Podcast
Questions and Answers
Who was the ruler of China when the Qing dynasty collapsed?
Who was the ruler of China when the Qing dynasty collapsed?
Which event marked the beginning of the end for the Qing dynasty?
Which event marked the beginning of the end for the Qing dynasty?
Who played a key role in persuading the Qing emperor to leave his throne?
Who played a key role in persuading the Qing emperor to leave his throne?
How did Sun Yat-sen's party view the events of 1911?
How did Sun Yat-sen's party view the events of 1911?
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What was the major flaw in Sun Yat-sen's party's plan after the collapse of the Qing dynasty?
What was the major flaw in Sun Yat-sen's party's plan after the collapse of the Qing dynasty?
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What was the significance of General Yuan Shikai's role during the collapse of the Qing dynasty?
What was the significance of General Yuan Shikai's role during the collapse of the Qing dynasty?
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Study Notes
Qing Dynasty's End and the Rise of New Political Forces
- Empress Dowager Cixi died in 1908, and her nephew, Guangxu, died a day before her, leading to the throne being occupied by China's "last emperor", the infant Henry Pu Yi.
- In October 1911, followers of Sun Yat-sen launched an uprising in central China, but Sun was traveling in the US at the time and the revolt had no leader.
- The Qing dynasty collapsed, paving the way for new political forces, but Sun's party lacked the military and political strength to form a new government.
- General Yuan Shikai, a prominent figure in military circles, was placed in charge of the imperial army to suppress the rebellion but eventually negotiated with Sun Yat-sen's party to persuade the Qing emperor to leave the throne.
Sun Yat-sen's Involvement
- Sun Yat-sen arrived in China in January 1912, having read about the revolution in a Denver, Colorado newspaper.
- He exchanged telegrams with Yuan to discuss the revolution and other military issues.
The "Glorious Revolution" and Its Impact
- Sun Yat-sen's party viewed the events of 1911 as a "glorious revolution" that ended 2,000 years of imperial rule.
- However, the uprising produced no new political or social order, and Sun and his followers still had much to accomplish.
- The Revolutionary Alliance, supported by an emerging urban middle class, was based on Western liberal democratic principles.
- The urban middle class in China was too small to support a new political order, and most Chinese people still lived on the land, with few peasants supporting Sun Yat-sen's party.
Assessment of the Events of 1911
- The events of 1911 were less a revolution and more a collapse of the old order.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the events leading to the collapse of the Qing dynasty, including the deaths of Empress Dowager Ci Xi and Emperor Guangxu, and the uprising that paved the way for new political forces in China.
