The rise of China is the definitive economic and political story of the time, yet the 1911 Revolution should not be overlooked, as it was the catalyst that enabled the nation to terminate more than 2,000 years of imperial rule -- one of the longest periods of autocratic rule in the world.
China will commemorate the centennial anniversary of the 1911 Revolution, or Xinhai Revolution, with a grand ceremony on Sunday. The legacies of the revolution are set to inspire the world's most populous country with an ancient civilization to continue swimming with the tide of the times, marching on the road to become an empowered modern nation.
The 1911 Revolution, which began on October 10, 1911, with an armed uprising, ended the imperial rule established by Emperor Qinshihuang in B.C.221 by toppling the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and resulting in a republican government, the first in Asia.
Behind the revolution was a burgeoning democratic movement and the rising influence of Western civilization.
The revolution not only rid Chinese men of humiliating ponytails and women of the excruciatingly painful foot-binding, but also removed the people's blind faith in the emperor, as well as the fear of foreign powers. The event has since been emancipating people's minds from thousands of years of oppression and self-enclosure.
China has become a rising power in sharp contrast to 100 years ago when every country could bully it.
Over the past century, the nation united to fight for its destiny and independence. From the Opium War (1840-1842) to the Xinhai Revolution, patriots from all walks of life came together to fight against the imperial autocracy and foreign invasion, with the aim of national rejuvenation by building a country that's respected by the world.
Rejuvenation is the common will of the civilization that has existed for over 5,000 years, and no one can halt the process.
The 1911 Revolution, led by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, overthrew imperial rule and opened the gate for China's modernization. Yet the dreams of Sun were not fully accomplished, as leaders of the revolution were from the capitalist class and the masses of workers and farmers were not given full play. They still lived in poverty, their democracy and freedom not guaranteed.
Ten years after the 1911 Revolution, the Communist Party of China (CPC) was founded. It took the banner from Sun and shouldered the responsibility of rejuvenating the nation.
