The Indelible Democratic Trail: Sun Yat-sen’s Revolutionary Journey

By Li Xinyi | Compiled and Reported | Source: MOOK Editorial Department

On October 10, 1911, the Wuchang Uprising opened a new chapter for the Chinese nation. The freedom of the Republic of China was bought with the blood and tears of countless ancestors. For most people, the history of the resistance struggle from a century ago can only be found in history textbooks. But by actually walking in the footsteps of Sun Yat-sen’s revolution, discovering at Huanghuagang that the remains of revolutionary martyrs could not be buried but were instead displayed in the wild as a warning to others by the Qing Dynasty—until someone risked their life to give them a proper burial—you come to understand that "shedding blood and sacrificing one’s life" is not just a slogan but a deeply moving reality.

The founding father was born in Cuiheng Village, Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province—a name familiar to many. His footsteps spanned Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Japan, and Malaysia. As the glorious Double Tenth National Day approaches, we have specially planned a theme on Sun Yat-sen’s Revolutionary Journey, retracing his steps and paying tribute to all the revolutionary martyrs. Along the way, it’s hard not to lament how much of mainland China has turned red, but as the inscription in the Huanghuagang Martyrs’ Cemetery reads: “Freedom shall never die.” And seeing the flag of blue sky, white sun, and a wholly red earth still flying over Taiwan’s skies, everything seems to find its answer—the fruits of a happy democracy have blossomed in Taiwan, and freedom will live on in the hearts of the people.

Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province

Sun Yat-sen’s Former

Cuiheng Village in Zhongshan City, Guangdong Province, is the birthplace of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the founding father of the Republic of China. It is also the most important scenic site in Zhongshan. However, the actual small house where the founding father was born no longer exists. The Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence Memorial Hall complex reconstructs what the original Sun family home might have looked like—a humble farmhouse. The most significant structure in the complex, Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence, was built in 1892 with funding from Sun Mei, the eldest brother of Sun Yat-sen. The large tree in front of the residence is said to have been planted from seeds that Sun Yat-sen brought back from Honolulu and is over a hundred years old. Dr. Sun lived in this Sino-Western style building for three years when he was 27 years old.

Sunwen West Road Pedestrian Street

The former residence is somewhat distant from downtown Zhongshan. Dr. Sun left many traces within the city, including the Tianzi Pier on Sunwen West Road Pedestrian Street, where he took ferries to and from Zhongshan; the Xiangshan County Chamber of Commerce (now the Xiangshan Commercial Museum), where he was received by local gentry; the site of the former Western-Chinese Pharmacy he opened; and the headquarters of the Xiangshan Uprising. However, apart from the Xiangshan County Chamber of Commerce building, which is open to visitors, all other historical sites are now ruins, with many having been demolished.

The exact location of the Western-Chinese Pharmacy opened by Sun Yat-sen remains uncertain. Recently, it even faced the threat of demolition. In July of this year, the Macau government quickly purchased a building highly likely to be the pharmacy and began restoration work. Moreover, during my visit to Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence, I overheard locals remarking that his residence is not as grand as Mao Zedong’s Former Residence, which left me with a faint sense of regret...

Zhongshan has not developed as rapidly as cities like Guangzhou or Shenzhen. A travel guidebook on Guangdong Province may not even feature an introduction to Zhongshan. This slower pace of development has allowed the city to retain some of its Republican-era charm. Rickshaws and traditional architecture along Sunwen West Road Pedestrian Street evoke images of Dr. Sun rushing through the streets in his quest to overthrow the Qing Dynasty.

Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province

Whampoa Military Academy

Guangzhou preserves a wealth of historical traces left by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, including the Whampoa Military Academy, the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Monument, the former office of the Grand Marshal of the Navy (Sun Yat-sen’s Headquarters), and the Huanghuagang 72 Martyrs’ Cemetery. Among them, the Whampoa Military Academy was established by Dr. Sun in 1924 (the 13th year of the Republic of China) on Changzhou Island in Guangzhou. Chiang Kai-shek served as its first commandant, and the school motto personally conferred by Dr. Sun at its inauguration later became the national anthem of the Republic of China. After relocating to Taiwan, the academy was moved to the current Republic of China Military Academy in Kaohsiung. The original Whampoa Military Academy on Changzhou Island was destroyed during the War of Resistance. The present academy is a reconstruction that restores the original structures, such as the commandant’s office, dining hall, and school buildings. Nearby are also Sun Yat-sen’s Former Residence and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Monument.

At the Whampoa Military Academy, listening to a Mainland Chinese tour guide describe how Chiang Kai-shek dined with soldiers; seeing the “Chung Cheng Sword” displayed in the exhibition room—a short sword that Chiang Kai-shek gave to cadets at the time; and reading the exhibit descriptions that explain how the Whampoa Military Academy was founded during the First United Front, with the assistance of the Chinese Communist Party and the Soviet Union. The abundant historical remnants left by the Republic of China on the Mainland are interpreted and preserved in different ways by people of varying political stances. Though it’s a cause for lament, it’s also reassuring to see the democracy earned through the bloodshed of our forebears still being earnestly pursued in Taiwan.