# The Dialogue about Three Fundamental Revolutions and the Decree of the Chinese Colonel

Vladimir Zalesski

The Dialogue about Three Fundamental Revolutions and the Decree of the Chinese Colonel


The Reader and the Readeress have drunk soft drink from cans. They have entered the park and have sat down on one of benches.


- What was read by you? - the Reader has taken an interest.


- I read about the monarchy and about her overthrow, about religion, about officers, - the Readeress has smiled.


- New book on Mexico? Nothing "won't rust" at 'us'! ? - the Reader smiled.


- No. I read the book by I. Ermashov about China, about Sun Yat-sen (Sun Wen). This book was published in the series "The Life of remarkable people" in Russian in 1964.


- Legendary person. Sun Yat-sen (Sun Wen).


- First President Of China. He was elected as provisional President in December 1911.


- They overthrew the monarchy ... - melancholy stated the Reader.


- The Manchurian (Qing) dynasty ruled in China for quite a long period of time: from 1644 to 1911. In a sense, this dynasty became part of China.


- Didn't they have time to jump into the last car of the departing historic train?


- 'The Chinese people are deprived of any rights. He has no voice in the decision of imperial or even municipal issues. The decision in all cases belongs entirely to officials, mandarins, more precisely - the bureaucracy. And there is no one to complain about them, although there is a control Department for Pro forma, and according to custom, every citizen of the Emperor has the right to appeal directly to him with a complaint. But a grief to the one who would have thought to complain about the Imperial dignitaries!'


"Why, Wen was thinking, a misery and an agony have plagued brave and honest people? How many of these Manchus? They say only four million. A hundred Chinese and one Manchu! Why are they chiefs, and the Chinese are under their control? China was great in remote times, when no one even heard of Manchu. And became the prey of a small semi-barbarian tribe. It's an obsession."


- Why?


- It's not all so a simple. "Suddenly came from Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, elder brother Sun Mei. In an old house of Sun hovered joyful excitement, the mother beaming, father with importance sat on his place. Sun Mei was also important, did not hide that he was happy with himself and his successes in a foreign country. Soon he will have his own decent land plot and his own shop. And he had money. Sun Mei have handed to the head of the house not very large, but still a decent amount. Wen listened, his eyes were focusing on brother's face."


I believe that the power of the Manchurian (Manchu) dynasty do not spread at the Hawaiian Islands?


- Not all Chinese lived under the rule of Manchus?


- Sun Yat-sen (Sun Wen) spent personally for a long time outside China. For example, he, as a boy, for a long time was studing in school in Hawaii.


"Wen didn't have any close friends in Honolulu. The Chinese emigrants, who lived there, belonged to the strange secret organizations that appeared in China hundreds of years ago. Some recognize the secret society of the "Red clan", others preferred secret society "Big brothers". Once upon a time, these societies sought to overthrow the Qing dynasty and to restore the Ming "national dynasty" to the throne. Over time, abroad, they have become a kind of society of mutual assistance of Chinese immigrants.'


- Not all Chinese lived under the power of Manchurians. Many. Some kind of imperceptible revolution?


Chinese in all regions were united by an outlook, a religious representations. In the book by I. Ermashov a several cases were mentioned how from far-away countries children brought ashes of parents to home, to the native village.


- Imperceptible revolution?. Not the only.


- I. Ermashov speaks about numerous military defeats of the Manchurian dynasty heading at that time China.


"The widow empress Cixi, who was actually ruling the country, has withdrawn the huge sums intended on strengthening of the fleet from treasury and has constructed for herself ensemble of magnificent buildings in the neighborhood of the capital - the so-called Summer palace."


"China had neither the real army, nor the fleet, nor allies."


'The Japanese General Staff knew that the Chinese army has no trained soldiers, neither the plan of war, nor the knowing officers, neither competent commanders, nor investigation, nor the apparatus of supply with products, that the army needs. In the same chaotic state there was also a Navy, it wasn't able to conduct a battle using a maneuver of squadrons. Cavalry General commanded the Navy ... !'


Without "the real army" it is bad?


In 1904 the modernized army of 6 divisions of 12 thousand was organized. Soon after, the plan was approved of organization of 36 divisions (360 thousand persons) of the such type till 1911.


"Important new line: emergence of the revolutionary organizations in parts of "New troops". These troops are staffed only by Chinese, officers there too Chinese, and many of them studied in Japan and have completed a secret course of revolutionary education there. Qing dynasty is providing an arms a future revolution."


Here is the second, a kind of 'imperceptible', revolution. A significant social group of Chinese military officers appeared.


- The" third " revolution was not long to wait?


- Sun Yat-sen (Sun Wen) spent long periods of time outside China: in Japan, England, the United States and other countries. The biographer talks about two" round-the-world propaganda travels " of sun Wen: in 1895-1896 and in 1901-1904.


- After the Chinese people in China and beyond his borders, imbued with the belief in the need for "leaving" of the Manchurian (Manchu) dynasty, the events developed rapidly.


- To the formation of such a belief was added the appearance of a generally recognized figure, trusted by the broad circles of the Chinese. "In late 1903, sun Wen [Sun Yat-sen] decided that the time had come to revitalize the Union. In order to raise funds and attract new members to the Union, especially among Chinese students who studied in the US and European countries, sun Wen has undertaken a second trip around the world in the spring of 1904. Visited travel in Honolulu, has seen own family. All were healthy, his brother sent children to study to America. Wen went there. He traveled all over the country, visited Canada, everywhere he was warmly welcomed, he was a recognized leader of the revolutionary forces. The money did not flow in large numbers, but the labor pennies of Chinese workers, Kuli, artisans were most expensive to him. One Chinese man, who had a small Laundry, brought him to the hotel savings of his life: four thousand dollars, which he collected to pay for his funeral." The value of the dollar was different at that time...


- The Manchu dynasty didn't have a chance?


- I. Ermashov provides some data on the rebels in the city of Canton in early 1911: "In the uprising took part, the Chinese - born in many parts of the country. Those who fell in battle (there were, in fact, not 72, but 85) - came from six provinces, among them 9 students who studied in Japan and there joined the ranks of the Union, 1 student who studied in China, 4 teachers, 1 journalist, 13 military, 14 peasants, 3 workers. 40 of them came from South-East Asia (1 journalist, 1 teacher, 13 workers, 16 traders. Profession 9 militants remained unclear). Among them were people of different ages, but none was older than 30 years. Their ashes were taken by the Cantonese land - "the Sacred land of the Chinese nation", as sun Wen said.'


- So, strength of Chinese as living in China, and so beyond his borders, have united. Naturally, the arising social group of the Chinese military officers has also not stood aside.


- Revolts against a Manchurian dynasty followed one another.


"Manchurians have the all: army, money, spies, executioners, communications with foreign powers. Revolutionaries don't have anything. But they can not destroy revolutionaries. And Manchurians will die with all the army, with the spies and executioners. Neither a money, nor a foreigners will not save them. Because the people against them."


The city of Wuchang. 1911.


"At 9 o'clock in the evening on October 10 the commander of part of one of companies of the 8th engineer battalion Xiong of Bin-kun, the member of the revolutionary organization "Literary Society", has ran into the company room and has shouted: "Comrades, take rifles, have gone to beat Manchurians!" Several officers tried to detain soldiers, this officers were beated and connected. Soldiers ran out into the yard. The soldiers of the other units began to run up . The armed soldiers have rushed to barracks of a Manchurian znamenny company, have disarmed these gendarmes, have occupied arsenal. (...) Someone has shouted: "And now capture Wuchang!" All have rushed to the city gate, have broken them by artillery and have rushed into the city. (...)


By the morning on October 11 Wuchang and vicinities were in the hands of revolutionaries. (...)


But need a structure of a power. Whom to put at the head of new management? On October 11 in the city no any famous revolutionary figure is visible yet. The Chinese tradition comes into force - some "respected personality" has to head the power. The soldiers know whom? They know some "decent" colonel Li Yuanhong, the commander of the 21st summary crew. The group of revolutionaries goes to offer him a post of the military governor of Hubei and Wuchang. Li flatly refuses. (...) They ... force him to agree. (...)


...Li Yuanhong ... has signed the decree, announcing that the Qing dynasty - is the deposed."


- Yes ...


- "On December 28, the Union leadership approved three presidential candidates, who were proposed to the Consultative chamber that met in Nanjing: Sun Wen [Sun Yat-sen], Huang Xin and Li Yuanhong. For sun Wen was filed sixteen votes out of seventeen. One vote for Huang Xing. For Li Yuanhong, not one. He was elected Vice President.'


- Yes, it is curious, - the Reader has told. - It is time to continue reading.


The Reader and the Readeress rose from the Park bench and headed to the Gorky cafe-library.


July 10, 2018 10:11


Translation from Russian into English: July 10, 2018 20:46. Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Диалог о трех фундаментальных революциях и указе китайского полковника'.