Century-of-Change-China-exhibit-catalog-1911-to-2011

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The Birth of a Republic People in the early republic were optimistic that the new China could develop into a full-fledged democracy. Those hopes seemed realized when Sun Yat-sen, accompanied by his political adviser Homer Lea, returned to Hong Kong on December 21, 1911, and was elected provisional president of the Republic of China (ROC) by representatives of the provisional assemblies in Nanjing. Li Yuanhong was appointed vice-president. Sun’s longtime associate, Huang Xing, took charge as the unofficial prime minister. In his forty-five days as president, Sun and the provisional legislators proclaimed the establishment of the ROC, introduced a republican regime, adopted the Gregorian calendar, and replaced the imperial dragon flag with the Five Color Flag, which consisted of five horizontal stripes in red, yellow, blue, white, and black, representing China’s five major nationalities. Sun, however, recognizing that he had neither the experience nor the force of arms to rule successfully, tendered his resignation on February 15, 1912. He offered the presidency to Yuan Shikai, a military man from northern China and an experienced imperial official with some interest in reform. Sun hoped that Yuan would use his army and power to realize the goals of the new republic. Song Jiaoren, one of the founders of the Tong Meng Hui (United Alliance League), was instrumental in transforming that organization into the Kuomintang (KMT). In China’s first nationwide election in 1912–13, he led the KMT to victory. The euphoria following that victory, however, was brief. Song spoke out against the increasing authoritarianism of President Yuan, angering Yuan, who was not about to share power with any national parliament, particularly one run by the KMT. The ambitious Yuan then hired an assassin, who killed Song Jiaoren on March 20, 1913, at the Shanghai train station. In 1915 Yuan declared himself the emperor of China in an effort to reestablish the imperial system. 44 Hoover Institution A Century of Change: China 1911–2011 民國肇建民國肇建初始,人們普遍樂觀地認為中華民國能夠發展成為一個成熟的民主國家。 1911年12月21日,當孫中山在其政治顧問荷馬李將軍的陪同下,從香港回到中國,並且在南京被推舉為中華民國臨時總統時,很多人是持此種樂觀的看法。黎元洪則被任命為臨時副總統。黃興——孫中山的長期戰友,則出掌民國總理一職。孫中山擔任臨時總統的四十五天內,新的中華民國政府採取共和政體,採用西曆、以紅、黃、藍、白、黑五色旗取代皇龍旗成為新國旗。然而,孫中山既沒有執政經驗,也沒有足夠的武裝力量作為統治的後盾。1912年2月15 日,孫中山將總統職務讓位給袁世凱。袁世凱出身華北,是一位經驗豐富、並且對改革有一定興趣的前清政府要員。孫中山希望袁世凱可以利用其軍隊與影響力,來實現新共和政府的各項目標。同盟會的創始人之一宋教仁,在將同盟會整合成為國民黨的過程中,發揮了積極作用。 1912-1913年,宋教仁領導國民黨在中國第一次舉行的全國大選中獲勝。然而國民黨勝利的果實只有曇花一現。袁世凱獨裁傾向與日俱增, 宋教仁對此公開反對,這觸怒了並不打算與國民黨所主導的國會共享權力的袁世凱。1913年3月20日,野心勃勃的袁世凱僱用一名殺手,在上海火車站暗殺宋教仁。1915年,袁世凱復辟稱帝,帝制死灰復燃。 45
The Birth of a Republic 1912 CaLendar depiCting SCeneS of the wuChang upriSing poster collection, hoover institution archives 慶祝中華民國採用西曆紀元之紀念畫報 when the republic was created in 1911, each revolutionary group wished the new state to adopt its flag. the strongest contenders for this honor were a red flag with the character jing emblazoned on it (far left and far right at the top of calendar) to represent the ancient ideal of equal land distribution; the starry flag (second on left) that had been in use in wuchang at the time of the 1911 uprising and consequently been adopted by the revolutionaries there; the shining sun flag (second on right) that Sun Yat-sen used for his revolutionary groups—now the flag of the republic of China in taiwan—and the five-color flag (center) adopted by the revolutionary leaders in nanjing and Shanghai. at the calendar’s top, Sun Yat-sen is in the center, huang xing on the left, and Yuan Shikai on the right. aBdiCation of puYi, the eMperor xuantong of the Qing dYnaStY, 1912 China. Constitution extracts (english translation), hoover institution archives 宣統皇帝退位詔書英譯本 46 Hoover Institution A Century of Change: China 1911–2011 民國肇建 after the wuchang uprising, the Qing government reinstated Yuan Shikai and ordered him to crack down on revolutionary activities. instead, Yuan endorsed the republic and negotiated a peace agreement with the southern revolutionary factions to force the emperor’s abdication. the imperial edict of abdication, drafted by Zhang Qian, was discussed by the provisional senators in nanjing and forwarded to the empress dowager Longyu by Yuan Shikai. on february 12, 1912, the empress dowager Longyu brought puyi, the emperor xuantong, age six, to the forbidden City, where she issued this imperial edict of abdication, which stated eight terms of preferential treatment, including allowing puyi to retain the title of last emperor of the Qing dynasty. his reign, however, would be confined to the forbidden City. 47
Page 1 and 2: Hoover Institution Stanford Univers
Page 3 and 4: Contents Pages 2-3 Preface 序言 P
Page 5 and 6: Sun Yat-Sen Li Ji CaLLigraphY guang
Page 7 and 8: The Empire and Its Discontents At t
Page 9 and 10: The Empire and Its Discontents the
Page 11 and 12: The Empire and Its Discontents anSo
Page 13 and 14: Reformers and Revolutionaries As di
Page 15 and 16: Reformers and Revolutionaries Liang
Page 17 and 18: Reformers and Revolutionaries Sun Y
Page 19 and 20: The Wuchang Uprising and the Fall o
Page 21 and 22: The Wuchang Uprising and the Fall o
Page 23: The Wuchang Uprising and the Fall o
Page 27 and 28: The Birth of a Republic dipLoMatiC
Page 29 and 30: The Birth of a Republic 54 Hoover I
Page 31 and 32: The Warlord Era and the First Unite
Page 37 and 38: The Sino-Japanese War and the Secon
Page 45 and 46: The Civil War and the Divided China
Page 47 and 48: The Civil War and the Divided China
Page 49 and 50: Hoover's Collecting History In 1899

Century-of-Change-China-exhibit-catalog-1911-to-2011

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