 1905 Tongmenghui (Chinese Revolutionary Alliance)
- 1895-1911: 11 revolts total (final one in 1911)
- Sun:
1. raising money in overseas Chinese communities
2. Three Principles of the People (sanming zhuyi):
nationalism, democracy, and socialism
Sun Yat-sen
- Sanming zhuyi
Sun Yat-sen and Tongmenghui
Singapore Chapter, April 1906
5 Color (1912-1928)
Modern (since 1928)
1911 Revolution (Wuchang Mutiny)
- Wuchang on Yangzi River
- 1 of the 3 cities (Hankou & Hanyang) making up
modern Wuhan city in Hubei
- Literary Association (Wenxueshe, 文學社)
- Great River News newspaper
- Society for Mutual Progress (Gongjinhui, 共進會)
- Sep 1911: New Army at Wuchang
- Oct 9 bombing in Russian concessions of Hankou
- Oct 10: revolutionaries of 8th Division attacked their
officers
- Yuan Shikai turned down Qing until Nov. 1
- Dec: revolutionaries offered Yuan presidency if he
could bring about abdication of the Qing emperor
Pu Yi
Sun Yat-sen, February 25, 1912
Yuan Shikai, March 10, 1912
Second Provisional President of ROC
Song Jiaoren
Second Revolution
- Yuan Shikai’s Dictatorship
- ‘Great Loan’
- June 1913 – dismissed provincial governors who
had supported GMD
- ‘Second Revolution’
- Anhu, Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Hunan immediately
declared war on Yuan
- ended by September 1 -> Sun fled to Japan and
adopted the modern flag (official national flag 1928)
- August 1915: Yuan declared himself as emperor
- National Protection Army
- June 6 1916: Yuan died
Yuan Shikai as Hongxian (洪憲) Emperor