People visit the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei on November 12, the 150th anniversary of the birth of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, Chinese democratic revolutionary and instrumental player in ending over 2,000 years of feudal rule (XINHUA)

On November 12, 1866, Sun Yat-sen was born in a village in south China's Guangdong Province. At the time, the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) was struggling under the aggression of imperialist powers, and ordinary people in China were living in dire poverty and misery.

One hundred and fifty years later, with Sun Yat-sen's objective of modernizing and rejuvenating China now well on the way to fulfillment, a gathering took place in Beijing to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the visionary leader's birth.

At the event, Chinese President Xi Jinping praised Sun as a great national hero, compatriot and revolutionary pioneer who devoted his whole life to saving the country and the people, and made contributions that will continue to shine throughout history.

A lifetime of devotion

As a teenager, Sun was influenced by the spirit of Guangdong people fighting against foreign invasion, and he aspired to contribute to his country with a revolution like that of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, an oppositional state launched in 1851 which shook to the core, but ultimately failed to overthrow, the Qing Dynasty before ending in failure in 1864.

Sun received modern and advanced education in Hawaii and Hong Kong, where he was inspired by republican ideals. Consequently, he began to seek ways to fight to reform the country.

In November, 1894, Sun founded the Revive China Society in Honolulu, which was committed to promoting China's development. In 1905, together with other Chinese revolutionaries he jointly founded the Tongmenghui, or the United League of China, in Tokyo, which was a powerful movement intent upon spreading revolutionary ideas throughout China. Around this time, he put forward the Three Principles of the People—nationalism, democracy and people's livelihood—which became one of his major legacies.

On January 1, 1912, Sun was appointed provisional president of the Republic of China in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. The Qing Dynasty had fallen, along with the feudal, monarchic system of governance under which China had been ruled for over 2,000 years. Subsequently, the Kuomintang (KMT) was established in Shanghai, with Sun serving as its first leader.

A higher purpose

In November, the Chinese mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao held various exhibitions and activities to commemorate the great revolutionary and defender of national unity of China.

At the anniversary gathering in Beijing, Xi stressed the importance of continuing Sun's legacy. "Sun Yat-sen unequivocally opposed any remarks or actions that attempted to split the country or the nation. The peaceful development of cross-Straits relations is the correct path toward peace across the Straits, shared development and the improved well-being of compatriots from both sides," he said.

Apart from the anniversary gathering, art exhibitions, poetry readings and concerts, including one at the National Center for Performing Arts in Beijing, commemorated Sun's life, work, achievements and lasting influence.

On November 12 in Nanjing, capital of east China's Jiangsu Province, the Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum was crowded with visitors paying their respects to him and his legacy. And special stamps and coins have been issued.

"We commemorate Sun today, an initiative that also honors all the other lofty compatriots who fought for and revitalized the Chinese nation," commented Xin Ming, professor at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC, in an interview with Xinhua News Agency.

Between October 31 and November 3, a KMT delegation led by party leader Hung Hsiu-chu visited the mainland, a trip with far-reaching significance. During the meeting with Hung, Xi said the mainland has always advocated talks on the basis of the one-China principle to improve the peace and common development across the Taiwan Straits. "To achieve the complete reunification of the motherland is in the fundamental interest of the Chinese nation, and it is the common aspiration as well as the sacred duty of all Chinese," said Xi.

Guo Dingping, professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Fudan University in Shanghai, told Beijing Review that Xi's speech delivered a very positive message. "Xi made it specific that the reunification is beneficial for the entire Chinese nation. The broader notions such as the Chinese nation, Chinese civilization and Chinese culture will arouse resonance with more groups, which is good for cross-Straits relations."

To the KMT, Sun's importance speaks for itself. He is recognized as the founding father in the eyes of people in Taiwan, while on the mainland, he's regarded as a revolutionary pioneer, noted Zhang Hua, an associate researcher at the Institute of Taiwan Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

As Xi holds the posts of Chinese president, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the CPC Central Military Commission, his speech at the anniversary ceremony "fully demonstrated the mainland's recognition of Sun," Zhang added.

"United, the people of the entire nation benefit; disunited, the people suffer." The remarks of Sun Yat-sen, trailblazer of China's dream of rejuvenation, still resonate throughout the entire nation.

Brief Biography of Sun Yat-sen

- November 12, 1866: Sun Yat-sen was born in Cuiheng village, Xiangshan County, Guangdong Province.

- 1879: Sun moved to Honolulu, Hawaii, to live with his elder brother Sun Mei and received a Western education.

- 1892: Sun graduated from Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese and embarked on a medical career.

- 1894: Sun petitioned Qing Viceroy Li Hongzhang with his ideas for reforming China. After these were rejected, he returned to Hawaii.

- 1895: The First Guangzhou Uprising failed, and Sun became a wanted man by the then government, after which he went into exile.

- 1905: Sun founded the United League of China and proposed the Three Principles of the People.

- October 10, 1911: A military uprising at Wuchang became the turning point in the Xinhai Revolution that overthrew the last Qing Dynasty emperor.

- January 1, 1912: Sun was announced as provisional president of the Republic of China in Nanjing. He resigned on April 1 the same year.

- 1913: Sun launched a campaign against Yuan Shikai. After it failed, Sun exiled himself once again.

- 1917: The Northern Warlords abandoned the Provisional Constitution, and the Constitution Protection Movement launched by Sun failed.

- 1919: Sun reorganized the Chinese Revolutionary Party as the Chung-kuo Kuomintang, or "Nationalist Party of China," in Shanghai and became its first leader.

- January 1924: The first Kuomintang (KMT) National Congress was held, at which KMT-Communist Party of China (CPC) cooperation was first established.

- March 12, 1925: Sun died of cancer aged 59 in Beijing.

(Compiled by He Shan)

Copyedited by Chris Surtees

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