To what extent was Sun Yat-sen responsible for the

1911 Revolution?L/O – To evaluate the claim that Sun Yat-sen’s revolutionary movement was the primary cause of the 1911 Revolution

Dr. Sun Yat-sen

What was the ‘Double Ten’ Revolution?• On 10th October 1911 there was an uprising

against the Qing government by soldiers in the city of Wuchang in Hubei province.

• They were led by members of the Tongmenhui or ‘Chinese United League’, a revolutionary political party created by Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

• The protests soon spread to other provinces, and by December almost 2/3 of China had declared independence. Sun Yat-sen was then declared Provisional President of the Republic of China on 29th December 1911.

Q. Why do you think other

provinces were so ready to declare independence? Why might they

be upset with the Qing Court?

What was the ‘Double Ten’ Revolution?• The Qing Court failed to put down the

revolts and was blackmailed by Yuan Shikai into appointing him as premier in full charge of the army and navy.

• Yuan could have used his modernised Beiyang Army to crush the revolutionaries but instead he negotiated with the rebels.

• Sun Yat-sen had no choice but to appoint Yuan as President. In return, Yuan agreed to force Emperor Puyi to abdicate. On 12th February 1912, the Qing Dynasty and 2,000 years of imperial rule ended.

Yuan Shikai

Emperor Puyi

Sun Yat-sen’s Early Life• Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925) was born 12th

November in Hsiang-shan, near Canton. He was one of four children and he studied a traditional Confucian education up until the age of 12.

• In 1879, Sun went to Honolulu (Hawaii) to live with his brother. He graduated from Oahu College in 1883 aged 17.

• He married in 1885 and returned to Hong Kong in time to witness China’s defeat in the Sino-French War of 1884-85, becoming disgusted by the weakness of the Qing dynasty.

Radicalisation in Hong Kong• In 1887 he studied Medicine at the College

for Medicine for Chinese in Hong Kong. He used the school as a HQ for his growing revolutionary activities.

• The efficiency of British colonial administration and orderliness in Hong Kong impressed Sun, in contrast to his birthplace. He began to realise that China needed drastic change.

• He moved to Macao in 1892, then Canton in 1893 where he made contacts with members of Secret Societies through his friend Cheng Shih-liang.

Cheng Shih-liang

Rejecting the Path of Reform• By 1894, Sun was tempted to join other

reformists and modernisers in China, writing a series of letters to Li Hongzhang, offering him his services and advice.

• He even travelled to Beijing, hoping to get an interview with Li but was unable to get an audience.

• This rejection and the decadence of Beijing strengthened his determination to overthrow the dynasty.

Li Hongzhang

The Revive China Society• Sun went back to Hawaii in 1894,

creating the ‘Revive China Society’. He hoped to recruit other overseas Chinese, secret societies and Christian converts.

• When the Sino-Japanese War broke out, he returned to Hong Kong and established a new HQ in February 1895.

• Members of the group took an oath: ‘expel the Manchus, restore the Chinese rule, and establish a federal republic’.

First Attempt at Revolution• In October 1895, Sun organised an

uprising in Canton but it was discovered and 48 members died. He fled to Hong Kong but was banned from entering by the British, therefore he fled to Japan.

• At Yokohama he established a branch of the Revive China Society, making connections with Japanese sympathisers.

• He then went on to London in October 1896, hoping to recruit more overseas Chinese to his revolutionary cause.

A Lucky Kidnap!• In London he was kidnapped by the

Chinese Legation and held captive. The Qing government wanted him returned to China for execution.

• However the British government found out and the legation was forced to release him.

• It was a turning point for Sun. The story was all over the newspapers and Sun became an overnight celebrity, raising his profile amongst overseas Chinese.

The Three Principles of the People• He remained in England for 9 months,

studying and developing his revolutionary theories. Here he developed his famous ‘Three Principles of the People’. China needed:

1. People’s National Consciousness (Nationalism)

2. People’s Rights (Democracy)3. People’s Livelihood (Socialism)

• Nationalism was needed to overthrow the Manchu and Imperialist yoke; Democracy to ensure rights for the people; and Socialism to regulate Capital and equalise land.

Clashes with the Moderate Reformers• Sun then went to Japan but was dismayed by

the growth of his movement.

• Sun and his ‘Revive China Society’ clashed with Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao who had fled to Japan after the failed 1898 ‘100 Days Reform’. They set-up the ‘Emperor Protection Society’, a rival to Sun’s movement.

• Kang Youwei represented the movement for Constitutional change in China. He wanted China to be a Constitutional Monarchy however Sun’s supporters wanted to destroy the Qing dynasty completely and create a federal republic.

Kang Youwei

Liang Qichao

Second Attempt at Revolution• Despite the lack of widespread interest in

his movement, Sun took advantage of the Boxer Rebellion to organise another uprising in Waichow, north of Hong Kong.

• Again, the plot was discovered and Sun was forced to flee to Taiwan. Here he befriended the Japanese governor, extending his connections further.

• Despite his plots failing, Sun’s popularity was rising and would soon sky-rocket due to one major event.

Growing Revolutionary Sentiment• The Boxer Rebellion (1900-01) completely

discredited the Qing Court in the eyes of its people. Cixi and the Court was blamed personally for the disaster.

• Many Chinese realised that only complete removal of the Qing would ensure reforms. Young intellectuals like Tsou Jung who published the widely read ‘Revolutionary Army’ in 1903, called for revolution.

• Sun now became viewed as a patriotic, devoted revolutionary. Between 1902-05 he travelled constantly, growing his membership.

Tsou Jung

The Chinese United League• Other revolutionary societies sprung up in

China like the ‘Recovery Society’ of Ts’ai Yuan-p’ei in Shanghai and the ‘China Revival Society’ of Huang Hsing in Changsha.

• In 1905 Sun returned to Japan and persuaded other revolutionaries like Huang Hsing to unite, creating the ‘Chinese United League’ or Tongmenhui.

• The Tongmenhui accepted Sun’s ‘3 Principles’ as the philosophy of the Party and a 3-Stage Revolution was planned.

Huang Hsing

Further Attempts at Revolution• By 1906, the Tongmenhui had 963

members with branches established all over China and internationally.

• The Party provided a unified central organisation and rallying point for all revolutionary forces in and outside of China.

• Between 1906-1911, a further nine uprisings were attempted, all ending in failure. The April 1911 Canton Uprising ended with the deaths of 72 members.

Planning the Wuchang Uprising• After the failed Canton Uprising, the

Tongmenhui re-focused on the central provinces of Hubei and Hunan.

• In Hubei, they persuaded the ‘Common Advancement Society’ of returned students and the ‘Literary Society’ of Qing army soldiers to join with the Tongmenhui on 1st June 1911.

• Together they planned an uprising for October 1911, what would become known as the successful Wuchang Uprising.

Debate over Causes of the Revolution• The successful revolution was finally

triggered by the Wuchang Uprising, led by members of Sun’s ‘Chinese United League’.

• Sun was seen as the father of the revolutionary movement and as such, has been given the credit for the successful revolution.

• However the actions of the Tongmenhui were only one cause amongst many for the Revolution. Any historical analysis of the Revolution needs to take into account other contributing, and maybe more significant, factors.

Long-term Causes of Revolution• Failure of Qing Leadership – Since mid-19th

century, Chinese history was a record of national humiliation: Treaty of Nanjing 1842, Loss of Tributary States in 1880s/1890s, Boxer Protocol 1901 etc… The inability of the Qing to defend China led to rising calls for reform. Inability of the Dynasty to reform itself (1898, Late Qing) led to calls for revolution.

• Anti-Manchu Tradition – Anti-Qing feeling had never disappeared completely amongst Han Chinese who viewed the Qing as foreigners. The ‘Anti-Qing, Revive Ming’ feeling was kept alive by Secret Societies who inspired rebellions throughout the 19th century, including support for Sun Yat-sen.

Long-term Causes of Revolution• De-centralisation of Power – Since at least

the Taiping Rebellion of 1850/60, the Qing Court began relying on provincial officials to uphold the power of the state. This dynamic drew power away from Peking and would disrupt Qing attempts to reform the country.

• Impact of Foreigners – Since 1840s, Foreign imperialism dominated China and disrupted the economy, undermining the Qing Court. Foreign political and religious ideas like Christianity, revolution, democracy, independence, human rights, freedom and equality disrupted Qing society and made the desire for change inevitable.

Medium-term Causes of Revolution• Sino-Japanese War 1894-95 – The defeat to

Japan was a real catalyst for change. It embarrassed the Qing in the eyes of its own people and led to calls for more dramatic change, even amongst conservatives.

• Boxer Rebellion 1900-01 – Cixi and Qing Court blamed entirely for the disaster and completely discredited the dynasty. Made many reformers now consider revolutionaries like Sun. Indemnity put economic pressure on dynasty and many Southern & Central provinces had disobey the Qing Court, furthering the division between the Court and its provinces.

Medium-term Causes of Revolution• Resistance to Reform – One of the biggest

problems was the resistance to reform. Self-Strengthening in 1860s-1895, the 1898 ‘100 Days Reform’ and even the ‘Late Qing Reforms’ all suffered opposition from elements within the Qing Dynasty.

• Cixi, the Imperial Court, Confucian Gentry, Scholars, Intellectuals and even the people failed to see the need for radical reform until it was too late. The failure to reform itself meant that radical Chinese reformers saw no alternative but revolution.

Short-term Causes of Revolution• Failure of Late Qing Reforms 1901-1911 – The

Late Qing Reforms and Constitutional Movement of 1905-1911 increased the desire and anticipation for reform amongst the whole of society.

• When the reforms turned out to be insincere and discriminatory to Chinese, even conservative-minded Chinese scholars turned against the Qing.

• The creation of Provincial Assemblies in 1909 served as a catalyst for these frustrations, allowing independent-minded officials to challenge the Imperial Court without fear.

Trigger-Cause of Revolution• The Railway Protection Movement – Since

1895, many provinces in China had been constructing railways as a way to boost economic growth.

• Provinces had spent huge amounts of capital and foreign loans in order to benefit from this boom in transportation.

• In Spring 1911, the Qing government suddenly tried to ‘nationalise’ the main railway lines in order to centralise control.

Trigger-Cause of Revolution• Huge foreign loans were signed by the

government in order to compensate provinces for this nationalisation. The provinces were against nationalisation – they had invested huge amounts and would lose all profits.

• However in June 1911, Guangdong only received 60% in compensation and Szechwan received hardly anything. The provinces were incensed!

• Gentry and merchants in Hubei, Hunan, Guangdong and Szechwan organised ‘Railway Protection Clubs’ and mobilised their Provincial Assemblies to protest to the Court.

Pu Dianjun

Trigger-Cause of Revolution• In Szechwan, over 10,000

people staged a rally in Chengdu on 24th August 1911.

• The new governor, Chao Erh-feng, ordered the arrest of protest leaders and 32 died in the ensuing violence.

• Fighting broke out between the government and the people with one leader commenting:

“Domestic politics is useless, and the government does not care for the

people. To save the country there is no

other way but revolution. We

Szechwanese have already made proper

preparation and would co-ordinate

with other provinces for joint action!”

Trigger-Cause of Revolution• The Imperial Court immediately

ordered part of the Hubei New Army to Szechwan to put down this revolt.

• This left the city of Wuchang vulnerable. Huang Hsing of the Tongmenhui realised this was the perfect time for revolution.

• A plan was made for an uprising in Wuchang at the end of October but a bomb went off on the 9th, alerting authorities. The uprising would finally begin on 10/10/11.

Huang Hsing

Trigger-Cause of Revolution• In desperation, the court turned to the

creator of the new armies, Yuan Shikai, and he was appointed chief minister in November.

• Sun Yat-sen arrived in Shanghai from the USA on 25th December. He was elected President of the Chinese Republic in Nanjing, but Yuan Shikai had real power.

• Sun Yat-sen wrote to Yuan, explaining that he should be president. Yuan then persuaded Puyi to abdicate. Yuan Shikai was the new ruler of China.

Review - The Role of Sun Yat-sen• Sun Yat-sen was just one amongst many

reformers in the 1895-1911 period who wanted change in China.

• However Sun was different in that he formulated a set of revolutionary ideas and policies that appealed to other groups, creating a mass vehicle for change in the Tongmenhui.

• His connections amongst overseas Chinese, secret societies, Japanese sympathisers and Christian converts ensured that the Party was well funded and supported.

Review - The Role of Sun Yat-sen• His 3-principles of Nationalism, Democracy

and Socialism appealed to many revolutionaries and made him the natural leader of the movement.

• After the Boxer Rebellion and failed Late Qing Reforms, many intellectuals became persuaded by the need for revolution and naturally turned to Sun and the Tongmenhui.

• It is fair to say that the revolutionary activities of Sun Yat-sen were a sufficient cause of the revolution but were they absolutely necessary? Would revolution have happened without Sun?

Evaluating Causes• Explaining the causes of the 1911 Revolution is tricky as there

are a number of contributing factors of varying importance including:

1. Role of Sun Yat-sen & Tongmenhui2. Weaknesses of Qing Government3. Role of Foreign Imperialism and Ideas4. Boxer Protocol and its Consequencs5. Resentment of Late Qing Reforms6. Railway Recovery Movement7. Other Revolutionary and Reform Groups8. Accidential nature of the Revolution9. Role of Yuan Shikai

• You are now going to investigate these causes before writing an explanation of your own for the 1911 Revolution.

Classifying CausesAs historians, we try to organise and arrange causes into a hierarchy of importance in order to decide which was the

‘ultimate cause’ or reason for an event. We can use different sorting methods to do this:

1. Content CausesSocial/Cultural/Ideological

PoliticalEconomicReligiousMilitary

2. Time CausesLong-Term

Medium-TermShort-Term

Immediate-Term

3. Role CausesPreconditionPrecipitant

CatalystTrigger

4. Importance CausesNecessary (Absolute/Relative)Sufficient (Absolute/Relative)

TASKUsing the

Cause Cards, organise the causes into a

series of diagrams, based on

each of the methods on

this page.

Plenary1. What were Sun Yat-sen’s biggest contributions to the

Revolutionary Movement?2. Which events were the most significant catalysts for

change in China?3. Which event led to the biggest growth for the

revolutionary movement?4. At what point did revolution seem inevitable?

5. What was the ‘trigger’ for the revolution?6. Could the revolution have happened without Sun Yat-sen?

Did we meet our learning objective?L/O – To evaluate the claim that Sun Yat-sen’s revolutionary movement was the primary cause of the 1911 Revolution