Biography of Sun Yat-sen
This definitive biography traces Sun Yat-sen’s extraordinary journey from a poor peasant boy in rural Guangdong to the 'Father of Modern China.' Born in 1866, Sun was inspired by tales of the Taiping Rebellion and later exposed to Western education in Hawaii, sparking his vision for a reformed China. After his petition to Qing official Li Hongzhang was ignored, he abandoned gradual reform and embraced revolution, founding the Revive China Society in 1894 and later the Chinese United League. Leading a series of uprisings, he finally saw success with the 1911 Wuchang Uprising, becoming China’s first provisional president. Though forced to step down to Yuan Shikai, Sun continued fighting against warlords and imperialists, eventually adopting the Three Principles of the People and forging alliances with the Soviet Union and Chinese Communists. His life, marked by relentless struggle and unyielding idealism, laid the groundwork for China’s modern democratic movement, ending with his iconic final call: 'Peace—Struggle—Save China.'