Founding Father of the Republic of China - Dr. Sun Yat-sen

The Founding Father

The Founding Father of the Republic of China (R.O.C.), Dr. Sun Yat-sen, also known as Sun Chung-shan and Sun Wen, was born in 1866 in a coastal village of Hsiangshan County, Guangdong Province. After receiving his early education in both Chinese and Western schools, he moved to Hawaii in 1879, where he attended Iolani and Oahu Colleges. In 1883, he returned to China to continue his studies, concentrating on the Chinese classics and history. He later moved to Hong Kong to attend Queen's College and in 1892 graduated from Hong Kong Medical College.

Seeing the weakness of the imperial Manchu court and the encroachment on China by foreign powers, Sun gave up his medical career to pursue political reform. In 1894, together with a group of overseas Chinese youths, Sun established his first revolutionary organization, the Hsing-chung Hui (Society for Regenerating China), in Honolulu, Hawaii. His political ideals are summarized in a set of doctrines called the Three Principles of the People -- nationalism, democracy, and the people's well-being --which were designed to build an independent, democratic, and prosperous China.

Over the next 16 years, Sun and his followers launched ten futile attempts to topple the corrupt imperial Manchu court. Finally, on October 10, 1911, forces loyal to Sun took over Wuchang, the capital of Hubei Province. Thereafter, other provinces and important cities joined the revolutionary camp and declared independence from the Manchu government. On December 29, 1911, Sun was elected provisional president of the new republic by delegates from 16 of the 17 provinces gathered in Nanjing. He was inaugurated on January 1, 1912, the founding day of the Republic of China -- Asia's first democracy.

ROC Year Designations

In official and most ordinary usage, years in the Republic of China are calculated from the year of the Republic's founding, 1912. Thus, 1912 was referred to as the first year of the Republic of China, and 2002 is the 91st year of the Republic of China, and so on. This is a continuation of the millennia-old system in China of beginning new year designations with the ascension of a new emperor.