Life in Penang, is more than beautiful

回家

2012-01-22T09:19:00.002+08:00

新年快乐

Happy Chinese New Year

Lost Civilization of Egypt

2012-01-21T14:24:00.004+08:00

Today's Egypt is not ancient Egypt, the early Egypt civilization had been lost in history. The modern people of Egypt is highly arablized, they called themselves Egyptian Arabs. The Great Sphinx and the Pyramids of Giza are the monument remained in earth to remind us of the early Egyptian Civilization.

Egyptian had lost their identity through time, now they are Arab

May be the Coptic people is considered the only living heritage who may traced their root to the Egyptian civilization. Coptic Christian is now only 9% of total population today, in their own native land. Like Arab Christian, they are leaving their home land....under political and social pressure....

Love of father without words

2012-01-16T09:43:00.004+08:00

The love of father without words

I do not know what is the name of the movie, may be someone can tell us

you may not need to know the name,

it is good movie.....

You may not know Siamese, the language of Thailand

you do not need to know Siamese to see the movie,

there is no language in the movie

you only need your heart to see....

The movie is so touching,

of the love of father to his child,

it is universal value,

you do not need words to know.

It is the love without words, without many words,

the love of father.....

Li Na, back to Sydney

2012-01-13T00:04:00.003+08:00

Li Na made a dramatic comeback in the semifinals of the Apia International Sydney, beating Petra Kvitova 1-6 7-5 6-2.

Azarenka, the No. 3 seed, won 1-6 6-3 6-2 over Radwanska, in another semi-final.

Li Na will meet Azarenka in the final on Friday 13 January 2012.

The Sydney International (formerly known as the New South Wales Open, with various title sponsors), sponsored as the Apia International Sydney as of 2012, is a professional tennis tournament in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The tournament is played annually at the Sydney Olympic Park Tennis Centre in Homebush. It is one of the oldest tennis tournaments in the world, dating to 1885.

Li Na was 2011 Women's singles Champion

Updates:15-1-2012

Victoria Azarenka has taken the Apia International Sydney title from Li Na — literally. The No. 3 seed took out the defending champ in a match that featured extraordinary tennis, winning 6-2 1-6 6-3 in front of a spirited Ken Rosewall Arena crowd. Azarenka is one of the noisiest players on tour — who grunted her way to the 95 decibel mark during her semi-final run to Wimbledon in 2011. Despite the great week, Li drops from No. 5 to No. 6 in the world rankings because she failed to defend her title points from 2011. Samantha Stosur moves to No. 5.

(source: extract from http://www.apiainternational.com.au/2012/01/azarenka-takes-title-from-li)

But Li Na still played good tennis despite the loss. Hope that she will be going for another Asian record to be the first Asian to win Australia Open next week...

Taiwan President election fever

2012-01-11T14:19:00.019+08:00

Taiwan President election is on. The election for the 13th-term President and Vice-President of the Republic of China (第十三任中華民國總統副總統選舉) will be held in the Free Area of the Republic of China (ROC) on January 14, 2012. The election will be held together with legislative elections. It will be the fifth direct election for the President of the Republic of China.

Kuomintang(中國國民黨)

Kuomintang(中國國民黨) or KMT's Incumbent President Ma Ying-jeou(馬英九)is standing for re-election.Vice President Vincent Siew Wan-chang(蕭萬長)chose not to run for a second term, and on 19 June 2011 President Ma selected Premier Wu Den-yih(吳敦義)as his running mate.

The Kuomintang of China(KMT), sometimes romanized as Guomindang and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China (ROC). Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused by Sun Yat-sen.The Kuomintang traces its ideological and organizational roots to the work of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, a proponent of Chinese nationalism, who founded Revive China Society in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1894. In 1905, Sun joined forces with other anti-monarchist societies in Tokyo to form the Tongmenghui or the Revolutionary Alliance, a group committed to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and the establishment of a republican government. The KMT was founded by Song Jiaoren and Sun Yat-sen shortly after the Xinhai Revolution. Later led by Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, it ruled much of China from 1928 until its retreat to Taiwan in 1949 after being defeated by the Communist Party of China (CPC) during the Chinese Civil War. There, the KMT controlled the government under a single-party state until reforms in the late 1970s through the 1990s loosened its grip on power.

Together with the People First Party and Chinese New Party, the KMT forms what is known as the Taiwanese Pan-Blue coalition, which supports eventual unification with the mainland. However, the KMT has been forced to moderate its stance by advocating the political and legal status quo of modern Taiwan. The KMT accepts a "One China Principle" - it officially considers that there is only one China and that the Republic of China (not the People's Republic of China) is its legitimate government. However, since 2008, in order to ease tensions with the People's Republic of China, the KMT endorses the "three nos" policy as defined by Ma Ying-jeou - no unification, no independence and no use of force.

Ma is facing a tough challenge as James Soong Chu-yu(宋楚瑜) is also going for the President election, both are from Pan - Blue Coalition. Soong will be spoiling his chances. His victory card is not KMT, but his wife Christine Chow Ma or Chow Mei-ching( 酷酷嫂- 周美青). Based on party line, he is facing dangerous task, especially from the young voters and female voters. His main opponent is a strong woman , chances to be the first female President of Taiwan. It will attract some female voters for the sake of that. Christine Chow will attract some woman votes and family votes for Ma. Some said it is actually the election of Christine Chow Ma and Tsai Ing-wen(蔡英文), despite Christine Chow is not actively in politic. But her popularity among the Taiwanese is a pulling force, especially voters who see strong family as a determination to gauge on character of a candidate. Ma definitely has a plus point, as Tsai Ing-wen is not married. Ma may not be a perfect President, but his tenure was renowned for political stability and peace, that is the environment desired under the current global scenario, which will enhance Taiwan's economic development with mainland China and the world.

投平安、投清廉、投和平、投公義，投給自己與下一代的未來，一票都不能少！我們一起加油！(Ma Ying-jeou,馬英九).

Not only for Taiwan, for Cross-Strait relationship, for East Asia, and for the world.

這一票，為我們自己

Democratic Progressive Party(民主進步黨)

Candidates for the DPP(Democratic Progressive Party, 民主進步黨) is Tsai Ing-wen(蔡英文), DDP secretary-general Su Jia-chyuan(蘇嘉全)is her running mate.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP; 民主進步黨) is a political party in the Republic of China on Taiwan, and the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition. Founded in 1986, DPP is the first meaningful opposition party in Taiwan. It has traditionally been associated with strong advocacy of human rights and a distinct Taiwanese identity, including promotion of de jure Taiwan independence.The DPP won the presidency with the election of Chen Shui-bian in March 2000, ending more than half a century of KMT rule in Taiwan. In 2004, President Chen Shui-bian(陳水扁) was re-elected by a narrow margin following a controversial assassination attempt on him and the Vice President Annette Lu only hours before the election. He was convicted, along with his wife Wu Shu-chen, on two bribery charges, he is currently serving a 19-year sentence in the Taipei Prison, reduced from a life sentence in prison. Supporters have insisted that his trial have been unfair and politically motivated, a retribution from the Kuomintang against his years in power. But today he or commonly known as A-Bian (阿扁), is a liability to the party.

Tsai Ing-wen(蔡英文)is not experience as President, her capability is an unknown factor. Her experience as minister was also not strong. She was Minister of the Mainland Affairs Counci from l May 20, 2000 – May 20, 2004 and Vice Premier of the Republic of China from January 25, 2006 – May 21, 2007.

She announced she needs coalition government to rule Taiwan if she won, her cabinet may included members from other political parties in Taiwan. Will the government be stable? as Taiwan has no political history for such government. Still remember when President-elect Ah Bian on March 29, 2000,appointed Mr. Tang Fei(唐飛) as premier to head the new cabinet. With his wide-ranging military and overseas assignments, Mr. Tang has extensive administrative experience and an international outlook, which has promoted relations with other countries and will be necessary for the new cabinet. On October 3, 2000, Mr. Tang resigned from his post amid nuclear power row over Taiwan's energy policy. His appointment last only for a short term, from May 20, 2000 – October 6, 2000, not even for a full year. Can Tsai's new cabinet last if she is elected?....

The ruling Kuomintang has alleged that Tsai approved government investment in Yu Chang Biologics Co. when she was vice premier in early 2007 with the full knowledge that she would leave the Cabinet and chair the company later in the year. Tsai has denied the allegations, saying she did not manage the government investment and was only invited to chair Yu Chang by prominent scientists after she left the Cabinet."

Former President Lee Teng Hui(李登輝), the father of Taiwan independence support Tsai Ing-wen. But Lee's support has no additional effect, as his supporters are already strongly behind Tsai as critical mass.

(His support just remind Taiwan that Lee is forever for Taiwan independence even until his last breath, just like Ah Bian, the one who he supported, who cry for his political stance in a funeral of his mother in law. They are Taiwan independent hard core. Lee can betray his party who nourished him to be President to support Ah Bian, betray his motherland for independence and cultural proximity to Japan, what he had done for Taiwan......the best political drama for Oscar, for personal agenda. It looks just like Chiang Kai-sheh, best actor to do anything for personal ambition....)

「公平正義鋪滿台灣」 Tsai Ing-wen(蔡英文)

Fairness and Justice for Taiwan, and the first female President for Taiwan....

同願-台灣第一女總統

People First Party(親民黨)

Another candidate is PFP(People First Party, 親民黨) chairman James Soong Chu-yu(宋楚瑜), who was a former KMT member. Soong chose National Taiwan University professor emeritus Lin Ruey-shiung(林瑞雄), a career scientist and academic with no political experience, to be his running mate.The PFP was founded by James Soong and his supporters after his failed independent bid for the presidency in 2000. Soong is currently the chairman and dominates much of its politics. The chances for the candidate is slim, it is more a personal agenda for Song, the last for his ambition to become a President. It will spoil the chances of Ma Ying-jeou. PFP run will split the Pan-Blue Coalition vote and hand a winnable election to the DPP. If he is serious on Pan - Blue Coalition, he should not has run for the President election.

It was a repeat of 2000 President election, when he won 36.8% votes, KMT's Lien Chan won 23.1%, Chen Shui-bian won narrowly with 39.3%. Otherwise Lien Chan should had won the 2000 President election if not because of Soong. The total votes for Pan-Blue Coalition was 59.9%, much higher than Chen Shui-bian's 39.3%. However, the votes expectation will be lower this time, but he will be a king maker, as the votes to him will adversely affected Ma Ying-jeou and Pan - Blue Coalition's chances. If that happen, it will seriously affected Soong's reputation in Taiwan's political history. Soong is actually gamble on his political reputation, the result of the 2012 President election will determine what he will stand in history....

酷酷嫂- 周美青(Christine Chow Ma or Chow Mei-ching) , 中华民国第12任总统马英九的妻子，中华民国第一夫人

Chow was born in Hong Kong in 1952. She graduated from Taipei First Girls' High School and received her bachelor of laws degree from National Chengchi University and a master of laws (LL.M.) degree from New York University Law School.

Chow was a high-school classmate of Ma Ying-jeou's sister. Chow and Ma married in New York. She worked as a research assistant, an assistant librarian, and even as maître d’hôtel at a Chinese restaurant to support her husband through Harvard Law School [3] They have two daughters, Lesley (Ma Wei-chung, 馬唯中) and Kelly (Ma Yuan-chung, 馬元中). Lesley (Ma Wei-chung, 馬唯中) was born in 1980 in New York when Ma was attending Harvard; she completed her undergraduate work at Harvard University and is currently a graduate student at New York University. Younger daughter Kelly (Ma Yuan-chung, 馬元中), was born in Taiwan and is currently pursuing her undergraduate studies at Brown University in Rhode Island. Both Lesley and Kelly currently reside in the U.S.

Mrs. Ma was employed at the Mega International Commercial Bank in Taiwan in its legal department. After Ma Ying-jeou won the 2008 presidential election, she had initially said that she will continue her professional work. At the time, the only change she has made to her lifestyle was taking a chauffeured ride to work instead of public transportation.

In a change of course, President Ma, in a 15 July 2008 CNN interview, stated that his wife will resign her post at the bank to avoid any conflicts of interest or arouse suspicions during his presidency. Her resignation marked a major change for the career-oriented First Lady.

Chow is known for staying out of the political limelight and has rarely joined officials' wives at social or official functions in the past. Chow has stated that she will not fulfill "traditional" first lady responsibilities (no former first ladies held an active occupation); she has, however, said that she will fill in on meeting and greeting dignitaries if she has the time.

Chow is described as down-to-earth and assertive while sometimes lacking social and political tact. She once answered a reporter's question regarding her husband's shortcomings saying, "Whatever weak points husbands have, he has them all.".

That is why she is down to earth....

周美青作风与台湾多数“官夫人”迥异：她拥有自己的专业，一直是一名职业妇女；坐公共汽车上班、亦亲自开车接送女儿上下学；平时穿着打扮甚为朴实，举止低调。因极少接受媒体的采访，或回答记者的发问，而有“酷酷嫂”的昵称。周美青与以往诸位总统夫人不同，她继续保有其职业，成为中华民国第一位在职取薪的第一夫人，只是因维安以后不再搭大众运输交通工具上班。周美青本人并不愿意被称呼“总统夫人”，而希望被称呼为“美青姐”，在公司希望同事仍称呼其“周处长”。2008年6月9日，她从兆丰国际商业银行退休。

周美青退休后接任依惯例由总统夫人所担任的中华民国红十字会名誉会长，并开展其关怀儿童的公益活动。亦经常亲临球场观赏中华职棒大联盟的比赛。

周美青在民国一百年国庆大典与去年穿同一套衣服，立委刘盛良称赞周俭朴行径很了不起，应获全国百姓赞扬，“将来国史馆要编撰时，这一段应该编进去。”国史馆长吕芳上回答：“完全同意刘委员看法，因为真正伟大的事业是从平凡看出来的。[10]”不过亦有部份反对声浪批评国之大典不应如此节俭，是周美青俭朴过头。

2012年中华民国总统选举期间，诗人余光中写诗〈某夫人画像〉献给周美青，并反问选民：“我们要换掉这样的第一夫人吗？”

学历

台北市私立再兴中学
台北市立第一女子高级中学
国立政治大学法律系
纽约大学法律硕士

经历

兆丰国际商业银行法务处处长
中华民国红十字会总会名誉会长（2008年6月3日－）

(source: extract from wikipedia)

Voting for Ma Ying-jeou is voting for Christine Chow Ma or Chow Mei-ching(酷酷嫂)...

馬英九周美青為台灣祈福

External Factors

The two main external factors for any Taiwan President election, are China factor and USA factor.

Taiwan may say it is now a democratic, but still relatively short, and the system may be heavily influence by the businesses, secret society, KMT bureaucracy, corruptions, which tainted their democracy development. But this is the only factor that the Taiwanese is proud of in their justification for independence. Taiwan's democracy is tainted with foreign support, from USA and Japan. China is an important factor in their President election.

China factor

China is no longer the same as when Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek retreat to Taiwan in 1949. Today, China is an economically strong country. China(中国), officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is the most populous state in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens.Since the introduction of market-based economic reforms in 1978, China has become the world's fastest-growing major economy,and the world's largest exporter and second-largest importer of goods. It is the world's second-largest economy, after the United States, by both nominal GDP and purchasing power parity (PPP). On per capita terms, China ranked 90th by nominal GDP and 91st by GDP (PPP) in 2011, according to the IMF. China is a recognized nuclear weapons state and has the world's largest standing army, with the second-largest defense budget. In 2003, China became the third nation in the world, after the former Soviet Union and the United States, to independently launch a successful manned space mission. China has been characterized as a potential superpower by a number of academics,military analysts,and public policy and economics analysts.

Although a middle-income country by Western standards, the PRC's rapid growth has pulled hundreds of millions of its people out of poverty since 1978. Today, about 10% of the Chinese population live below the poverty line of US$1 per day (down from 64% in 1978), while life expectancy has increased to 73 years. More than 93% of the population is literate, compared to only 20% in 1950. Urban unemployment in China reportedly declined to 4% by the end of 2007, although true overall unemployment may be as high as 10%.

China's middle-class population (defined as those with annual income of at least US$17,000) has reached more than 100 million as of 2011, while the number of super-rich individuals worth more than 10 million yuan (US$1.5 million) is estimated to be 825,000, according to Hurun Report. Based on the Hurun rich list, the number of US dollar billionaires in China doubled from 130 in 2009 to 271 in 2010, giving China the world's second-highest number of billionaires. China's retail market was worth RMB 8.9 trillion (US$1.302 trillion) in 2007, and is growing at 16.8% annually. China is also now the world's second-largest consumer of luxury goods behind Japan, with 27.5% of the global share.

(source: wikipedia)

No mater what is your political stance, historically Taiwan is part of China, Republic of China. Today, despite the retreat of KMT to Taiwan in 1949, Taiwan still part of People Republic of China. The main threat from Taiwan is the Taiwan independence. China is no longer a weak country, economically she is strong. Regular weekend direct, cross-strait charter flights between mainland China and Taiwan, under three links policy (三通) resumed on July 4, 2008 for the first time since 1950. Taiwan now is having mass flow of Chinese tourists to the island, and import of their agricultural products, Taiwan's investment in mainland China is subtabtial. The cross- strait relationship(海峡两岸关系)now is stable, it is beneficial to both China and Taiwan economy and its people. There are government and private engagement and dialogue between China and Taiwan. The Strait relationship is moving in positive way.

This trend may not be happy to everybody, but it cannot deny that it facilitate political stability and promote closer economic development and stability in the region of East Asia.

The result of the President election 2012, has impact to the Cross- Strait Relationship. Taiwan cannot go alone. There is too much inter-government and cross- strait interaction now. So any campaign that China's reaction is not important for future of Taiwan is day dreaming and short sighted....stable cross- strait relationship is important to future of Taiwan.

But Taiwan politic is sensitive to the voices from China, any indication of support to any candidates will have negative effect on the candidates chances. China now learn to remain silence towards Taiwan President election. China is not neutral, she strongly support Ma for the status quo, for stability of Cross-Strait relationship, for political stability of East Asia, and for hope of unification of China with Taiwan in future.....

Taiwan just cannot ignore China now.....

USA factor

On international relationship, Taiwan is politically and military influenced by USA and Japan. Ironically, in Sept 2011, two rival camps of next President Election 2012 visited USA in their promotion campaign. President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九)'s KMT team and defended his top election campaign aide King Pu-tsung’s (金溥聰) trip to the US as an opportunity to promote Taiwanese policies in the US.Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) US visit has apparently boosted her support rate. From their activities in USA it is clearly revealed the USA foreign policy on strait relationship is not straight forward, but critical for both camps, with hidden strategic move best know to them. Why must Taiwan professed as either a part of China or independent Taiwan, visited to USA for their support? This revealed Taiwan democracy is fake, Taiwan still need USA for military and political support to survive, both candidates know the games....

At one side USA only recognize People Republic of China as legitimate government for China, at the same time supplies arms to Taiwan, recognize as part of China by USA. The reason given was:

"Obama administration for telling US Congress on Wednesday that it plans a US$5.3 billion (S$6.83 billion) upgrade of Taiwan's F-16 fighter fleet. The US offer - which includes sales of advanced air-to-air missiles, laser- and GPS-guided bombs and radars -Washington says it wants Beijing and Taipei to determine their future peacefully, and that it is obliged by US law to help the island defend itself. Taiwan said the upgrade of the F-16s would contribute to regional peace by improving its defense capability in the face of what it called a continued threat from China."

What is USA(an outsider) action to supply arms to Taiwan, a part of China in the face of threat from their own government(as recognized by USA in one China policy), is clear cut interference of internal affairs of China. In military or international law, an unfriendly act, which can provoke war. The excuses by Obama' administration was "wants Beijing and Taipei to determine their future "peacefully", and that it is obliged by US law to help the island defend itself". What a hypocrisy, by supplying arms, the Taiwan issue can solved peacefully, why not Obama as Nobel Peace Prize winner, be a peace maker and call for peaceful negotiation for unification(instead of supply arms)???

Logically, USA's hypocrisy was diplomatically supported one China policy, militarily support Taiwan's defense(part of China), indirectly revealed actually USA support war between mainland China and Taiwan. It is just like saying I recognize USA as one nation, but I supply arms to Hawaii independent movement to fight Obama's central government...what a silly and cunning strategy, USA is using.... but they gained strategic advantage economically and militarily over East Asia. this is especially so when USA is facing economic decline, war or arms sales is the last resort to boost their economy. But unfortunately their allies, Europe faced similar economic problems and has wake up against unnecessary war. USA must find other way to boost its arms industry as war become difficult with less allies, strait relationship is the cash cow.

The potential hot spots under USA global strategy, for 2012 may be Iran, Korea & East Asia, Burma and South China Sea. Looking at their activities, USA may be created another bamboo curtain or wall to contain China. Taiwan will always be their chess. I do no think they are happy with any sign of Chinese unification. That means they will lost Taiwan, and solely depended on Japan and South Korea. Burma however is their potential card, another one is India and perhaps Vietnam.

USA is also facing President Election in the 2012. China remained one of the political agenda for President candidates. 2012 may not be peaceful year for the world, Taiwan President election is important for global politic, especially strait relationship.

Without the support of USA, can Taiwan go for independence alone? a question to be ponder....

Other factor, Japan

Another external factor is Japan, China's neighbour, linked to USA by The Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan (日本国とアメリカ合衆国との間の相互協力及び安全保障条約 Nippon-koku to Amerika-gasshūkoku to no Aida no Sōgo Kyōryoku oyobi Anzen Hoshō Jōyaku). Its defense, like USA perceived China as threat, revealed in their defense white paper. Japan is waiting for the timing, the right time to gain their political benefits....they played their strategy similarly on Strait relationship, never call for peaceful unification solution as neighbor....

Japan however is good neighbor of Taiwan due to historical factor. Unlike former President Lee Teng Hui(李登輝)'s reign, the impart is neutral whether Ma or Tsai.

In conclusion, as an outsider, if you ask me if I am a Taiwanese, who should I vote? It depend whether the voter is looking at the big environment or local or small environment. If I look inward toward local environment, and look narrowly to Taiwanese independence , Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) will be the choice. but if I look at the bigger picture, Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) will be the choice. The game for James Soong Chu-yu(宋楚瑜)was over, he has no chance. My card is on Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九)....and the vote for Christine Chow Mei-ching(周美青)......

However the election result will be close, it can go either way....

Further readings

1. Taiwan Inc. Backs Ma Re-Election in Push for China Business, http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-10/taiwan-inc-backs-ma-re-election-bid-in-push-for-china-business.html
2. US moves raise suspicions that it is favoring incumbent in Taiwan presidential election, http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia-pacific/us-moves-raise-suspicions-that-it-is-favoring-incumbent-in-taiwan-presidential-election/2012/01/01/gIQAJQ8fTP_story.html
3. Taiwan's Ma sets course for "10 golden years", http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/05/us-taiwan-election-ma-idUSTRE80409L20120105
4. Taiwan presidential candidates focus on economy, not China, http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-taiwan-elections-20120113,0,5607495.story?track=rss
5. Former Taiwan President Lee Backs Opposition’s Tsai Before Vote, http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-01-11/former-taiwan-president-lee-backs-opposition-s-tsai-before-vote.html
6. 想起的豈只是宇昌, http://tw.news.yahoo.com/blogs/society-watch/想起的豈只是宇昌
(國光石化」是近20年，石化業最重大的投資計劃。是蘇貞昌、蔡英文在行政院正副院長時強力通過，去年竟然又強力否決，最後，馬英九出面善後，主動喊停。馬英九政府只是延續蘇蔡政策，竟然也會被打得裡外不是人。夠笨。但這個過程裡，真的看到了政客們「巧言令色」的嘴臉。但是，停就停了。石化業的「專業哀鳴」在政治正確下的聲浪中，被淹沒了。我同情他們被政客玩弄的苦楚，無能為力. .....重述這一段沒多久前的荒謬公衛史，我可以想像綠營必然重彈老調，說「人民有知的權利」。這是廢話。人民當然有知的權利。我只是想問：為什麼從國際跨海而來的宇昌是「寶」？為什麼從台灣走向國際，取得國際認証的國光卻是「草」？....當然，現在更不會有人告訴你：同樣是生技，差點被民進黨搞死的，不只是現在生死未卜的宇昌，還有當時政黨輪替前的國光)

Note: Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) won the Taiwan President election 2012. Congratulation.

SAMARKAND - THE CITY OF DANIEL

2012-01-09T17:08:00.013+08:00

I come across the city of Samarkand while doing the study on the Silk Road. Samarkand is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, prospering from its location on the trade route between China and the Mediterranean (Silk Road). It was one of the greatest city in Central Asia. It is also the city of Daniel where his tomb was located. Samarkand is located in Uzbekistan, one of former Russian republic in Central Asia.

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Samarkand - The city of Daniel

Daniel (Hebrew: דָּנִיֵּאל, Modern Daniyyel Tiberian Dāniyyêl, meaning "God is my Judge") is the protagonist in the Book of Daniel of the Hebrew Bible. In the narrative, when Daniel was a young man, he was taken into Babylonian captivity where he was educated in Chaldean thought. However, he never converted to Neo-Babylonian ways. By Divine Wisdom from his God, YHVH, he interpreted dreams and visions of kings, thus becoming a prominent figure in the court of Babylon. Eventually, he had apocalyptic visions of his own that have been interpreted as the Four monarchies. Some of the most famous tales of Daniel are: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, The writing on the wall and Daniel in the lions' den.

In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim (BC 606), Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were among the young Jewish nobility carried off to Babylon. The four were chosen for their intellect and beauty to be trained as advisors to the Babylonian court,(Daniel 1) Daniel was given the name Belteshazzar, i.e., prince of Bel, or Bel protect the king!(not to be confused with the neo-Babylonian king, Belshazzar). Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were given the Babylonian names, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, respectively.

After the Persian conquest of Babylon, Daniel held the office of the first of the "three presidents" of the empire under the reign of Darius the Mede, and was thus practically at the head of state affairs, with the ability to influence the prospects of the captive Jews (Daniel 9), whom he had at last the happiness of seeing restored to their own land; although he did not return with them, but remained still in Babylon.

Daniel's fidelity to God exposed him to persecution by jealous rivals within the king's administration. The fact that he had just interpreted the emperors' dream had resulted in his promotion and that of his companions. Being favored by the King, Darius the Mede, he was untouchable. His companions were vulnerable to the accusation that had them thrown into the furnace for refusing to worship the Babylonian King, Nebuchadnezzar as a god; but they were miraculously saved, and Daniel would years later be cast into a den of lions (for continuing to practice his faith in YHWH), but was miraculously delivered; after which Darius issued a decree enjoining reverence for "the God of Daniel" (Daniel 6:26). He "prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Great," whom he probably greatly influenced in the decree which put an end to the Jewish Captivity (BC 536).

Muslims traditionally consider Daniel (Arabic: دانيال, Danyal) as an Islamic prophet, alongside the other major prophets(Nabi) of the Old Testament like Adem (Adam), Nuh (Noah), Idris (Enoch),Ibrahim (Abraham),Is'haq (Isaac), Yaq'ub (Jacob),Yusuf (Joseph), and Musa (Moses), Dawud (David)and others.

There are six different locations claiming to be the site of the tomb of the biblical figure Daniel: Babylon, Kirkuk and Muqdadiyah in Iraq, Susa and Malamir in Iran, and Samarkand in Uzbekistan.

The time and circumstances of Daniel's death have not been recorded. However, tradition maintains that Daniel was still alive in the third year of Cyrus according to the Tanakh (Daniel 10:1). He would have been almost 100 years old at that point, having been brought to Babylon when he was in his teens, more than 80 years previously. Many posit that he possibly died at Susa in Iran. Tradition holds that his tomb is located in Susa at a site known as Shush-e Daniyal. Other locations have been claimed as the site of his burial, including Daniel's Tomb in Kirkuk, Iraq, as well as Babylon, Egypt, Tarsus and, notably, Samarkand, which claims a tomb of Daniel, with some traditions suggesting that his remains were removed, perhaps by Tamerlane, from Susa to Samarkand. the tomb of prophet Daniel is situated on the outskirts of the settlement Afrasiab that is in the north-east of Samarkand. On a high bluff of the hill there stretched a long 5-domed building of the mausoleum, and at the foot of the hill there is the river Siab. The sprawl of the building is directly connected with the tomb, whose length is equal to 18 meters.

You can read about the story of Daniel in the The Book of Daniel (Hebrew: דניאל), which is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, and Darius the Mede. The book concludes with four Divine prophetic visions.

The introduction of the Book of Daniel is written in Hebrew, the body is written in Biblical Aramaic, then the Masoretic text concludes the book with a return to Hebrew. The book consists of a series of six third-person narratives (chapters 1-6) followed by four apocalyptic visions in the first-person (chapters 7-12)

The prophet Ezekiel, with whom Daniel was a contemporary, describes a Daniel as a "pattern of righteousness" in the Book of Ezekiel 14:14, 20 and "wisdom" (28:3).

Samarkand, the former capital city of powerful Timurleng.

The fifth century B.C. Jerusalem has been destroyed and sacked by Babylon King Nebuchadnessar. Among the Jewish young men seized and enslaved by the Babylonians there was the would-be great Biblical prophet Daniel. It was he who wrote the famous Book of Prophecies, sacred for three world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

600 years ago the fearful Emperor Timurleng brought the prophet's remains to this city from Babylon. Nowadays, life is at its large around them.
In Samarkand, the former capital city of powerful Timurleng, there has since time unknown existed three religious communities: the Moslems, the Jews, and the Christians. For them all, the Prophet's tomb is sacred.

However, the prophet's tomb has not become an object of violent disagreements, unlike the holy places in Palestine. How was it possible that this "oasis of peace" was formed in Samarkand? How can the three communities support the fragile balance of benevolent relations? For the first time in history, on the threshold of the third millennium, we are diving into the closest secrets of the three Samarkand communities and discovering the way in which this peaceful island has existed. We reveal enigma of this magnificent city and it's great people.

(source: CORONA FILMS, 2006)

Samarkand - where Muslim, Christian and Jew come to pray

There is hardly any place in the world is where Muslim, Christian and Jew come to pray, the mausoleum of Khoja Daniyar, also known as Daniiel, or Daniel, Samarkand, is the place where Christian, Muslim and Jews come to pray.

Samarkand is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, prospering from its location on the trade route between China and the Mediterranean (Silk Road). At times Samarkand has been one of the greatest cities of Central Asia.

Founded circa 700 BC by the Sogdians, Samarkand has been one of the main centres of Iranian civilization from its early days. It was already the capital of the Sogdian satrapy under the Achaemenid dynasty of Persia when Alexander the Great conquered it in 329 BC. The Greeks referred to Samarkand as Maracanda.

The Travels of Marco Polo, where Polo records his journey along the Silk Road, describes Samarkand as a "a very large and splendid city..." Here also is related the story of a Christian church in Samarkand, which miraculously remained standing after a portion of its central supporting column was removed.

In the mid-seventh century AD, Sa-mo-kien, as the Chinese called it, was visited by the Buddhist monk Hsuan-tsang (602-649 AD), whose memoirs give us a good idea of what life was like in the area prior to the advent of Islam. At this time, the residents of the city were mostly Zoroastrians, although Buddhism was known and Nestorian Christianity had also been introduced into the area.

Christianity came to Central Asia from Persia in the 1st Century. According to legend, the Apostle Thomas went to Samarkand (now a city in Uzbekistan) by the Great Silk Road and appointed several bishops there. Documents confirmed that in the 2nd & 3rd Centuries there were Christian churches in that region and Christianity spread mainly through Nestorian Christians.

The Nestorian patriarch had raised it to the rank of metropolitan see, possibly as early as the beginning of the fifth century and certainly by the early seventh century. Different authorities give different dates, although it was certainly in existence by the patriarchate of Theodosius (852-858) and probably by the time of Saliba-Zakha (712-728). Various historical documents, both Christian and Muslim, give evidence of the continuing status of Christianity in Samarkand from the time of the Arab invasion up to the establishment of Mongol power in the area. (“Nestorian Christianity in Central Asia”, by Mark Dickens)

However, around the 14th Century Christianity started to be wiped out by Islam and Buddhism and practically disappeared for several centuries. Tamerlane engaged in a fierce campaign to externimate Chrisitanity within his empire. The last Christian churches in Samarkand and Central Asia were destroyed by his grandson, Ulugh Beg.

Samarkand, Uzbekistan - the crossroad of cultures

Samarkand (Greek: Marakanda) is one of the oldest inhabited cities in the world, prospering from its location on the (Silk Road) trade route between China and Europe. At times Samarkand has been the greatest city of Central Asia, and for much of its history it has been under Persian rule. Founded circa 700 BCE it was already the capital of the Sogdian satrapy under the Achaemenid dynasty of Persia when Alexander the Great conquered it in 329 BCE . Under Sassanid Empire of Persia, Samarkand flourished and became one of the most important cities of the Persian empire.

Under Abbasid rule, the secret of paper making was obtained from two Chinese prisoners from the Battle of Talas in 751, which led to the first paper mill in the Islamic world to be founded in Samarkand. The invention then spread to the rest of the Islamic world, and from there to Europe (either through Spain or through crusaders).

From the 6th to 13th centuries it grew larger and more populous than modern Samarkand and was controlled by the Western Turks, Arabs (who converted the area to Islam), Persian Samanids, Karakhan Turks, Seljuk Turks, Karakitay, and Khorezmshah before being sacked by the Mongols in 1220. A small part of the population survived, but Samarkand suffered at least another Mongol sack by Khan Baraq to get treasure he needed to pay an army with. The town took many decades to recover from these disasters.

Samarkand - the city of Tamerlane

In the 14th century Samarkand became the capital of the empire of Timur (Tamerlane) or Timurid dynasty(1370-1506), and it is the site of his mausoleum (the Gur-e Amir). The Bibi-Khanym Mosque remains one of the city's most notable landmarks.

In 1370, Timur the Lame, also known as Tamerlane(8 April 1336 – 18 February 1405), decided to make Samarkand the capital of his projected world empire, which extended from India to Turkey. For the next 35 years, he built a new city, populating it with artisans and craftsmen from all of the places he had captured. Timur gained a reputation for wisdom and generosity, and Samarkand grew to become the center of the region of Transoxiana. Timur was a 14th-century conqueror of West, South and Central Asia, and the founder of the Timurid dynasty in Central Asia, and great-great-grandfather of Babur, the founder of the Mughal Dynasty, which survived as the Mughal Empire in India until 1857.

While Central Asia blossomed under his reign, other places such as Baghdad, Damascus, Delhi and other Arab, Georgian, Persian and Indian cities were sacked and destroyed and their populations massacred. He was responsible for the effective destruction of the Christian Church in much of Asia. Thus, while Timur still retains a positive image in Muslim Central Asia, Persia, and Arab countries, he is vilified by many in India, where some of his greatest atrocities were carried out.

Timur died enroute during an uncharacteristic winter campaign against the ruling Chinese Ming Dynasty. It was one of the bitterest winters on record; his troops are recorded as having to dig through five feet of ice to reach drinking water. His body "was embalmed with musk and rose water, wrapped in linen, laid in an ebony coffin and sent to Samarkand, where it was buried." His tomb, the Gur-e Amir, still stands in Samarkand, though it has been heavily restored in recent years.

On his deathbed, Timur named his grandson,son of Jahangir, Pir Muhammad (b1374-d1407)as his successor. This by pass his other surviving sons, Miran Shah suffered from mental difficulties, and Shah Rukh was judged too pious to rule. Unfortunately for Pir Muhammad, he was not supported by any of his relatives following Timur's death. He was unable to assume command in Samarkand and was murdered by his vizier in 1407.

Because of mental difficulties caused by an accident, Miran Shah(b1366-d1408) was not a candidate for succeeding Timur.In the struggle that followed Timur's death in 1405, his son Aba Bakr managed to oust Jalayirid forces from Tabriz and Miran Shah reestablished himself in Azerbaijan. At the same time, Miran Shah supported another son, Khalil Sultan, in his claims the throne. Miran Shah was later killed in the battle in 1408.

Khalil Sultan(died in 1411), son of Miran Shah and a grandson of Timur, took over as ruler.Khalil Sultan's rule(1405-1409)in Samarkand finally ended when Shah Rukh entered the city unopposed on May 13, 1409. Shāh Rukh was the fourth and youngest son of Timur and child of one of his concubines. Transoxiana was then given to Shah Rukh's son Ulugh Beg. Khalil decided to surrender to Shah Rukh, who had captured his wife Shad Mulk. He received his wife back, and was appointed governor of Ray. He died there in 1411. His wife committed suicide shortly after his death.

Ulugh Beg(b 1394-d 1449), Timur's grandson,oldest son of Shah Rukh ruled the country for 40 years(1409-1449). In Samarkand, Ulugh Beg created a scientific school that united outstanding astronomers and mathematicians. He also ordered the construction of an observatory; it contained a gigantic but precision-made marble sextant with an arc length of 63 meters. Ulugh Beg is also founder of uzbek language and uzbek nation.

(source: wikipedia)

As Timurid power in Transoxiana faltered after the deaths of Shah Rukh and Ulugh Beg, the city ceased to be as important as it had been. In 1447, it was sacked by the Uzbeks, who were to return half a century later to set up yet another Turkic dynasty in the area. After the demise of Timurid rule in Central Asia, Samarkand came under a succession of Persian, Turkic, and even Chinese rulers.

In the 16th century,Shaybanids moved their capital to Bukhara, and Samarkand went into decline. After an assault by the Persian warlord Nadir Shah, the city was abandoned in the 18th century.

The city was eventually captured by the Russians in 1868 as this new power from the north expanded into Turkestan ("Land of the Turks"), as the area was known at that time. It is today a major city in the Republic of Uzbekistan, one of five Central Asian republics which emerged from the rubble of the Soviet Union in 1991.

In 2001, UNESCO added the city to its World Heritage List as Samarkand – Crossroads of Cultures.

Further readings
1. Book of Daniel, The Bible

Orthodox Christmas

2012-01-08T08:07:00.005+08:00

Merry Christmas again.....the 2nd Christmas Day.

To many people, Christmas day was over on 25th December 2012, but not Orthodox Christian. Orthodox Christian celebrate Christmas on January 7th, 2012.

The original date of the celebration in Eastern Christianity was January 6, in connection with Epiphany, and that is still the date of the celebration for the Armenian Apostolic Church and in Armenia, where it is a public holiday. As of 2012, there is a difference of 13 days between the modern Gregorian calendar and the older Julian calendar. Those who continue to use the Julian calendar or its equivalents thus celebrate December 25 and January 6 on what for the majority of the world is January 7 and January 19. For this reason, Ethiopia, Russia, Ukraine, Serbia, the Republic of Macedonia, and the Republic of Moldova celebrate Christmas on what in the Gregorian calendar is January 7; all the Greek Orthodox Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25.

The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world,[5] with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Romania, Russia, Serbia, and Ukraine, all of which are majority Eastern Orthodox. It is said to be the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church established by Jesus Christ and his Apostles almost 2,000 years ago.

Based on the numbers of adherents, Orthodoxy is the second largest Christian communion in the world after the Roman Catholic Church. The most common estimates of the number of Orthodox Christians worldwide is approximately 300 million.

Orthodoxy is the largest single religious faith in Greece (95%) and in Eastern Europe, including Russia (80%), Ukraine (80%), Romania (87%), Belarus (85%), Bulgaria (83%), Serbia (84%), Georgia (89%), Moldova (93%), the Republic of Macedonia (65%), Cyprus (80%) and Montenegro (74%).

The number of Orthodox adherents represents about 36% of the population in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosnian Serbs). In Albania, the adherents number around 25% out of a 40% Christian population, the others being Roman Catholic. As the dominant religion in northern Kazakhstan, it represents 40% of Kazakhstan, and 4% of Lithuania and 13% of the Estonian population.

Large Orthodox Christian communities exist in the Mediterranean countries of Lebanon (40% of Christian population, and 10% of the whole Lebanese population), Jordan (80% of Christian population), Israel, the West Bank and Gaza Strip (Palestinian Christians) with some families able to trace their ancestry to the earliest Christians of the Holy Land. Orthodox minorities live in Poland, Slovakia, Hungary (Romanian minority), Turkey and Azerbaijan.

Ancient Eastern Orthodox communities still have large populations in countries such as Lebanon and Israel (Jerusalem and Bethlehem).

The Orthodox Church traces its development back through the Byzantine or Roman empire, to the earliest church established by St. Paul and the Apostles. It practices what it understands to be the original ancient traditions, believing in growth without change. In non-doctrinal matters the church had occasionally shared from local Greek, Slavic and Middle Eastern traditions, among others, in turn shaping the cultural development of these nations.

(source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Orthodox)

Whale killings

2012-01-07T15:04:00.006+08:00

"There are over 80 species of cetaceans, a group made up of whales, dolphins and porpoises. Despite many protections including a moratorium on whaling since 1986, many species of cetaceans continue to be threatened – with some on the verge of extinction"

The world's great whales were hunted to near extinction in the previous century, and despite a global moratorium on commercial whaling, several countries continue to whale commercially - Norway and Iceland using objections to the moratorium, Japan under the guise of 'scientific research'.

(from WWF)

Despite a global whaling ban, the survival of whales, dolphins and porpoises continues to be threatened by commercial trade, pollution, over-fishing and depletion of the ozone layer.

Japan is the main trading culprit. The country’s government continues to authorize hunting of more than 1,000 great whales a year – under the guise of “scientific whaling.” It also has regularly authorized the annual killing of an estimated 20,000 dolphins, porpoises and small whales – collectively known as small cetaceans – in poorly regulated and unsustainable coastal hunts. The meat is then sold to supermarkets and restaurants across the country.

(source: extract from http://www.eia-global.org/species_in_peril/whales_dolphins_purposes.html)

Whale killings

Aftermath of a Japanese whale hunt

Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales. Industrial whaling emerged with organised fleets in the 17th century; competitive national whaling industries in the 18th and 19th centuries; and the introduction of factory ships along with the concept of whale harvesting in the first half of the 20th century.

As technology increased and demand for the resources remained, catches far exceeded the sustainable limit for whale stocks. In the late 1930s more than 50,000 whales were killed annually and by the middle of the century whale stocks were not being replenished. In 1986 the International Whaling Commission (IWC) banned commercial whaling so that stocks might recover.

While the moratorium has been successful in averting the extinction of whale species due to overhunting, contemporary whaling is subject to intense debate. Pro-whaling countries, notably Japan, wish to lift the ban on stocks that they claim have recovered sufficiently to sustain limited hunting. Anti-whaling countries and environmental groups say whale species remain vulnerable and that whaling is immoral, unsustainable, and should remain banned permanently.

Whaling began in prehistoric times and was initially confined to (near) coastal waters. Early whaling affected the development of widely disparate cultures—such as Norway and Japan. Although prehistoric hunting and gathering is generally considered to have had little ecological impact, early whaling in the Arctic may have altered freshwater ecology. The development of modern whaling techniques was spurred in the 19th century by the increase in demand for whale oil, sometimes known as "train oil" and in the 20th century by a demand for margarine and later meat.

Whale oil is little used today and modern commercial whaling is done for food. The primary species hunted are the common minke whale and Antarctic minke whale, two of the smallest species of baleen whales.

(source: extract from wikipedia)

Traditional whaling is mainly at coastal areas and for own consumptions by indigenous peoples for oils and meats, it was sustainable. But modern whaling is now mainly for food, commercially for global market, and there is the problem of overhunting merely for profits, causing much ecological problems.

The International Whaling Commission (IWC)

The International Whaling Commission (IWC) was set up under the ICRW to decide hunting quotas and other relevant matters based on the findings of its Scientific Committee. Non-member countries are not bound by its regulations and conduct their own management programs.

The IWC voted on July 23, 1982, to establish a moratorium on commercial whaling beginning in the 1985–86 season. Since 1992, the IWC's Scientific Committee has requested that it be allowed to give quota proposals for some whale stocks, but this has so far been refused by the Plenary Committee.

At the 2010 meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Morocco, representatives of the 88 member nations discussed whether or not to lift the 24 year ban on commercial whaling. Japan, Norway and Iceland have urged the organization to lift the ban. A coalition of anti-whaling nations has offered a compromise plan that would allow these countries to continue whaling, but with smaller catches and under close supervision. Their plan would also completely ban whaling in the Southern Ocean. More than 200 scientists and experts have opposed the compromise proposal for lifting the ban, and have also opposed allowing whaling in the Southern Ocean, which was declared a whale sanctuary in 1994. Opponents of the compromise plan want to see an end to all commercial whaling, but are willing to allow subsistence-level catches by indigenous peoples.

Stop eating whale meat if you are not indigenous peoples who traditionally depended on whale oils and whale meat. If you are not whale meat eater, then do not start it..... Save our whales...

Further readings

1. The International Whaling Commission (IWC) official website, http://www.iwcoffice.org/commission/iwcmain.htm
2. EIA in the USA, http://www.eia-global.org/species_in_peril/whales_dolphins_purposes.html
3. Whaling, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling
4. Japan Whaling Association, http://www.whaling.jp/english/
5. http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/cetaceans/

Stop eating Sharks and shark's fins

2012-01-07T14:45:00.015+08:00

I think food for human is the priority in world agenda, stable supply to meet the needs of human population is important. Animals had been one of the food chains for human since historical days. Some may said man was basically a vegetarian, and not meat eater in the earliest days. But animal protein is still important source since historical days.

Food, shortage of food, is the urgent agenda for the world today, there are many human beings died of hunger in this earth. But ironically there are many human beings who are overfed, and actually they are resulting in food wastage. This is the ugly picture of society today.

If a man is facing hunger, I do not mind he eat dog if that was only food available. I am not against dog eater, like chicken, beef, mutton, dog meat has been food for many Asian countries, Vietnam, Korea, Thailand, China, Burma etc, since historical days. It is normal just like eating chicken...the animal was prepared as food in that societies as source of protein. How can we stop them eating dog meat?. If you stop them, it is cruel to human, instead of the dogs...moreover dogs are not facing extinction problem. It was their culture and their stable source of food. However if you are not culturally a dog eater, then do not start it.

We are facing the dilemma of human right for food, and animal right for humanization...we cannot go like animal right extremist who go all ways to protect animal right and forget about human right. They dressed dogs like human, deprived the dogs the right to be a dog, an animal...and forced dogs to be like human....animal just need to live like animal. Behind all these movement, there are resources channeled to the rich pet food industry, pet business sector. When human being still died of hunger....

But shark is different, shark meat is luxurious food items, and sharks are wild animals not commonly prepared for human foods, it was only food items for exceptionally few who are rich and overfed, who want something exotic...we can go without eating them. Sharks' population is now going to a danger level of extinction... this apply also to Whale meat eating....

It is the protection of sharks and whales for our future generation....much more than food problems... Whales and Sharks are killed for meats and fins...and even for sport....

Killing of sharks is also not only shark fins eating problems, there are also shark meat eating in Japan, in Europe, in Australia. It is not only typical Chinese problem, it is rich man's problem, it is problem of supply and demand, it is a world problem......and similarly there is also problem of killing of whales by other communities....

Today, we are only talking about shark fins....

Shark fisheries

The majority of shark fisheries have little monitoring or management. The rise in demand for shark products increases pressure on fisheries. Major declines in shark stocks have been recorded—some species have been depleted by over 90% over the past 20–30 years with population declines of 70% not unusual. Many governments and the UN have acknowledged the need for shark fisheries management, but little progress has been made due to their low economic value, the small volumes of products produced and sharks' poor public image.

On the IUCN red list there are 39 species of elasmobranches (sharks and rays) listed as threatened species (Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable). CITES lists three sharks in Appendix II: the basking shark, the great white shark, and the whale shark. Appendix II lists those species that are not in danger of extinction, but which require controls on international trade to maintain their populations. It is estimated that 10–100 million sharks are slaughtered each year for their fins with a median figure of 38 million. The industry is valued at US$1.2 billion; because of the lucrative profits, there are allegations of links to organized crime. They also raise questions on the medical harm from the consumption of high levels of toxic mercury reportedly found in shark fins.

It is estimated that 100 million sharks are killed by people every year, due to commercial and recreational fishing. Sharks are a common seafood in many places, including Japan and Australia. In the Australian state of Victoria, shark is the most commonly used fish in fish and chips, in which fillets are battered and deep-fried or crumbed and grilled. In fish and chip shops, shark is called flake. In India, small sharks or baby sharks (called sora in Tamil language, Telugu language) are sold in local markets. Since the flesh is not developed, cooking the flesh breaks it into powder, which is then fried in oil and spices (called sora puttu/sora poratu). The soft bones can be easily chewed. They are considered a delicacy in coastal Tamil Nadu. Icelanders ferment Greenland sharks to produce hákarl, which is widely regarded as a national dish.

Let us take the opportunity of coming Chinese New Year to talk about shark fins. Eating shark fins had been long time since historical days, but there was no problem of shark extinction, it was a rare exotic food only for minority of people. But the scenario is different today, it has become a popular exotic food...

But still remember killing of sharks is not only shark fins eating, but also shark meat eating; it is not only Chinese problem, it is also Japanese, it is also European problem, it is the world problem. But being contributor of the problem, Chinese should stop eating shark fins.... to contribute positively the conservation of shark population.

Shark fins

Stop eating shark’s fins from this New Year

Shark’s fins soup is popular today. It is a popular soup item of Chinese cuisine usually served at special occasions such as weddings and banquets, or as a luxury item in business dinner or government official functions. It was rare seafood item only for emperor’s cuisine or rich people in the old days. The consumptions was not high, as supplies was limited. But with the advance in transportation, supplies can now easily obtained from Spain, South America and anywhere in the world. The supplies and consumptions increase not only due to high demand, but also the high price for supplies of the shark’s fins. Fins were used to obtain from dead sharks, but in view of the extreme high price for the fins, much higher than the shark meat. Shark fins are now obtained from lived sharks just for their fins, and the shark are throw back into the seawater, most finless sharks are not able to survive long in the sea. This has drastically and adversely affect the number of the sharks in the world. The market for shark fins are in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, South East Asia countries, and many Chinese restaurants around the world.

Shark fins soup is not a must item for normal dinners, but it is a regular item in special occasions, like wedding and banquets. We cannot denied that Shark’s fins soup had been around since Ming Dynasty, some said it was started from Admiral Cheng Ho. May be during his expeditions oversea, traveled in the seas for days and months, seafood like shark fins become one of the sailors items. It may not be a luxurious item In their food during the sailing days, it was for survival in the sea. The food item may had introduced to the Chinese people when they landed in the Chinese ports, and it become a popular food item. But due to its difficulties in supplies, it was a highly priced item, not many people can afford to eat it. It become an affluent food item, only royalties and rich families can afford to eat it. It slowly evolved to become a food symbol of richness and success.

History of Shark Fins eating

Shark fin soup dates back to China's Ming Dynasty. The popularity of shark fin soup rose in the late 18th and early 19th centuries as standards of living began to improve. The delicacy was coveted by emperors because it was rare, delicious, and required elaborate preparation. Holding both culinary and symbolic significance, the dish is popular at important occasions such as weddings, banquets, and important business deals. It symbolizes wealth, power, prestige and honor. This staple of gourmet Chinese cuisine is a show of respect, honor, and appreciation to the guests

Preparation

Genuine shark fin soup or stew is made with shark fins obtained from any of a variety of shark species. Raw shark fins are processed by first removing the skin, trimming them to shape, and thoroughly drying them. Hydrogen peroxide may be used before drying to make their colour more appealing.

Shark fins are the cartilaginous pectoral and dorsal fins of a shark. Sharks' fins are sold in two forms: frozen and dried. Both need to be softened before they can be used to prepare soup. The frozen form is ready to use, as it has been prepared and therefore only requires about an hour or two of soaking.

There are two types of the dried form, skinned (shredded) and whole, which requires more preparation

Nutritional Content

Vitamin content of typical shark fin soup is much less than that of typical vegetable soup, containing almost no vitamin A. However, it contains slightly more iron, zinc, riboflavin, and phosphorus than normal vegetable soup. If consumed in extremely large quantities, shark fin soup may cause sterility in men due to mercury content. ( Watch out for shark fin soup, http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-05/21/content_444520.htm)

The FDA recommends pregnant women and young children avoid eating shark fins.

The nutritional content of Shark fin (100 grams)
Energy of 350 kcal, protein 84.1 g, fat 0.5 g, carbohydrates 2.3 grams, 0.01 mg thiamine, riboflavin 0.02 mg, 252 mg of calcium, phosphorus 115 mg, 226 mg of potassium, sodium 79.6 mg, 10.9 mg iodine, Magnesium 17 mg, iron 5.1 mg, 2.25 mg of zinc, selenium 72.46 mcg, Copper 0.04 mg Manganese 0.09 mg.

Shark fin which protein containing about 80%, also contains fat, carbohydrates and other minerals. Shark fin may be luxurious sea food in Chinese cuisine, but the nutritional value is actually not very high. This is because the protein contained in Shark fin, is lacking an essential amino acid (tryptophan), and is not a complete protein.

The nutritional value of Shark fin:
1. Shark fin with lipid-lowering, anti-arteriosclerosis and anticoagulant content on the effectiveness of prevention and treatment of cardiovascular system diseases.
2. Shark fin is rich in collagen, but the protein is not entirely protein, should be cooked with meat, chicken, duck, shrimp were cooked in order to achieve the complementary proteins, but also conferred by fresh taste can nourish, Soft skin.
3. One of the useful content in shark fin is cartilage or cartilage, which is believed capable of improving immunity and preventing cancer. Just like shark fins, chicken feet also contain a lot of cartilage to coat joints, which is much cheaper and breed commercially.

Demand and Consumptions
Sharks are often killed for shark fin soup. Shark fin soup is a status symbol in Asian countries, and is considered healthy and full of nutrients. Fishermen capture live sharks, fin them, and dump the finless animal back into the water. Shark finning involves removing the fin with a hot metal blade. The resulting immobile shark soon dies from suffocation or predators. Shark fin has become a major trade within black markets all over the world. Fins sell for about $300/lb in 2009. Poachers illegally fin millions each year. Few governments enforce laws that protect them. Consumption of shark fin soup has risen dramatically with the middle class becoming more affluent, as Chinese communities around the world enjoy increasing income levels. Environmental groups claim that finning has caused decline of shark species, which, as top predators in the ocean, are essential to the stability of oceanic ecosystems. Fishing fleets catch an estimated 70 million sharks a year as of 2010.
Now with the economic success of China, there are many rich Chineses who consumed shark fins more frequently in their dinners and banquets.
Sharks are also killed for meat. European diners consume dogfishes, smoothhounds, catsharks, makos, porbeagle and also skates and rays.

Supply - Shark finning

Shark finning refers to the removal and retention of shark fins and the discarding of the rest of the fish. Shark finning takes place at sea so the fishers only have to transport the fins
.
On September 15, 2007, Malaysia's Natural Resources and Environment Ministry Azmi Khalid banned shark's fin soup from official functions committing to the Malaysian Nature Society (for conservation of shark species).

Sharks belong to the scientific class Chondrichthyes, or jawed fish with cartilage skeletons. Using their body and tail in a side-to-side movement, sharks move through water using fins for steering, stabilization, propulsion and thrust. Supported by cartilage, shark fins are rigid rather than flexible. In the shark family, there are five different types of fins, each with its own purpose. Sharks, as all fish, use their body and tail in a side to side motion to move through the water. Shark fins are rigid not flexible, and are supported by rods made of cartilage. Sharks have five different kinds of fins.
(i) Paired pectoral fins lift the shark as it swims.

(ii) Paired pelvic fins stabilize the shark.

(iii) One or two dorsal fins also stabilize the shark. In some species, dorsal fins have spines.

(iv) Not all sharks have an anal fin, but it provides stability for the sharks that do have one.

(v) The caudal or tail fin moves the shark forward.

It is high time to stop eating shark’s fin soup, especially during Chinese New Year Reunion dinner and wedding dinner.

Opposition voices
Tommy Cheung, the legislator representing Hong Kong's catering sector, said: "I don't believe sharks are an endangered species. Some species of shark may be, but not all shark's fin comes from certain species. There are a lot of species that are plentiful." There is no reliable count for the numbers taken in the shark fin trade and thus it is hard to prove the claims on either side of the argument.
However, research has shown that the vast majority of shark species are gaining in population and not endangered; CITES lists only 3 out of 400 species as needing protection. Furthermore, shark finning contributes to a small proportion of sharks caught worldwide; most sharks are caught in European nations as bycatch, for sport, or for their meat. As a result, the movement against shark fins have been variously described as misled, reliant on populist rhetoric, or Sinophobic.

According to Giam's article, "sharks are caught virtually all parts of the world. Despite the strongly declared objectives of the Fisheries Commission in Brussels, there are very few restrictions on fishing for sharks in European waters. The meat of dogfishes, smoothhounds, cat sharks, skates and rays is in high demand by European consumers...The situation in Canada and the United States is similar: the blue shark is sought after as a sport fish while the porbeagle, mako and spiny dogfish are part of the commercial fishery...the truth is this: Sharks will continue to be caught and killed on a wide scale by the more organized and sophisticated fishing nations...targeting shark's fin soup will not stop this accidental catch. The fins from these catches will be thrown away or turned into animal feed and fertilizers if shark's fin soup is shunned."

However, the U.S. FDA lists sharks as one of four fish (with swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish) whose high mercury content is hazardous to children and pregnant women.

Shark finning is cruel, and shark finning should be banned. Shark fins should only be obtained from dead fishes, not lived sharks. Better to stop eating shark related food to stop the demand and the ultimately the sharks killings, either for shark fins or for shark meats.

We should stop eating shark’s fins during Chinese New Year 2012, and start campaigns to stop consuming shark’s fins soup, and to help the survival of the sharks’ population. By eating shark’s fins, we are helping to increase the demand.....let us stop it.

Say No to Shark Fins Soup, and a happy Chinese New Year for Sharks, for all human, and the world....

Related articles:

1. The factory processes shark's fin. But the boss of the factory never eat shark's fin. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwdW0wRYjoo

2. http://www.sharktruth.org/
3. STOP SHARK FINNING, http://www.stopsharkfinning.net/shark-fin-soup.htm
http://www.thailandlife.com/all-about-thailand/shark-fin-soup.html
4. The Reality of Shark Finning , http://www.sharkfriends.com/sharks/sharkfinning.html
5. http://www.unitedconservationists.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=93&Itemid=223
6. Shark finning, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shark_finning
Youtubes
7. Shark Finning , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2UKgLsOhRM
8. Shark Fin Soup , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCqPXhhxZIg&feature=fvwp&NR=1

如果您喝酒脸红，看了这条新闻您还喝吗？？

2012-01-02T09:38:00.004+08:00

喝酒有害身体，这是大家都知道的铁律. 有些人喝一点脸就红，有些人喝了脸色不改.

喝一点脸就红, 都是中國人基因的错.

中國人的基因, 这用来警惕大家不要滥用酒精.....一点点就好...脸红就不需喝酒 lah....

Asian Turn Red Syndrome (Alcohol flush reaction)lah....

中國人的基因, 这不是一件好事吗？....

Merry Christmas from Bethlehem

2011-12-25T08:30:00.026+08:00

Merry Christmas to all....from the birth place of Jesus Christ, Bethlehem.

Merry Christmas...pray for Palestinian Christians, especially Bethlehem Christian, their population is declining drastically in their own home land.

Bethlehem (or Bet Leḥem, Bayt Lahm) is a city located in the central West Bank and approximately 8 kilometers (5.0 mi) south of Jerusalem, with a population of about 30,000 people. It is the capital of the Bethlehem Governorate of the Palestinian National Authority and a hub of Palestinian culture and tourism. The Hebrew Bible identifies Bethlehem as the city David was from and the location where he was crowned as the king of Israel. The New Testament identifies Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus of Nazareth. The town is inhabited by one of the oldest Christian communities in the world, although the size of the community has shrunk due to emigration.

Many of Bethlehem's Christian inhabitants claim ancestry from Arab Christian clans from the Arabian Peninsula, including the city's two largest: al-Farahiyya and an-Najajreh. The former claims to have descended from the Ghassanids who migrated from Yemen to the Wadi Musa area in present-day Jordan and an-Najajreh descend from the Arabs of Najran in the southern Hejaz. Another Bethlehem clan, al-Anantreh, also trace their ancestry to the Arabian Peninsula.The percentage of Christians in the town has been steadily falling, primarily due to emigration. The lower birth rate of Christians also accounts for some of the decline. In 1947, Christians made up 85% of the population, but by 1998 the figure had declined to 40%. In 2005, the mayor of Bethlehem, Victor Batarseh explained that "due to the stress, either physical or psychological, and the bad economic situation, many people are emigrating, either Christians or Muslims, but it is more apparent among Christians, because they already are a minority.

In the center of Bethlehem is its old city. The old city consists of eight quarters, laid out in a mosaic style, forming the area around the Manger Square. The quarters include the Christian al-Najajreh, al-Farahiyeh, al-Anatreh, al-Tarajmeh, al-Qawawsa and Hreizat quarters and al-Fawaghreh — the only Muslim quarter. Most of the Christian quarters are named after the Arab Ghassanid clans that settled there. Al-Qawawsa Quarter was formed by Arab Christian emigrants from the nearby town of Tuqu' in the 18th century.

Bethlehem has a Muslim majority, but is also home to one of the largest Palestinian Christian communities. Bethlehem's chief economic sector is tourism which peaks during the Christmas season when Christian pilgrims throng to the Church of the Nativity.

(source: wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bayt_Lahm)

In 1997, I was visiting Church of the Nativity, and that was the first time I saw the Arabic bible and Arabic Hymn book. The first time my knowledge of Palestine changed. I realized the picture that the mass media and some government media provided were totally not correct. Palestine is not a place for specific religion, there are Palestinian Christian.....there are Arabic Christian. Middle East is not all Arab....I begin to read history of middle east, may not be a good student, but at least I understand middle east better, better than many who still has wrong perception....I know who is Edward Said, I know where is Beit Jala....Middle East history is much more complicated ....Israeli-Arab conflict was wrongly perceived by the world as solely religion conflict, instead of political conflict, the issue is much more complicated with their long history of the land......of Near East, with wars, colonization, Turkification, Arabization, resulted in complication of religious conversion, cultural and language assimilation,and even the loss of ethnic identity, culture and languages. It was the sad story of Near East. from historical times, it was not easy for minority and the weak to survive in the Near East...

Another place to remember is Beit Jala....facing similar problem...

Palestinian Christians are Christians descended from the people of the geographical area of Palestine, the birthplace of Christianity. Within Palestine, there are churches and believers from many Christian denominations, including Oriental Orthodoxy, Eastern Orthodoxy, Catholic (Eastern and Western rites), Protestant, and others. In both the local dialect of Palestinian Arabic and in classical or modern standard Arabic, Christians are called Nasrani (a derivative of the Arabic word for Nazareth, al-Nasira) or Masihi (a derivative of Arabic word Masih, meaning "Messiah"). In Hebrew, they are called Notzri (also spelt Notsri) which means "Nazarene" in Hebrew.

The Palestinian Christian, like other Arabic Christian are living in dilemma, like sandwich between Israel Jews and Muslim Palestinian. The conflict between Jews(Israel) and Muslim Palestinian(Palestine), caused much psychological pressure and physical stress to them, they identify with Palestinian nationalism, many of them are in the front line of their struggle. But they are not able to identify in their religion, they are different and distinct as Christian. Some are not Arab per se, they cannot identify with the Pan-Arabism. This identity crisis created political pressure to their people , properties, and culture. They cannot identify with Jews, they are of different race and religion. The stress is too much to bear, they choose to emigrate to other countries. Their population is declining fast in their own land....

But the world identified them wrongly in the conflict, based on religion, they are wrongly perceived with Jews, based in culture and homeland, they are perceived with Muslim Arabs. (Ironically the three religions have the same root from Abraham, they should have close relationship). But they have their own distinct identity, Palestinian Christian, they are not Jews nor Muslim Arabs,only fact is that Palestine is their home land. Both did not give them a chance, they suffered the most in the Israeli-Arab conflict, but no body care because they are the minority, they have no political power, nor military power. Ultimately, they leave their homeland, and others moved in .... Jew settlement, Palestinian from other place and sooner there may not be any Palestinian Christian in the Bethlehem for Christmas. Bethlehem will lost its living heritage, the people of Palestinian Christian, and remained as a town for tourism only. We hope this will not happen....

......a sad story and yet the world is silence....and happy forever in their celebration of commercial Christmas....forgetting the people from the land of Christ, the land of Christmas, Bethlehem......

The world remember Christmas day, but forget the real story of the Christmas....

Note: The basilica was placed on the 2008 Watch List of the 100 Most Endangered Sites by the World Monuments Fund:

The present state of the church is worrying. Many roof timbers are rotting, and have not been replaced since the 19th century. The rainwater that seeps into the building not only accelerates the rotting of the wood and damages the structural integrity of the building, but also damages the 12th-century wall mosaics and paintings. The influx of water also means that there is an ever-present chance of an electrical fire. If another earthquake were to occur on the scale of the one of 1834, the result would most likely be catastrophic. ... It is hoped that the listing will encourage its preservation, including getting the three custodians of the church - the Greek Orthodox Church, the Armenian Orthodox Church, and the Franciscan order - to work together, which has not happened for hundreds of years. The Israeli government and the Palestinian Authority would also have to work together to protect it.

(source: World Monuments Fund, http://www.wmf.org/project/church-holy-nativity)

Further references:

1. Palestinian Christians, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palestinian_Christian
2. A Visit to Beit Jala, http://www.incommunion.org/2004/10/18/a-visit-to-beit-jala/
3. Arab Christians, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_Christians
4. Church of the Nativity, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Nativity
5. Christians in the Middle East - 11 May 09 - Part 1 - Riz Khan at Al Jazeera English
6. Christians in the Middle East - 11 May 09 - Part 2 - Riz Khan at Al Jazeera English
7. List of oldest churches, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oldest_churches_in_the_world

Nanking massacre & Comfort Woman

2011-12-19T21:09:00.013+08:00

13th December, is the anniversary of the Rape of Nanking or Nanking Massacre.

On 18-12-2011, South Korea's visiting president Lee Myung-bak pressed his Japanese counterpart to resolve a long-standing grievance regarding Korean women forced to serve as sexual slaves during World War II, calling it a "stumbling block" in their relations.

Most of the Japanese military records on the Nanking killings and comfort woman were deliberately destroyed or kept secret shortly after the surrender of Japan in 1945. So until today, it was extreme difficult to obtain historical documentary evidences on the issues of Nanking Massacre and Comfort woman. Ironically the establishment of Comfort Woman system by the Japanese Imperial Army has direct relation with the Nanking Massacre, and General Okamura Yasuji (岡村寧次).

General Okamura Yasuji (岡村寧次)& Comfort Woman

General Okamura Yasuji (岡村寧次)is named as the first confirmed officer in the Japanese army who instituted forced prostitution. Widely known as the system of ' comfort women' or Ianfu. May be he should be called Father of Comfort Woman....he was also the one who was responsible for the Three Alls Policy in China. Yasuji Okamura(15 May 1884 – 2 September 1966) was a general of the Imperial Japanese Army, war criminal, and commander-in-chief of the China Expeditionary Army from November 1944 to the end of World War II. But he was lucky as his good friend, General Chiang Kai-sek saved him from death, making use of him as Military Advisor to Nationalist Chinese Army from 1946-1949. (Note: this revealed that the war criminal court may not be truly independence but may be influenced by some country, especially USA). He was General Officer Commanding 2nd Division, China from 1936-1938, when the Rape of Nanking took place during the WW2.

The Three Alls Policy(三光作戦), originally referred to as "The Burn to Ash Strategy" (燼滅作戦 Jinmetsu Sakusen), was initiated in 1940 by Major General Ryūkichi Tanaka, but the Sankō Sakusen was implemented in full scale in 1942 in north China by General Yasuji Okamura(1884-1966) who divided the territory of five provinces (Hebei, Shandong, Shensi, Shanhsi, Chahaer) into "pacified", "semi-pacified" and "unpacified" areas. The approval of the policy was given by Imperial General Headquarters Order Number 575 on 3 December 1941. Okamura's strategy involved burning down villages, confiscating grain and mobilizing peasants to construct collective hamlets. It also centered on the digging of vast trench lines and the building of thousands of miles of containment walls and moats, watchtowers and roads. These operations targeted for destruction "enemies pretending to be local people" and "all males between the ages of fifteen and sixty whom we suspect to be enemies."(source: wikipedia)

While he was questioned by the investigators, he testified about the Nanking massacre:

"I surmised the following based on what I heard from Staff Officer Miyazaki, CCAA Special Service Department Chief Harada and Hangzhou Special Service Department Chief Hagiwara a day or two after I arrived in Shanghai. First, it is true that tens of thousands of acts of violence, such as looting and rape, took place against civilians during the assault on Nanking. Second, front-line troops indulged in the evil practice of executing POWs on the pretext of (lacking) rations”

His order on comfort woman can be traced back to 1932 with documentation of Japanese Lieutenant-General Okamura Yasuji’s proposal for a “shipment” of comfort women to be sent to Shanghai. He was the Deputy Chief of Staff of the Shanghai Expeditionary Army
Comfort Women In 1932, the Japanese army’s comfort stations began. The Japanese Lieutenant-General Okamura Yasuji, was trying to find a solution to the 223 reported rapes by Japanese troops. So the only solution that he could find was to ask for comfort women to be sent for his soldiers in Shanghai, China. The Japanese Army made use of comfort stations a lot until the war ended in 1945. At a typical comfort station, a soldier paid a fee, obtained a ticket and a condom, and was admitted to a woman's space.

March 1932 Following the “First Shanghai Incident”, 223 cases of rape by Japanese soldiers are reported in the area. Lieutenant-General Okamura Yasuji (岡村寧次) subsequently demands the creation in Shanghai of the first “comfort station” (慰安所 ianjo) for naval troops, an initiative immediately imitated by the Imperial Army. The number of Chinese as well as Japanese women rounded up is unknown (see the rest of the chronology for available numbers and estimates.)(Soh, 2005: 360, Hicks, 1994: 45, Yoshimi, 2000: 43-44)

The establishment of "comfort stations" providing on-site prostitutes for the Japanese army started as early as 1932, following hostilities between Japan and China in Shanghai. This was nearly a decade before the use of so¬called "comfort women" became a widespread and regular phenomenon, as it had undoubtedly become in all parts of Japanese-controlled East Asia by the end of the Second World War. The first military sexual slaves were Koreans from the North Kyushu area of Japan, and were sent, at the request of one of the commanding officers of the army, by the Governor of Nagasaki Prefecture. The rationale behind the establishment of a formal system of comfort stations was that such an institutionalized and, therefore, controlled prostitution service would reduce the number of rape reports in areas where the army was based

March 1933
According to testimonies, organised prostitution sections are gradually established under the name of “Young Women Auxiliary Corps” (若年女子補助部隊 jakunen joshi hojo butai) and set up by the Imperial Army Staff in Manchuria for the benefit of Japanese troops. (Some former victims claim that the corps dates back to 1931-32.) The total number of women abused is unknown. ** (Soh, 2005: 364-65)

(source ; Chronological Index: Japanese mass violence and its victims in the Fifteen Years War (1931-45) )

Nanking massacre

The Nanking Massacre or Nanjing Massacre, also known as the Rape of Nanking, was a mass murder, genocide and war rape that occurred during the six-week period following the Japanese capture of the city of Nanjing (Nanking), the former capital of the Republic of China, on December 13, 1937 during the Second Sino-Japanese War. During this period hundreds of thousands of Chinese civilians and disarmed soldiers were murdered and 20,000–80,000 men, women and children were raped by soldiers of the Imperial Japanese Army

The event remains a contentious political issue, as various aspects of it have been disputed by some historical revisionists and Japanese nationalists, who have claimed that the massacre has been either exaggerated or wholly fabricated for propaganda purposes. As a result of the nationalist efforts to deny or rationalize the war crimes, the controversy surrounding the massacre remains a stumbling block in Sino-Japanese relations, as well as Japanese relations with other Asia-Pacific nations such as South Korea and the Philippines.

13 December 1937
The city of Nanking falls to Japanese troops under the command of General Matsui Iwane (松井石根). Rape, pillaging and executions by Japanese soldiers take place over the following six weeks, until January 1938, in the city and neighbouring area, making the precise localisation of the event a source of dispute. However, most reasonable historians today accept that what constitutes the incident is the plurality of cases of mass violence exerted first on the road to Nanking, and then in and around the city, whereas revisionists tend to reduce the area in which acts of violence were committed, in order to minimise the number of victims. Chinese civilians and soldiers alike are killed, either individually in sporadic acts of violence or machined-gunned and thrown into mass graves. The female population is subjected to mass rape by Japanese troops. The total number of victims is still the main source of public disagreement today. The Nanking Memorial Museum claims a total of 300,000 deaths and 20,000 rapes. Some revisionists/negationists in Japan still maintain that what is known today as “The Great Nanking Massacre” (南京大虐殺 nankin dai gyakusatsu) or “The Nanking Incident” (南京事件 nankin jiken) did not take place in these proportions and that there was a maximum of 50 Chinese victims. The vast majority of historians today put the death toll at over 200,000. (Brook, 1999, Fujiwara, 1997: 54-74, Ishida, 2006: 170, Kasahara, 1997: 201-232, Rabe, 1998, Yamamoto, 2000: 234-281, Yoshida, 2006: 11-26)
(source: Chronological Index: Japanese mass violence and its victims in the Fifteen Years War (1931-45) )

The Comfort Woman System or Military Prostitution

December 1937
The (first?) Japanese military brothel (in China) is set up by the Army in the city of Nanking, a few days after its fall, marking the beginning of the systematisation of this practice. Military police round up an unknown number (over a hundred) of Chinese women to serve as forced prostitutes. It is estimated that more than 1,200 women, a minority of them prostitutes, had been transformed into sex slaves by the Japanese Army by 1939. It is also widely believed that brothels had already been established in Manchuria, by and under the responsibility of the Kwantung Army, and had been in use by Imperial troops stationed there since 1931. If the Nanking “comfort station” is not technically the first such institution of its kind, it does, however, mark the beginning of their extremely rapid increase. *** (Imai & Iwasaki, 2010, Soh, 2005: 360-65, Tanaka, 2002: 12-19, Yoshimi, 2000: 53-54)

July 1941
In preparation for war with the Soviet Union, an estimated 10,000 Korean women are brought to Manchukuo to serve as “comfort women” for the Kwantung Army, and large numbers of brothels are set up throughout the area. (Yoshimi, 2000: 57)

(source: Chronological Index: Japanese mass violence and its victims in the Fifteen Years War (1931-45) )

When, in 1937, the Japanese Imperial Army captured Nanking, with resulting violence, the Japanese authorities were forced to consider the state of military discipline and morale. The comfort station plan as originally introduced in 1932 was revived. The Shanghai Special Branch used its contacts in the trading community to obtain as many women as possible for military sexual services by the end of 1937.

These women and girls were employed in a comfort station situated between Shanghai and Nanking, operated directly by the army. This station became the prototype for later stations and photographs of the station, as well as regulations for the users, are preserved. This station's direct operation by the army did not continue as the norm for comfort stations in the more settled environment which followed when the phenomenon became more widespread. There were enough private civilians willing to run the stations and to see to their internal operation; they were given paramilitary status and rank by the army. The army remained responsible for transportation and the general overseeing of the stations, and matters such as health and general supervision remained the responsibility of the military.
(source: http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/commission/country52/53-add1.htm)

Following the rape of Nanking in 1937, it became apparent to the Japanese that discipline had to be improved and the "comfort women establishment" was revived. Agents were sent to the same area in North Kyushu, and when there was inadequate response from volunteers from brothels they resorted to deceiving local girls with offers of well¬paid jobs, ostensibly as cooks and laundresses for the army. Instead, they worked as military sexual slaves in a comfort station situated between Shanghai and Nanking, a centre which became the prototype for future stations.

Japanese buying/thieving of women’s flesh did not begin with the advent of comfort women. Diaries and military documents during the Russo-Japanese war reveal the popularity of brothels among the Japanese military during the early twentieth century. Japanese soldiers’ high demand for sexual commodities continued into the Shanghai War, the Manchurian conflict, and World War II. The pre-1937 brothels, although employing military physicians, were generally privately run. During the escalating war with China and the subsequent Second World War, the Japanese government took a more direct hand in the organization and operation of brothels or “comfort stations.” There was logic behind their depravity. The Japanese government, in the wake of the widespread murder, rape, and rampant destruction of Nanking by Japan’s military, argued that comfort stations allowed soldiers to release their pent up sexual aggressions in a controlled environment. Incidents such as the rape of Nanking, the Japanese government believed, would cause backlash and public outcry, but the systematic and covert recruitment of women as sex-slaves could go unnoticed. Comfort stations were also seen as necessary to reduce the spread of infections diseases11 among Japanese soldiers. One must be careful not to blame the sexual exploitation of comfort women solely on the horrors of war and thus create a simplistic “war equals atrocities” equation.

The unequal power-relations the comfort women experienced are much more complex The extent of the Japanese government’s involvement in running comfort stations is hotly disputed. After former comfort women came forward and shared their dark experiences, Japanese officials reluctantly apologized for military mistreatment of women. In 1992, Koichi Kato, the Chief Cabinet Secretary of Japan, stated, “I would like to express the sincere apology and remorse of the Government of Japan to all those…who underwent indescribable pain and suffering as comfort women.” Although offering an apology, Mr. Kato refused to admit government responsibility. Mr. Kato went on to state, “We did our best. Such problems, unthinkable in a time of peace, occurred in the midst of a war in which behavior often defied common sense.”. Mr. Kato evades government responsibility and relegates the pain inflected upon the comfort women as merely an unfortunate result of hysterical war fever.

(source: Colonizing sex: sexology and social control in modern Japan
By Sabine Frühstück, University of California Press, 2003)

After the war, comfort woman continue in Japan to provide service to the American GIs under RAA

RAA - The Recreation and Amusement Association

The occupation of Japan by the Allied Powers started in August 1945 and ended in April 1952. General MacArthur was its first Supreme Commander. The whole operation was mainly carried out by the United States.

An undated photo from the Yokosuka City Council in Japan shows U.S. sailors gathered in front of a "Yasu-Ura House" in the town south of Tokyo. Japan's practice of enslaving women to provide sex for its World War II troops continued after Americans began to flood the country after its surrender. U.S. occupation officials provided penicillin and condoms. (AP / Yokosuka City Council) Tens of thousands of women were employed to provide cheap sex to U.S. troops until the spring of 1946, when Gen. Douglas MacArthur shut the brothels down. Police officials and Tokyo businessmen established a network of brothels under the auspices of the Recreation and Amusement Association, which operated with government funds.

Seiichi Kaburagi, the chief of public relations for the RAA, wrote in a 1972 memoir that occupation GIs paid up front and were given tickets and condoms. The first RAA brothel, called Komachien - The Babe Garden - had 38 women, but due to high demand, that was quickly increased to 100. Each woman serviced from 15 to 60 clients a day. The Recreation and Amusement Association (特殊慰安施設協会 tokushu-ian-shisetsu-kyōkai) (RAA), or more literally Special Comfort Facility Association, was the official euphemism for the prostitution centers arranged for occupying U.S. armed forces by the Japanese Government after World War II. The RAA was created on August 28, 1945 by the Japanese Home Ministry and a civilian organization through joint capital investment (50 million yen each), officially to contain the sexual urges of the occupation forces, protect the main Japanese populace from rape and preserve the purity of the Japanese race. The official declaration of 19 August 1945 stated that "Through the sacrifice of thousands of 'Okichis' of the Shōwa era, we shall construct a dike to hold back the mad frenzy of the occupation troops and cultivate and preserve the purity of our race long into the future..." In September, the system was extended to cover the entire country. Allied GHQ (General Headquarters) commandeered these institutions (22 places of prostitution) on September 28 because rapes by the occupation army soldiers were frequent. In January 1946, the RAA was terminated by an order to cease all "public" prostitution. The ban is traditionally attributed to the efforts of former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt. General Douglas MacArthur declared all places of prostitution off limits in an attempt to counter the spread of sexually transmitted diseases on March 25, 1946 as by then more than a quarter of all American GIs in the Japanese occupation forces had a sexually transmitted disease

The Americans also had full knowledge by then of Japan's atrocious treatment of women in countries across Asia that it conquered during the war. Tens of thousands of women were employed to provide cheap sex to U.S. troops until the spring of 1946, when Gen. Douglas MacArthur shut the brothels down. The documents show the brothels were rushed into operation as American forces poured into Japan beginning in August 1945.

Japan 'gave GIs comfort women, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/japan-gave-gis-comfort-women/story-e6frg6so-1111113417409

R&R - Rest and Recuperation

The RAA system was continued during Korea War and Vietnam war under R&R or Rest and Recuperation, leave Program for the United States Army G-1. Soldiers who are serving in areas designated as hostile fire and imminent danger area may be eligible for one Rest and Recuperation (R&R) trip per 12-month period. R & R is a chargeable leave program that authorizes use of ordinary leave and may not be combined with other absences. Soldiers must meet certain requirements to be eligible for an R & R trip.

R&R, military slang for rest and recuperation (or rest and relaxation), is a term used for the free time of a soldier in the US military or International UN staff serving in non-family duty stations. R&R includes various forms, including mail, sports, film screenings, "using the services of prostitutes" and leave time. During the Korea and Vietnam wars, you can see American GIs in Bangkok, and many designated R & R areas, and the development of prostitution services for the American GIs in R&R designated areas, another form of military prostitution system developed, isn't it similar to Comfort Woman system of Japan in another form? the only difference is there was an element of mutual consent in free market....

As time go by, many may have forgotten the war history; but the actual happening will still lingering in the mind of many families; some former comfort woman stations are still remained to remind the people of what happen during the war.

The feeling is just like what the residents of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is not easy to delete from memories....

Japan is buying time to let people forget her war crime history, which created hostile relationship and adding more salts to the old wound; Germany boldly admitted the war crime history and looking forward to let time to heel the old wound and built new relationship.

Japan is still carrying the heavy burden of national pride of military nationalism......the price is high to maintain the pride of past glory.....

References & Suggested readings:

1. Chronological Index: Japanese mass violence and its victims in the Fifteen Years War (1931-45) ) http://www.massviolence.org/Japanese-mass-violence-and-its-victims-in-the-Fifteen-Years?cs=print
2. Colonizing sex: sexology and social control in modern Japan(2003), by Sabine Frühstück, University of California Press, 2003
3. Comfort Women: Systems of Domination Revealed, by Jonathan Stratton, http://castle.eiu.edu/historia/archives/2008/Historia2008Stratton.pdf
4. Asian Holocaust : WMD Opium, Sex Slaves, Nanjing Massacre Pillage, Slavery, WMD Unit 731, 100, 516 http://www.skycitygallery.com/japan/japan2.html
5. Who are the Ianfu (Comfort Women)? Kirsten Orreill University of Queensland www.jpf.org.au/newvoices/2/chapter7.pdf
6. Washington Coalition for Comfort Women Issues Inc, http://comfort-women.org/
7. Japan 'gave GIs comfort women', http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/japan-gave-gis-comfort-women/story-e6frg6so-1111113417409
8. Comfort Woman: A Filipina's Story of Prostitution and Slavery Under the Japanese Military (1999), by Maria Rosa Luna Henson, Rowman & Littlefields Publisher Inc, USA (Maria Rosa Luna Henson or "Lola Rosa" (Grandma Rosa) (1927- 1997) was the first Filipina to tell the world of her story as a comfort woman for the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II.)
9. The Comfort Women: Japan's Brutal Regime of Enforced Prostitution in the Second World War(1997), by George Hicks, WW Norton & CO, NY.

Olive

2011-12-12T10:53:00.002+08:00

It was filmed with It was filmed with a Nokia n8 handphone

Transport volunteers from Perak

2011-11-25T21:42:00.001+08:00

何日君再来(Tresa Teng)

2011-11-25T15:23:00.003+08:00

何日君再来

好花不常开好景不常在愁堆解笑眉泪洒相思带
今宵离别后何日君再来喝完了这杯请进点小菜
人生能得几回醉不欢更何待

[白]来, 喝完这杯再说吧!

今宵离别后何日君再来
停唱阳关叠重擎白玉杯殷勤频致语牢牢抚君怀
今宵离别后何日君再来喝完了这杯请进点小菜
人生能得几回醉不欢更何待

[白]哎!
再喝一杯,干了吧!今宵离别后何日君再来

作者
刘雪庵先生师承我国早期著名的音乐家萧友梅与黄自，是黄自的得意门生，他著名的曲子除了上述「何日君再来」与「长城谣」之外，还有「飘零的落花」、「红豆词」、「西子姑娘」、钢琴曲「中国组曲」，然而在众多曲子之中，以这一首「何日君再来」最为传奇，曾为音乐家带来不少的掌声，但也为他带来灾难！

中共建政之后，刘雪庵参与了中国音乐学院的创建，并曾担任教授及副院长等职。1957年刘雪庵被打成右派，并被撤消职务降调为图书馆资料员，在文革期间，以反革命、汉奸等罪被斗争，主要罪证又是「何日君再来」！在此次的灾难中，音乐家承受着巨大的苦难，乔景云女士以身体护着被红卫兵毒打的丈夫，至被活活踢打成重伤而死，音乐家随后亦被送至乡下劳改，后来调返北京艺术学校扫厕所、倒垃圾等折辱其尊严的工作。

文革过后虽获得平反，但那时音乐家已风烛残年，数十年的摧残与打击，耗尽了一个音乐家的黄金创作时期，悲乎！中国近代音乐家总是命途多桀！

《何日君再來》是中國近代史上受到歡迎的經典中文歌曲，最初是1937年的電影《三星伴月》的插曲，是上海中國化學工業社為宣傳國產的上海「三星牌牙膏」而資助拍攝，歌曲由剛剛成名的周璇主唱，並灌成唱片，由上海百代唱片發行。1939年在香港製作的電影《孤島天堂》中，又由黎莉莉主唱作為插曲。1940年李香蘭在滿洲國灌唱成唱片，由百樂唱片及帝蓄唱片分別發行，結果比周璇原版更風行。李香蘭回日本後，在1952年又唱一次，由哥倫比亞唱片在日本發行。

言者無心，聽者有意。歌曲流行後，本是一首情歌，開始有人鑿穿附會，賦予政治意味，覺得它是盼日軍，是漢奸歌曲；又有人覺得是盼中華民國國軍，是愛國歌曲；又有人覺得是盼中國共產黨，是叛亂歌曲；又有人覺得是盼台灣日治時代重臨，是賣國歌曲。結果在不同時間、不同地方，禁了又禁。

《何日君再來》的詞曲者有很多說法，其中【作詞／作曲】有記為【沈華／不明】、【晏如／貝林】或【貝林／晏如】，甚至指出詞曲都不明的說法都有。中薗英助的著作《何日君再来物語》（河出書房新社出版）一書曾對此問題作了深入的查證探討，並訪問相關人士，其結論認為黄嘉謨作詞、劉雪庵作曲。1930年代，黄嘉謨活躍於上海的編劇界，是《三星伴月》的編劇，而劉雪庵當時是上海國立音樂專科學校的學生，他後來當上北京藝術師範學院（即現在中國音樂學院前身）的教授。他們兩人分別使用貝林和晏如作為筆名。但是在《何日君再来物語》裡面，相關人物提供的說法頗不一致。（例如有個說法，說劉雪庵本人說他自己包辦曲詞，只是劉雪庵在中薗寫書時過世，所以這個說法無法證實。）另外一個版本是黃嘉謨後人的說法：《何日君再來》的歌曲原來是一首不起名的歌曲，黃嘉謨取了《何日君再來》的曲調，填了新詞，這新詞就是今天大家熟悉的歌詞。後來作曲家提出投訴，爲了避免爭議，黃嘉謨低調處理，沒有強調自己是填詞人，過了幾年漸漸被人忘記原作者是誰。刘雪庵的好友潘孑农回忆道，这首曲子原本是1936年刘雪庵毕业时即兴创作的一首无名探戈舞曲。1937年《三星伴月》导演方沛霖邀请刘雪庵谱写探戈舞曲，刘提供了一首现成的，方事先并未征求刘雪庵同意，就让编剧黄嘉谟为这首舞曲填写了歌词。刘雪庵曾对潘对此事私下表示不满，但是碍于情面，没有公开表示什么[1]。

《何日君再來》這首歌後來由白光、潘迪華、奚秀蘭、胡美芳、松平晃、渡邊濱子、李香蘭（山口淑子）、夏目芙美子、翁倩玉等先後翻唱錄成唱片，恰克與飛鳥在巡迴亞洲演唱會時亦曾演唱。七十年代台灣歌手鄧麗君翻唱時，在台灣和中國大陸再度掀起熱潮。

李香蘭認為《何日君再來》是周璇的傳世名曲。香港電影導演李翰祥認為《何日君再來》應該是最流行的歌

1957年作曲家劉雪庵因《何日君再來》被划为“右派”。

1980年開始鄧麗君所唱「何日君再來」在中國大陸造成轟動之後、1982年，中國大陸當局把這首歌視為「不正確的歌曲，帶有半封建、半殖民地色彩的東西」、「黄色歌曲」，同時亦以防止對民眾造成精神污染為由禁止輸入及播放。

劉雪庵 - 《何日君再來》的作曲者
劉雪庵，（1905年－1985年），四川銅梁人，作曲家、音樂教育家。民國時代流行歌曲《何日君再來》的曲作者，也是中華民國空軍軍歌的曲作者。1909年1月19日生於四川銅梁。1930年考入上海國立音樂專科學校，1934年畢業，在中央航空學校任教，後在上海音樂藝文社《音樂雜誌》作編輯。抗戰勝利後在蘇州社教學院任教。1949年留在大陸，先後在蘇南文化教育學院、江蘇師範學院、華東師範學院、北京藝術師範學院、中央音樂學院任教。1957年因《何日君再來》歌曲被打成右派，被剝奪講課資格，任圖書管理員。1969年被押送河北軍糧城農場勞改。1975年因幾乎雙目失明，失去勞動能力，被潛送回北京家中。1979年被口頭平反。然而書面結論直到1982年才交給他本人，結論中仍將《何日君再來》與《紅豆詞》定為黃色歌曲。1985年3月15日病逝於北京醫學院第一附屬醫院。

(source: wikipedia)

Suggested further reading:
1.百歲劉雪庵•政治風暴中的坎坷生涯, http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!qVG99eiBBEXwGSoCbNOYtg--/article?mid=406&prev=591&next=243&l=f&fid=1&sc=1

Welcome on board

2011-11-23T11:36:00.002+08:00

Wah, life will be easy....

Beautiful life

2011-11-18T18:13:00.001+08:00

Who murder Liao Zhongkai(廖仲恺,1877－1925）

2011-11-18T16:15:00.034+08:00

Liao Zhongkai(廖仲恺,1877－1925）was one of the three most eligible successor of Dr Sun Yat-sen after his death on 12-3-1925. The other two were Hu Han-min and Wang Jing-wei. General Chiang Kai-sheh was still junior member in Kuomintang(KMT), the Nationalist Party. Liao Zhong-kai was murdered on 20-8-1925, not long after Dr Sun died.

Hu Han-min was one of the suspect. But the relationship of Hu and Liao was a close one, they are both from Guangzhou, both studied in Japan. Hu went in 1902 first to The Kobun Gakuin or Kobun Institution(东京宏文学院), withdraw his study due to some political incident. He returned in 1904 to study at Hosei University(法政大学), attended Hosei University’s Crash Course for Manchu students(清朝留学生法政速成科). Liao Zhongkai also went in 1902, studied political science in Waseda University(早稻田大学), and continued in 1907 to Chuo University((中央大学), to study political and economic science. They, Hu and Liao, met in Japan.

Note: Some reported he studied at Tokyo University(東京大学). The former name of Chuo University was Tokyo University of Law (Tokyo Hōgakuin Daigaku, 東京法学院大学)from 1903 to 1905. When Liao entered the university in 1907, the name had changed to Chuo University in 1905. Tokyo University of Law (Tokyo Hōgakuin Daigaku, 東京法学院大学)is not Tokyo University, formerly kniwn as Tokyo Teikoku Daigaku (Tokyo Imperial University,東京帝國大學).

Hu and Liao, and their families stayed in the same rented house while in Japan. They joined Tongmenhui(同盟会)together in 1905. Their only political difference is, Hu is a constitutionalists, the right wings and Liao is a socialist, the left wings. With their strong relationship from student days in Japan, it is not thinkable that Hu was the suspect of the murder. Liao was not very ambitious in politic. Dr Sun did mentioned when commented why he appointed Hu instead of Liao as acting Generalissimo, and Governor of Guangdong. Dr Sun answered if I appointed Hu, there will be no problem for Liao, but if I appointed Liao, there will be problem for Hu. Hu as close friend of Liao, must know the personality of Liao. Anyhow, Hu was appointed as acting Generalissimo by Dr Sun before his death. Hu was a powerful man in KMT(Kuomintang)at that time, the only weakness is that he has no military base, which was the important factor for leadership in KMT at that time.

But Liao is the only one among the three who had military & revolutionary experience, good in treasury management, strong in party position and with government appointment. He control the party's financial well, and was non-corrupt. A clean politician and far sighted leader. He is a strong man for any top post in politic or government , if according to western standard, but not in China. He is too simple, not ambitious, and working wholeheartedly for his country. He is firm in his political principle. After the death of Hwang Xing, he was the military adviser that Dr Sun looked for. He was the leader of the left wings. He supported Dr Sun's alliance with the communists. He has the support of the Russia and Chinese Communist Party.

Wang Jing-wei was also a close friend with Hu, since their founding of study group, Qunzhihui(群智社), studied together, going to Japan together in 1904. They met Liao in Japan. Wang also joined Tongmenhui at the same time with Hu and Liao in 1905. He was the allies of Liao in the left wings of Kuomintang(KMT). Wang, however was the classmate of Hu Han-min in Hosei University, the 2nd batch, graduated together in June 1906. To provide the clue on how close is the relationship between Hu and Wang, when Wang was imprisoned by Manchu for attempt murder of 2nd Prince Chun, Hu was worried and cried after received the news while in Penang. He tried very hard to raise fund to help Wang to escape from prison. Wang become Chairman of Nationalist Government, Nanjing on 1-7-1925, instead of acting Generalissimo Hu Han-min. It was reported that this was the source of rivalry between Wang and Hu. Wang also become the chairman of Central Political Council, the other members being Liao Zhong-kai and Xu Chong-zhi(許崇智, 1887-1965). Wang was not politically ambitious initially, he left immediately after release from the prison, to further study in France with his new wife, Chen Bijun(陈璧君), not going after any official position. He was a disciplined man, a non-drinker, not a womanizer, nor a gambler. He has no followers, too clean to be liked by fellow politician. His frequent changes in political stance, amazed many, may be he had personal agenda unknown to others. Ironically, Wang was also one of the target of the assassination.

Liao, Wang and Hu known each other since university days in Japan, joined Tongmenhui together. They went through the toughest times of revolution together, following closely with Dr Sun. There is not possible that any one of them to be a killer of Liao, despite some political difference. Hu , Wang and Chiang were all the member of the powerful KMT Central Executive Committee(CEC). They were the most influential at the time. But after Dr Sun's death, Liao was murdered, the remaining two was split politically, Wang later become traitor, Han faded away. Chiang becomes stronger and ultimately the most powerful man in KMT or Kuomintang.

Another suspect was Hu Yisheng(胡毅生, 1883-1957), paternal cousin of Hu Han-min, who was member of the Western Hill fraction of KMT, a right wings, who gather at the temple at Western Hill, Beijing after Dr Sun's death. With the pretend of praying for Dr Sun, but actually having political gathering in the temple, discussed issues, including their rivalry with Liao Zhongkai, the leader of left wings. Hu Han-min known about the gathering, but did not take any action to stop it. Both Han brothers were the main suspect. Hu Yisheng escaped to Hong Kong. Hu Yisheng also know Liao since university days in Japan, together with Wang Jingwei, Hu Han-min, Liao Zhongkai, they went to Japan in 1904, joined Tongmenghui in 1905. Hu Yisheng was the introducer for them. Hu Yisheng contested for mayor of Guangzhou in August 1925, but because of corruption case, he did not attain his ambition and Liao was then the financial minister, that may be the source of conflict between them. But it was reported by the killer that Hu Yisheng paid for the murder, with their long relationship, can Hu Yisheng willing to risk his party reputation and governmnet position to do it? Can it be fabricated story by the killer and the master mind?. The incident of the murder effectively erased the power base of Hu Han-min and Western Hill fraction in KMT. Ironically, Hu Yisheng was later appointed in senior position in the government after the Pacific war.

Liao, Wang and both Hu brothers, known each other since university days. They have been together during revolution days. There is not possible any of them to be a killer of Liao. They may have conflicts, just like in their student days, but not to the extent of taking each others life. The case was not followed closely by the police, and it was hang there historically even until today, nobody know the true story behind the murder.

When soldiers from Whampoa led by Wang and Chiang visited Hu's house, Hu had already escaped and went to hide in Wang's house. Wang and his wife, family friend of Hu, were trying to protect him. He also went to Chiang's house and was arrested and imprisoned in Whampoa Academy, where General Chiang was the principal, Liao was also the party representative in Whampoa, and Hu was the political instructor. On 23-9-1925, Hu was released and went to Russia for official tour. Hu had lost his political power, but still maintain his political influence as senior revolutionary member of KMT. The official tour was actually an act of political exile oversea.

The case was then closed after Hu exiled to Russia. Some of the suspects were captured and later released, some even appointed into the government position by Chiang (e.g. Lin Zi Mian(林直勉, 1888-1934) and Liang Hongkai(梁鸿楷). Guo Minqing(郭敏卿), son in law of Zhu Zhuowen(朱卓文, 1875－1935） who escaped to Hong Kong, the owner of the gun used by killer was executed. Liang Bo(梁博), the joint killer faced with death sentence, and was executed in August. Why the case was closed, and the master mind was not convicted, who was the actual person behind the murder?...the killer disclosed that the man from Hong Kong pay for the murder(香港给胡毅生、魏邦平几十万元打‘猛子’（‘猛子’系广东方言，指有名望、有权势的大人物），给两百万元打共产党”), who was the master mind from Hong Kong?.....

The only person who benefited from the death of Liao Zhongkai was General Chiang Kai-seh. He was the most ambitious man in KMT as junior member. The incident eliminated Liao and Hu in the path of the more junior General Chiang to leadership of KMT. Many KMT right-wing leaders were demoted like Lin Sen and Dai Jitao. This effectively made Chiang the second most powerful person in the KMT after Wang Jingwei. On 20-8-1925, General Chiang Kai-sheh become the Commander in Chief of National Revolutionary Army. Chiang took over General Xu Chongzhi's role as commander of the KMT's military since Xu was suspected of either taking part of the assassination, knowing about it, or was simply incompetent in providing security. The history of China after Dr Sun's death was in fact the history of political rivalry of Chiang and Wang. Wang was the only challenger remained in his path to the top post in KMT and China. Chiang Kai-shek eventually ousted Wang Jingwei following(using)the Zhongshan Warship Incident in the spring of 1926. For the first time in 1926, Chiang become the Central Executive Committee(CEC). He also took over the chairmanship of Central Military Council from Wang Jing-wei. After the Nationalists' successful Northern Expedition, Chiang had consolidated his position, as dictator of KMT, he become powerful both in the KMT party and in military.

Chiang also had past history of murdering Tao Chengzhang(陶成章)in 1912. He was educated in Japan military school and served in Japan Imperial Army. Member of secret society, and God brother of Chen Qimei(陈其美, 1878-1916), the uncle of Chen Guofu and Chen Lifu(CC clique), who introduced him to Tongmenhui. Chen was the Godfather of the underground secret societies, Green Gang(青幫) in Shanghai. Chen Qimei was the one who instructed Chiang to murder Tao Chengzhang, who had personal conflict with Dr Sun Yat-sen. Chen was later murdered in 1916. His family, Chen family was one of the big 4 family(Soong, Kung, Chen, Chiang) which has strong political influence in China at that time, their CC clique was the strong supporter of General Chiang Kai-seh.

One of the close follower of Chiang was Dai Li(戴笠, 1897-1946), as the Chief of the Kuomintang (KMT) Army secret service in China, Dai Li helped to develop China's modern intelligence organization in 1928. He was a gambler until he met Criminal Boss of Shanghai, Du Yuesheng(杜月笙,1888-1951), head of the Green Gang(青帮). It was through Du, that Dai Li met Chiang Kai-seh. Dai enlisted in the 1st Student Regiment of the sixth class of The Nationalist Party of Chinese Army Officer Academy, also commonly known as the Whampoa Military Academy. Chiang soon made him a student informant within the academy to spy on Communist activities where he played an instrumental role in the Zhongshan Warship Incident. Dai later becomes the boss of The Bureau of Investigation and Statistics or BIS(军统),the intelligence agency of the Republic of China (1938－1946). The most fear government organization by the politician, which was strongly under Chiang's disposal. The BIS secret police was distributed amongst the Kuomintang's military, police, administration, and transportation agencies, as well as embassies and consulates abroad. It specialized in surveillance, kidnapping, assassinations, and other means of arrest. Imagine what will happen to Chiang's political rivals.....Dai was also the head of the Blue Shirts Society, a fascist organization that did security and intelligence work for Chiang.

I was also pondering why the modus operandi was so similar to the Japanese political situation where many social reformists and leftist politician were murdered? ......remember Black Dragon Society and their spies in China were doing their homework at the time for the future invasion by Japanese Imperial Army all over the cities of China.....also remember many of the revolutionists and senior KMT members were students from Japan, having close relationship with Japanese politician and secret societies. Chiang had been a student in Japanese military academy and served in Japanese Imperial Army(just like Lee Teng Hui, former President of Taiwan). Is Chiang also a member of Green Gang, a powerful underground crime secret society? Du Yuesheng(杜月笙), Chen Qimei(陈其美),Dai Li(戴笠) and Chiang Kai-seh, you see the connections? Is there any connection between Green Gang and Japanese Black Dragon Society? ......and how many revolutionist had been killed by them?....

Chiang was initially a leftist, but later changed to right wings when he had consolidated his power base, and becomes very anti-communists. He make use of Liao and Wang and their relationship with Russia. Who give him the support when he start cleaning KMT of its communist or leftist members. Is that any foreign support for Chiang, who was so daring to challenge Russia?...The strange thing in the murder of Liao Zhongkai was that, Chiang was also one of the target, is it the true or just rumor issued by interested party?.....

Chiang becomes the most powerful man with his military base from Whampoa, the 4 families' support(Soong, Chen, Kong and Chiang) and the CC clique. He make use of money and position to buy political support. He will do anything to achieve what he want, even to the extent of killing. He was also the greatest actor in the political drama to fabricate untrue story and create events(should be plays) to meet his personal political agenda. If there is Oscar award for political drama, he should has won the trophy.....he make history, change history, fabricate history and hide history....

Who murder Liao Zhongkai?.....

You should follow and know the Chinese history after the death of Liao Zhongkai. One after one of the Wang Jing-wei(in Hanoi) and Hu Han-min(in Singapore)were facing attempt murder on their life, they were played around by Chiang, resulted in internal conflict of KMT. Wang was seriously injured and joined the puppet government of Japanese supported government in Nanjing. Now some historian suspect there may be some untold story about Wang Jing-wei, his about turn in political stance puzzled many. Hu Han-min was exiled in Hong Kong and slowly faded away from politic. It was also reported that he may have been murdered. Chiang as smart strategist and opportunist, slowly gaining his power base, aided by his military background, and their supporters, especially from Chen family. He becomes the strong man of modern China, a dictator, not liked by people from mainland China and Taiwan. But through his wife Soong Mei Ling, he was the close allies of USA, even he personally dislike them, strongly support his regime in Taiwan during the cold war.

But who was the strong supporter behind General Chiang?......he even come to the stance of refuse resistance when Japan invaded China. General Chiang Kai Seh was also the one who make the way for General Okamura(冈村宁次) to escape from war criminal charges for his crime in China. After the war, General Okamura was convicted for war crimes in July 1948 by the Nanjing War Crimes Tribunal but was immediately protected by the personal order of Nationalist leader Chiang Kai-shek, who retained him as a military advisor for the Kuomintang (KMT) government (wikipedia). General He Yingqin(何应钦)was a close ally of General Chiang and close friend and classmate of General Okamura at Imperial Japanese Army Academy(陆军士官学校). As chairman of the Beijing Military Committee, which was the supreme organ in charge of the military forces of Northern China. He advocated no direct confrontation with the Japanese troops, and signed the Tanggu Cease-Fire Accord with Okamura Yasuji (岡村寧次), who was deputy chief of staff of Kantogun at that time. After that, General He Yingqin opposed campaigns and efforts against the Japanese, and disarmed Feng Yuxiang's anti-Japanese army. In August 1945, when Japan announced its unconditional surrender, He was appointed as representative of both the Chinese Government and the Southeast Asia Ally Forces to host the surrender of Japanese troops in China. On Sept 9th, He accepted the statement of surrender submitted by General Yasuji Okamura, who was General Commander of Japanese troops in China at that time. This historic moment put He under the spotlight of the world, and was the peak of his career. At that time, General Chiang and General He had negotiated favorable terms of surrender for General Okamura, their close friends. The start of evil plan for a civil war with Chinese Communist Party even before even signing of the surrender document. General Okamura, General He, General Chiang known each other when in Japan. Who is behind General Chiang?....the strong stance to go against Russia and communists?.....General Chiang will do anything to achieve his personal goal, is the military plan of Japanese militarism provide a perfect strategic match for his personal agenda? General Okamura was the one considered as the man behind Japanese militarism. Is there any connection between this relationship?

Will Chiang's diary disclose the true fact? as a smart and cunning man, he will not disclose any negative factor in his life.....

You should now find the missing puzzle, who was the murderer, without even the help from KMT police, whose chief happen at that time was a right wing supporter, who eagerly close the file. But in law, there is such evidence known as Circumstantial evidence.....that will provide the clue for the puzzle....

The other unknown Xinhai Revolution heroes

2011-11-18T16:07:00.001+08:00

Zhu Zhixin(朱执信, 1885-1920) and other missing heroes

2011-11-18T16:05:00.005+08:00

In Xinhai Revolution, Dr Sun Yat-sen is the one who commonly and popularly being the one who gained the credit and he was named " Father of China". But in actual fact, the Xinhai Revolution is not an isolated event of one revolution, it was the series of events, not only just Tongmenhui, but also other revolutionary parties who were involved. Even before Tongmenhui, there were various progressive institutions inside the Manchu empire, who were concerned about the future of their nation. Dr Sun provided the leadership for the mass movement which had initiated in Manchu empire.

The other heroes in Xinhai Revolution included Hwang Xing, some called him "2nd father of China", Hu Han-min(胡漢民, 1879-1936), Wang Jing-wei(汪精卫),Song Jiaoren(宋教仁, 1882-1913), Liao Zhongkai(廖仲恺,1877－1925） Zhao Shen(趙聲, 1881-1911), Ni Yingdian(倪映典 1885-1910), Zheng Shiliang ,Lu Hao-tung(陸皓東,1868-1985),Yeung Kui-wan(楊衢雲),Tao Chengzhang(陶成章,1878-1912) and Zhu Zhixin(朱执信, 1885-1920) and many others.

Some, their names had been forgotten, some died as hero, but now unknown, some withdraw from politic after seeing the political chaos and internal conflict of KMT/Tongmenhui members. The internal rival of the followers of Dr Sun after his death resulted in the coming of Chiang Kai-sheh, another modern warlord, military man trained in Japan and served in Japanese Army, and who was an opportunist and smart strategist. He made use of the conflicts between members, eliminated the senior competitors one by one, even using the tactic of murdering his rivals and competitors. He was directly involved with the murder of Tao Chengzhang(陶成章) in 1912. He become like Yang Shi-kai, a military dictator contributed to more chaos and divided in China. He rewrote history according to his fancy.

Why students from USA and Europe were not involved in the chaos of the early Chinese politic, and only students from Japan? In USA and Europe(who were more interested in their economic and religion interest), the Chinese students need to complete the proper course taken by the local students. In Japan the Chinese students from Manchu(1902-1910) took crash course of 1-2 years, shorter than local Japanese students. Is the crash course(1-2 years)in Japan the cause of all these, a well plan strategy to let Manchu fall? Noted only Wesda University refuse to participate in the offering of the crash course by Manchu official. The quality of the crash course for Manchu students were weak and not able to prepare the students to acquire knowledge required. They have more time for revolution than study, why?.. Japan privately encourage revolution against Manchu, indirectly through Black Dragon Society, riding on the emotion of the progressive students(against Manchu)for their ultimate plan....invasion of China?....

Tao Chengzhang, Song Jiaoren, Liao Zhongkai, Hu Han-min, Wang Jing-wei, fell one by one. Song was suspected kill by Yan Shi-kai, but he had once invited Song to help his government. The others were also the obstacles of General Chiang's political ambition and his master. Chiang and may be, Japan militarism were the main suspect who planned the murder. Hu and Wang were reported died of illness, but Wang and Hu had attempt murder on them. Who will do that? They were not soldiers, but civilian democrats, right or left, other than power struggle, either national or global politic, who will do that?.....From the historical events which make Chiang the powerful dictator and his non resistance against the Japanese invasion, and later the invasion of China by Japan Imperial Army, the Black Dragon Society who had spies in China for their later military Manchuria invasion. There were historical connection. The murder of these senior revolutionists is very similar to what happen in Japan at the time, where many politician and social reformists were assassinated by the military fraction or rightists. There may be a big plan by some country, supported some individuals, to make chaos in China for their global ambition at that time.

We have seen many of revolutionists mentioned in history were students from Japan, but there were students returned from USA and Europe, who were quietly involved in another revolution in science and technology. They were also the one who contributed to the modern China, who remained unknown. Some from Europe involved in communism, which later formed the core of Chinese Communist Party(CCP) which rival KMT(with the support of Russia, and worry of Japan).

History is not only for one man, make by one man, or from a simple environment, it is from interaction of many people, complicated political environments. But human habit of glorify leader and leader of winning party, resulted in many historical figures become unknown or forgotten. We must not only remember the history figure who had been glorified by historian as leader, but also commoners who had contribute to history. We also remember the global political environment at that time ...

In the 100 years of anniversary, we remember them......

Today, we remember Zhu Zhixin....

Guangzhou and Dr Sun Yat-sen

2011-11-12T11:58:00.011+08:00

Guangzhou(广州)
The earliest recorded name is Panyu (番禺), named after the two nearby mountain Pan and Yu. It was the capital of the ancient kingdom called Nanyue(南越) in 206 BC, which included today's Vietnam. The Han Dynasty annexed the Nanyue Kingdom in 111 BC and Panyu became a provincial capital and remains so today. Today, Panyu is a district of Guangzhou south of Haizhu District separated from the rest of the city by the Pearl River.

Historically it was also known as Canton to the west, or Kwangchow. It is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province(广东省)in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River(珠江), about 120 km (75 mi) north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is today a key national transportation hub and trading port.

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Dr Su Yat-sen was born on 12 November 1866 to a Cantonese Hakka family, in the village of Cuiheng(翠亨村), Xiangshan(香山县), now known as Zhongshan county(中山市), Guangzhou prefecture, Guangdong province in Qing China. Xiangshan is not far away from Guangzhou(广州), at that time already a trading hub, a place of activities.

Dr Sun Yat-sen first come to Guangzhou in 1886 to study medicine at the Guangzhou Boji Hospital (博济医院)under the Christian missionary John G. Kerr. In 1887, Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese(香港西醫書院)was inaugurated; Sun Yat-sen was one of its first students. It was located at 81 , Hollywood Road. Ultimately,in 1892 he earned the license of Christian practice as a medical doctor from the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese, which was later formally incorporated into The University of Hong Kong(incorporated in 1911) in 1912.(source: http://100.hku.hk/sunyatsen/lifestory.html). It was in the medical college, he involved with a group of revolutionary thinkers,Chan Siu-bak (陳少白, 1869-1934), Yeung Hok-ling(楊鶴齡, 1868-1934), Yau Lit(尢列, 1864-1936), the group was named the "Four Bandits". He opened his first clinic at Macau(澳门). later moved to Guangzhou and opened a clinic at Xiguan/Sai Kwan in Guangzhou(广州西关冼基西开设东西药局). The clinic and Guangzhou was also the place he had meetings with his fellow revolutionists.

Dr Sun was actively involved in revolution movement after he closed his clinic in Guangzhou. He participated in the first Guangzhou uprising in 1895. He did not directly involved with New Army Uprising and Huanghuagang Uprising, but was the leader of Tongmenhui who started the uprisings.

Guangzhou was a significant place in the life of Dr Sun Yat-sen, the Father of China, who spent major part of his life in Guangzhou.

1895 Guangzhou first Uprising(第一次廣州起義)

In the second year of the establishment of the Revive China society on October 26, 1895, the group planned and launched the First Guangzhou uprising against the Qing in Guangzhou. Yeung Kui-wan(楊衢雲), directed the uprising starting from Hong Kong. However, plans were leaked out and more than 70 members, including Lu Hao-tung(陆皓东, 1868-1898), were captured and killed by the Qing government. Dr Sun, Zheng Shiliang(鄭士良, 1863-1901),Chan Siu-bak, Yau Lit and Yeung escaped and left Hong Kong. The uprising was a failure. Dr Sun later exiled in Japan.

1910- New Army Uprising(庚戌新军起义/廣州新軍起義) - The 2nd Guangzhou Uprising

The uprising was actually the first uprising by the new army. he New Armies (新軍) were the modernized Qing armies, trained and equipped according to Western standards. The first of the new armies was founded in 1895, following Japan's victory in the First Sino-Japanese War.On December 8, 1895, Empress Dowager Cixi appointed Yuan Shikai(who later become the President of ROC from 10 March 1912 - 22 December 1915) the commander of the 4,000 men who formed the basis of the first New Army. The New Army was gradually expanded and upgraded in the following years.The New Army of Yuan was renamed the Beiyang Army on June 25, 1902 after Yuan was officially promoted to the "Minister of Beiyang". By the end of the dynasty in 1911, most provinces had established sizable new armies; however, Yuan's army was still most powerful, comprising six groups and numbering more than 75,000 men. The Qing unified all of China's armies into one force, the "Chinese Army", which was commonly still called the New Army. Two-thirds of the Chinese Army was Yuan's Beiyang Army.

During the Xinhai Revolution, most of the non-Beiyang forces as well as some Beiyang units in the Chinese Army revolted against the Qing. The most famous was the Wuchang Uprising, which was actually New Army mutiny. However the first new army uprising was the 2nd Guangzhou uprising on 12-2-1910 at Guangzhou. It was also historically called New Army Uprising. This was the 9th failed uprising by Tongmenhui, but the first led by new army, the actual soldiers, and not secret societies or members of Tongmenhui.

Hu Han-min after failure in Yunnan Hekou Uprising(云南河口起义)reported the feedback to Dr Sun in Singapore, one of the main reason for many failures was lack of military soldiers in the uprising. Dr Sun instructed Hu to return to Hong Kong in March 1909 to prepare the ground work for the recruitment of the solders from the new army to join the revolution. The set up an office at Guangzhou(广州豪贤街天官里寄园巷5 号). Ni Yingdian was recruited, Zhao Sheng was no longer with the army, and already member of Tongmenhui. Together they form a team for the recruitment campaign to recruit soldiers who are on leaves. Many soldiers from new army joined the Tongmenhui.

The people behind the uprising were Huang Xing, Zhao Sheng(趙聲, 1881-1911),Ni Yingdian(倪映典 1885-1910) and Zhu Zhixin(朱执信,1885-1920). Ni Yingdian, who was the 2nd in command of Guangzhou New Army Uprising, was a former officer of new army. He died in the uprising. The other three escaped, and later participated in the next Huanghuagang Uprising(黃花崗起義). Zhao was the one who work underground to promote and recruited revolutionists in the new army. He was also a former officer in the new army. He recruited Ni Yingdian. Zhao Shen died of frustration after failure of Huanghuagang uprising in 1911.

The plan initially on 24/2/1910 was met with problems of finance and bullets. It was postponed until 24/2/1910, the Chinese new year day. But an event of dispute on 9/2/1910 , between a soldier from new army and trader, evolved into confrontation of the new army and local police, which accidentally sparked off the uprising. Ni Yingdian immediately rushed to Guangzhou from Hong Kong, took over the leadership and declared the uprising on 12/2/1910. Ni died in action, and the uprising end in failure.

The soldiers who died during the uprising was buried at Temple of the Ox King(牛王庙), now known as Xian Lie Zhong Lu(先烈中路).

1911- Huanghuagang Uprising(黃花崗起義/三二九起义)

Yellow Flower Mound revolt (黃花岡之役, 黄花岗起义) or (黃花崗起義/黄花岗起义) is an uprising led by Zhao Shen(趙聲, 1881-1911) and Huang Xing(黃興, 1876-1916) and his fellow revolutionaries against the Qing Dynasty in Guangzhou.

On 13 November 1910, Sun Yat-sen, along with several leading figures of the Tongmenhui—such as Zhao Shen, Huang Hsing, Hu Hanmin, and Deng Zeru, gathered for a conference at Penang in British Malaya. Having experienced countless failures in previous uprisings, they plotted a decisive battle in Guangzhou against the Qing Government.

On 27 April, Zhao Shen and Huang Hsing commenced the uprising in Guangzhou.

More than 130 people were led by Huang Xiang to attack the government offices for one day and a night. Lin Juemin(林覺民), Yu Peilun, Lin Shishuang and many other heroes gave their lives in the process. Revolutionaries fought fiercely with the Qing Army in the streets, but the rebels were eventually outnumbered and lost. Lin Juemin(林覺民), Yu Peilun, Lin Shishuang and many other heroes gave their lives in the process.

The remains of 72 rebels were later collected by members of Tongmenhui and interred together at Huanghuagang or Yellow flower Hill(黃花岡), originally known as Red Flower Hill. He was Pan Dawei(潘达微), a member of the Hongmenhui or Alliance Society, who risked his life to bury 72 of the martyrs at Huanghuagang in the Tomb of 72 Martyrs in Guangzhou. The martyrs were commemorated as the "72 martyrs". But actually it was more that 72, it reported 86 martyrs, but historically it is still popularly called 72 martyrs. Tomb of 72 Martyrs or Mausoleum of the 72 Martyrs in Guangzhou was built in 1918. The monument was to pay homage to the martyrs who died in the Huanghuakang Uprising, Guangzhou mutiny on April 27, 1911 against the Qing dynasty.

Dr Sun Yat sen, the Father of China, reported that the event is as important as Wuchang Uprising.Some historians believe that the uprising was a direct cause of the Wuchang uprising(武昌起義), which eventually led to the Xinhai Revolution(辛亥革命) and the founding of the Republic of China.

Huanghua Gang Commemoration Park (黄花岗公园), located at 79, Xianlie Zhonglu, Guangzhou(广州市先烈中路79号)was a park in Guangzhou to commemorate the uprising.

Government

After the Xinhai revolution, the Republic of China was formed. On 29/12/1911, Dr Sun was elected as the Provisional President of the Republic of China. On 13/2/1912, however Dr Sun submitted his resignation to the Provincial Senate. On 14/2/1912, the Provisional Parliament accepted Dr Sun’s resignation and elected Yuan Shi-kai as the Provisional President. Dr Sun returned to Guangzhou at end of April 1912 to support the election of Hu Han-min(胡漢民) as the Governor of Guangdong(廣東都督).

Guangzhou become a power base of Dr Sun. Between 1917 to 1925 , Guangzhou was the administrative capital of two Constitution Protection movement started by Dr Sun. Dr Sun was in Guangzhou 3 times to establish revolutionary government.

Thereafter, Dr Sun was involved in the 2nd Revolution against Yuan, after its failure he was exiled in Japan. He formed the Chinese Revolutionary Party(中华革命党, 1914-1919) in Japan, as KMT had been banned by Yuan. Yuan died on 6-6-1916, and Li Yuanhong succeeded as president and Duan Qirui became the Premier. Duan later had conflict with Li on issue of China's entry into World War I. Li was against it, Duan who support the entry was dismissed, this started the war, and Duan regained his premiership with the support of the warlords. Duan Qirui's triumphant return to Beijing essentially made him the most powerful leader in China. Duan dissolved the parliament upon his return and declared war on Germany and Austria-Hungary on August 13, 1917

(i) 1917-1918 - Generalissimo of the Military Government of Nationalist China(海陆军大元帅).

In September 1917, Duan's complete disregard for the constitution caused Dr Sun Yat-sen and the deposed parliament members to establish a new government in Guangzhou and the Constitutional Protection Army (護法軍) to counter Duan's abuse of power. Ironically, Sun Yat-sen's new government was not based on the Provisional Constitution. Rather, the new government was a military government and Sun was its "Grand Commander of the Armed Forces" or "Generalissimo"(大元帥). Six southern provinces became part of Sun's Guangzhou military government and repelled Duan's attempt to destroy the Constitutional Protection Army. The Constitutional Protection War essentially left China divided along the north-south border, the north by Beiyang Government, and the south by Guangzhou Military Government.

1918, April- The Parliament forced by warlords in Guangxi to reorganize the military government in Guangzhou. Lu Rongting and his Black Flags of Guangdong and Guangxi forced Sun Yat-sen to abandon his military government. Sun announced his resignation as generalissimo on 4-5-1918. The Parliament’s extraordinary session on 18-5-1920 elected a directorate of seven members, including Sun. Dr Sun resigned and departed for Shanghai on 21-5-1918, to concentrate on writing. He left Guangzhou for Shanghai with hu Han-min after the first Constitution Protection Movement failed.

1919- 1920

On 17-8-1919, Dr Sun resigned his post as the Military Government was manipulated by the Guangxi warlords.

In October 1919, Sun reestablished the Kuomintang (KMT) to counter the government in Beijing.He spent his remaining years trying to consolidate his regime and achieve unity with the north. His efforts to obtain aid from the Western democracies were ignored, however, and in 1920 he turned to the Soviet Union, which had recently achieved its own revolution. The Soviets sought to befriend the Chinese revolutionists by offering scathing attacks on Western imperialism. But for political expediency, the Soviet leadership initiated a dual policy of support for both Sun and the newly established Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

(ii)1921-1922 - Extraordinary President of Nationalist China(非常大总统)- Single Party government

1920 Aug. 16, Chen Jiong-ming, acting on Sun’s order, commanded the Guangdong Army in Zhangzhou, Fujian to quell the Guangxi warlords. On 29-10-1920, Guangzhou was recovered by the Guangdong Army. Dr Sun arrived in Guangzhou on 29-12-1920 to restore the Military Government and extraordinary session of the Parliament.

1921- On 2nd April 1921, the extraordinary session of the Parliament decided to dismiss the military government. On 7th April, 1921, the Parliament passed the Organization Guidelines for the Republic of China and elected Sun as the "extraordinary president". 1921 May 5- Sun was sworn in as the President of the Republic of China and the government was formed.

On 1921 Oct. 8- Dr Sun proposed a northern expedition program to the Parliament.

1921 Dec. 4- Sun established general headquarters in Guilin, Guangxi

1922January- Sun moved the general headquarters from Guilin in Guangxi to Shaoguan, Guangdong. 1922 Feb. 27- The Northern Expedition Pledge Ceremony was held in Guilin.

1922Jun. 16- Chen Jiong-ming rebelled in Guangzhou. Sun fled to the Navy Headquarters and commanded the Navy to launch counter-attacks. Chen disagreed with Sun about the direction that reform should take. Dr Sun wanted to unite the country by force and institute change through a centralized government based on a one-party system. Chen advocated a multiparty federalism with Guangdong becoming the model province and the peaceful unification of China. Sun became suspicious that the federalist movement was being exploited by the warlords to justify their military fiefdoms. Relations deteriorated further when Sun became "extraordinary president", a move not condoned by the Provisional Constitution. Sun Yat-sen and Chen Jiongming soon split over the continuation of the Northern Expedition.

Chen led his forces to attack Sun's residence as well as office. Chen forced Sun to escape on a ship and delay his Northern Expedition.

1922Aug. 9- Northern Expedition troops retreated in defeat. On Nov. 14, Sun went to Shanghai where he issued an declaration denouncing Chen Jiong-ming on the next day.

1923- By this time Sun had become convinced that the only hope for a unified China lay in a military conquest from his base in the south, followed by a period of political tutelage that would culminate in the transition to democracy. In order to hasten the conquest of China, he began a policy of active cooperation with the Communist Party of China (CPC). Sun and the Soviet Union's Adolph Joffe signed the Sun-Joffe Manifesto in January 1923. Dr Sun received help from the Comintern for his acceptance of communist members into his KMT.

With the help of Tang Jiyao, the KMT retook Guangzhou in 1923. Chen fled to Huizhou in eastern Guangdong after Sun's army defeated him. From 1923 to 1925, the Guangdong government organized two eastern campaigns against him and he fled to Hong Kong as his remaining forces were completely wiped out in 1925. Ironically, Chen joined Tang Jiyao after Tang was expelled from the KMT following the Yunnan-Guangxi War.

(iii)1923-1925 - Generalissimo of the National Government of Nationalist China(大元帅)

1923Feb. 21Sun arrived in Guangzhou to establish the general headquarters and resumed as the generalissimo. 3 days later, he called for disarmament. 1923Mar. 2- The general headquarters was officially established and Chiang Kai-shek was appointed as the Chief of General Staff. 1923Oct. 6Michael Borodin, Representative of the Soviet Union, arrived in Guangzhou and was appointed as the advisor on party organizing by KMT.

With the Soviet's help, Sun was able to develop the military power needed for the Northern Expedition against the military at the north. He established the Whampoa Military Academy near Guangzhou with Chiang Kai-shek as the commandant of the National Revolutionary Army (NRA, 國民革命軍). Other Whampoa leaders include Wang Jingwei and Hu Hanmin as political instructors. This full collaboration was called the First United Front(第一次国共合作).

1924 September- Sun went to Shaoguan(韶關) to command the Northern Expedition and published The Northern Expedition Declaration. Hu Han-min was acting for him as Generalissimo.

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall(中山纪念堂), 广东省广州市越秀区东风中路259号

The premise was used by Dr Sun during the 1921 2nd Constitution protection movement. Chen Jiongming(陈炯明, 1878-1933) led his forces to attack Sun's residence as well as office in 1922. Chen forced Sun to escape on a ship and delay his Northern Expedition. The building was damaged.

The Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is an octagon-shaped building in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. The hall was designed by Lu Yanzhi (吕彦直, 1894－1929）and was built with funds raised by local and overseas Chinese people in memory of Sun Yat-sen. Construction work commenced in 1929 and completed in 1931. The hall is a large octagonal structure with a span of 71 meters without pillars, housing a large stage and seats 3,240 people.

Having been severely damaged it was repaired and improved several times until 1998, when it was comprehensively upgraded to its present-day condition. A statue of Sun Yat-sen was erected in front of the main entrance.

Memorial Museum of the Generalissimo Sun Yat-sen's Mansion(大元帅府, 廣東省廣州市海珠區紡織路東沙街18號)

It was located at No.18, Dongsha Street, Fangzhi Road, Haizhu District, Guangzhou.Dr Sun used the premise as his office in 1917 and 1923.

It was originally the Guangzhou Cement Factory that was set up in the Qing Dynasty in 1907 and was named the Generalissimo's Mansion because Dr. Sun Yat-sen established democratic revolutionary government twice in 1917 and 1923 respectively. In Nov, 1996 the State Council announced it as the national protected key relic. In October, 2003 it was listed as one of the patriotism education based in Guangzhou.
In October, 1998, the former site of Generalissimo's Mansion was prepared to construct the Memorial Museum of the Generalissimo Sun Yat-sen's Mansion. The Museum includes the South and the North Main Buildings, the Gate Tower, the East and the West Squares, It exhibits the Restoration of Generalissimo's Mansion through the hundred-years, illustration of the three establishments of government by Sun Yat-sen, photo show of Guangzhou in old China.

Whampoa Military Academy (黄埔军校/黃埔軍校)

The Nationalist Party of China Army Officer Academy (中国国民党陆军军官学校/中國國民黨陸軍軍官學校), commonly known as the Whampoa Military Academy (黄埔军校/黃埔軍校), was a military academy in the Republic of China (ROC) that produced many prestigious commanders who fought in many of China's conflicts in the 20th century, notably the Northern Expedition, the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War.
The military academy was officially opened on May 1, 1924 under the Kuomintang (KMT), but the first lessons began on June 16, 1924. The inauguration was on Changzhou Island offshore from the Whampoa dock in Guangzhou, thus earning its common name. During the inaugural ceremonies, Sun Yat-sen delivered a speech that was later to become the lyrics of the national anthem of the Republic of China.
黄埔军校网, http://www.hoplite.cn/Templates/hoplite%20centor.htm

Guangdong University(now Sun Yat-sen University(中山大學) or SYSU)

Sun Yat-sen University, originally known as National Guangdong University(國立廣東大學), was founded February 4,1924. by Dr. Sun Yat-sen (also called Sun Zhongshan), a great democratic revolutionary leader of the 20th century. The University is located in Guangdong Province, an area neighboring Hong Kong and Macao, which is at the forefront of China’s reform and opening up. It was renamed Sun Yat-sen University(中山大學)on July 17,1926.

Being one of the leading universities in the People’s Republic of China, Sun Yat-sen University is a comprehensive multi-disciplinary university, including the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, technical sciences, medical sciences, pharmacology, and management science. At present, Sun Yat-sen University covers a total area of 6.17 square kilometers and has 4 campuses: Guangzhou South Campus, Guangzhou North Campus, Guangzhou East Campus, and Zhuhai Campus.

Tianzi Pier or Tianzi Wharf or Tian Zi Matou(天字码头)- 广州第一码头

It is where Yanjiang Zhong Road(沿江中路)and Beijing Road(北京路)meet, or where Beijing Road South or Beijing Nanlu (South Bank of Pearl River),Yuexiu District, Guangzhou where Beijing Nan Lu meets the river.(北京路南端珠江堤岸（原址在北京路接官亭南侧，20世纪30年代迁至现址）

Guangzhou Tianzi Dock or Tianzi Pier, has the longest history of Pearl River ferrying. The dock was built during Qing Dynasty Yongzheng Period, more than 270 years ago. It used to receive officers of the feudalistic government, other boats were prohibited to pull in. So the people call it Tianzi (the number one) Dock.

After the dock was refurnished in the year 2000, the dock has served as the terminal of the Pearl River day and night cruise Pearl River tour, as well as running the local “water bus”, carrying passengers across the Pearl River to Binjiang East Road and the Sun Yat-sen University in Haizhu District. It is especially famous for the Pearl River Night Cruise tour.

At the invitation of General Feng Yu-xiang, Sun visited Beijing to discuss the strategy for peaceful unification. Before his journey, Sun issued a declaration calling for the convening of National Conference and the abolishment of all unequal treaties.

Dr Sun Yat-sen left Tianzi Pier, Guangzhou on 13-11-1924, this was the last time he was in Guangzhou. He passed away in Beijing on 12-3-1925.

If you ever visit Guangzhou, there is always interesting to visit the places that Dr Sun had once walk and lived ........

The last days of Dr. Sun Yat-sen

2011-11-10T10:50:00.010+08:00

These are the videos on the last days of Dr Sun Yat-sen(1866-1925), produced by CCTV, I shared with the readers, because it is clearer, and most important the video is in English and with English sub-title when Chinese was spoken.

This was the videos on the last days of Dr Sun's life, from the day he accepted the invitation of General Feng Yu-xiang(冯玉祥, 1882-1948) to go north, to Beijing. It was the period from the journey to the north until his death, the last journey of his life. Dr Sun devoted all his life for China, like his political journey, his last journey was not peaceful, it was filled with political struggle, even until his last breath, his mind was still thinking of China, the unification of the Beiyang government and the southern national government. The unity of one China. He was concerned about the unequal treaty and the democracy of the nation. The debate on the representatives of the people's congress. But as expected, the power crazy warlord and their representative Duan Qi-rui(段祺瑞, 1865-1936) failed him. No one give him a chance even at the last moment.

He died in disappointment, without seeing unification of China, even until today.

Political development after Dr Sun's death was even worst than the his era, other than the warlord, power struggle between left and right camps of KMT. They used the tactic of assassination, learnt from their education in Japan politic. Liao Zhongkai(1877-1925)was killed. Hu Han-min(1879-1936) was sent to Russia and died later, suspect killed. There was split in the KMT party between Chiang Kai-sheh(1887-1975) and Wang Jing-wei(1883-1944). Their personal clashes upgraded to a national political issue, and Wang become a premier in puppet government for Japan.

His faithful followers were assassinated, killed, imprisoned, faded away from political life or committed suicide. The nation was controlled by one party militarism or communism. China is still divided today......

This was the last journey of the father of China.....100 years ago...yet, the journey of republican is still not completed, he is still working hard in heaven, revolution is not yet complete, the Chinese still need to be put in extra effort....

But it seems the Chinese is more concern with the pursuit of economic success, forsake the 5000 years of civilization and culture, become a nation of money making machines and corruptions, money is the determining factor for everything in life....they are now more capitalist than their former colonists, even to the extreme...the poor are far away from the rich, and the gap become wider each day....

The people failed Dr Sun and other revolutionists of Xinhai Revolution, due to selfishness and rivalry......

The spirit of the Three Principles of People is still weak and may be faded away...

The journey to republican under the Three Principles of People , when will it be completed and accomplished, without the unity of the people and nation?.....

When celebrating 100 years anniversary, Taiwan and China, need some soul searching...the steps toward unity and democracy, is as heavy as the last journey of Dr Sun Yat-sen.......

New Frontiers 2010-01-21 The last days of Dr. Sun Yat-sen (3) CCTV-International

New Frontiers 2010-01-21 The last days of Dr. Sun Yat-sen (3) CCTV-International

New Frontiers 2010-01-20 The last days of Dr. Sun Yat-sen (2) CCTV-International

Visit of General Chiang Kai Shek and members of Nanking Government to tomb of Sun Yat Sen

2011-11-09T18:09:00.001+08:00

(NANKING CROWDS AND SCENES)

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Just click the historical video by British Pathe

What happen to humanity in China?

2011-10-30T22:38:00.009+08:00

Who is that little kid, YueYue?

A two-year-old girl who captured headlines and hearts all over the world after she was hit by two vans and left to die by 18 passersby has died. Local media is reporting that Yueyue (悦悦) died in the early hours of Friday morning after a week-long battle for life. Yueyue was struck by two separate vehicles in the southern Chinese city of Foshan last Thursday. Seven minutes after she had been pummeled by traffic, during which time several people witnessed the accident and did not help, a local refuse-collector picked her up and propped her against a sack of rice

Yueyue sadly passed away.....

The nation may be economically strong, but the moral and civic minded level of the Chinese have been going backward and did not match with the economic progress. We remember what happen in London recently, now it happen in China.

What happen to our human civilization? going backward at the internet era? when our heart become machine...... or just because of economic pursuit of money, the society become less human....everyone look like money making machine, and that is their only aim in life......

We can care for the pet dogs, love pet dogs; yet we have no time to love human...even a little child.....

It seems the country with great economic success, everything is valued with self interest; their manufactured foods, their railways, their buildings, their products, now even their feeling.....no responsibility for other human life provided I make money; and the corruptions, making things go worst. The normal people has changed, the law did not protect them for doing right, and now they are afraid to do the right thing.

What kind of society is this?......

Suddenly I remember Cultural Revolution; this is a different cultural revolution when the hearts of people go inhuman....during the cultural revolution, the people had no financial power but this time they have financial power. Yet a cultural transformation is taking place, a cultural change to the capitalist world of self interest....and every thing is valued by money, people become arrogant, addicted to showmanship of their riches , resulted in wastage of resources, environment pollution, and over development.....an extreme form of self interest capitalist.

Everything is like tofu, even the human hearts.....

I wonder if this is the signal for something , a signal for the change...

Will China lost the respect of the world, due to their own making?....the publicity in Time Square, New York will not help to improve their image....

The public image of a country will be adversely affected, and it is not a small matter. When a human life has no value in the society.....

It is a strong signal to the people, to the government.....something wrong somewhere, despite economic success....

It happen to Norway, it happen to London, and it is now happen in China....is it a trend where human life is worthless?....

LYNAS, I WILL SEE THAT YOU LEAVE

2011-10-17T11:16:00.005+08:00

I was in Kuantan for more than 20 years

A peaceful place to stay

Until one day they start built chemical factories

and now rare earth related....

Remember the rare earth in Bukit Merah, sometime ago,

Mishibishi is quietly cleaning up, even until now...

Now the Lynas from Australia,

who is going to clean up next time?....

We may not know what is radioactive,

But we know the harmful effect,

just look at the rare earth mining in China,

and look back at recent Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster,

they also tell them not to worry when they built,

But the worry come in 2011....

They say that is difference between atomic plant, rare earth plant,

We do not know the difference,

but we cannot trust radioactive things,

no matter what they say, they would not be there if thing happen...

but the residents will be there...

We just want simple living in peace,

yet they come,

they break our dream...

.... and now Mitsubishi is 10% owner of Lynas....

Worry.....

Ref:
1. Mitsubishi Quietly Cleans Up Its Former Refinery, http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/09/business/energy-environment/09rareside.html
2. Rare earth element, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_earth_element
3. Chronology of events in the Bukit Merah Asian Rare Earth developmenthttp://www.consumer.org.my/index.php/development/environment/454-chronology-of-events-in-the-bukit-merah-asian-rare-earth-development
4. Japanese Multinational Corporations and the Export of Pollution,The Case of Bukit Merah, by Fumitaka FURUOKA & May Chiun LO, http://www.japanesestudies.org.uk/articles/2005/FuruokaandChiun.html
5. Bukit Merah survivor: Our tears have run dry,http://www.malaysiakini.com/news/163166
6. Japan's Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group buys $324m stake in Lynas Corp, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/mining-energy/japans-mitsubishi-ufj-financial-group-buys-324m-stake-in-lynas-corp/story-e6frg9df-1226087801986
7. Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fukushima_Daiichi_nuclear_disaster

A Day Made of Glass...

2011-10-17T11:10:00.003+08:00

If that is true, and turn into reality, that will be nice...

But I am worry, my careless wife may break all the glasswares,

Then, I need to pay for more replacement than enjoy life with glass...

May be a class to conduct how to handle glassware at the Idiots level to people who cannot work with glass...

Glass instead of Apple, anyone?....

The Last Emperor - Pui Yi (愛新覺羅溥仪)

2011-10-14T14:03:00.007+08:00

Pui Yi(愛新覺羅溥仪, b 1906-d 1967)

Puyi (溥仪/溥儀) (7 February 1906 – 17 October 1967), of the Aisin Gioro(愛新覺羅) clan, was the last Emperor of China. He ruled China in two periods between 1908 and 1917, firstly as the Xuantong Emperor (宣統皇帝) when he was only 2 years 10 months , ruled from 2 December 1908 – 12 February 1912 (3 years, 72 days), and nominally as a non-ruling puppet emperor for twelve days in 1917. He was the twelfth and final member of the Manchu Qing Dynasty to rule over China. Between 1 March 1934 – 15 August 1945(11 years, 167 days) , he was the Kangde Emperor (康德皇帝) of Manchukuo. He is widely known as The Last Emperor (末代皇帝). Puyi lost his imperial title in 1924.

1908 The Child Emperor

Emperor at the age of 2, a child emperor...

Puyi's father, the 2nd Prince Chun(醇親王)or Zaifeng(愛新覺羅載沣, 1883-1951), served as a regent from 2 December 1908 until 6 December 1911 when Empress Dowager Longyu(隆裕皇后) or Empress Xiao Ding Jing (孝定景皇后) took over in the face of the Xinhai Revolution from 6 December 1911 – 12 February 1912.

1911 Xinhai Revolution and the end of Qing Dynasty -the last emperor

1911 – The Xinhai Revolution ended the Qing Dynasty. Pui Yi was the last emperor(1908-1912). Empress Dowager Longyu signed the "Act of Abdication of the Emperor of the Great Qing" (《清帝退位詔書》) on 12 February 1912, following the Xinhai Revolution, under a deal brokered by Yuan Shikai (the great general of the army Beiyang) with the imperial court in Beijing (formerly Peking) and the republicans in southern China. Signed with the new Republic of China, Puyi was to retain his imperial title and be treated by the government of the Republic with the protocol attached to a foreign monarch. He and the imperial court were allowed to remain in the northern half of the Forbidden City (the Private Apartments) as well as in the Summer Palace. A hefty annual subsidy of 4 million silver dollars was granted by the Republic to the imperial household, although it was never fully paid and was abolished after just a few years.

1917 Manchu Restoration or Emperor Restoration Incident

The second time as Emperor,constitutional mornach for 12 days at the age of 10 years old kid....

1917- In 1917, the warlord general Zhang Xun (張勛), popular called pigtail general(辫帅) of Pigtail Army(辫子军), his soldiers all kept their "queue" or pigtails. Zhang Xun restored Puyi to his throne for twelve days from 1 July 1917 – 12 July 1917(12 days). Zhang ordered his army to keep their queues (long plaits or "pigtails") to display loyalty to the emperor. During those 12 days, one small bomb was dropped over the Forbidden City by a republican plane, causing minor damage. This is considered the first aerial bombardment ever in East Asia. The restoration failed due to extensive opposition across China, and the decisive intervention of another warlord general, Duan Qirui( 段祺瑞,1865-1936)

1924 Farewell to Forbidden City

On 5-11-1924, the last emperor Puyi was expelled from the Forbidden City in Beijing by warlord Feng Yuxiang(冯玉祥/馮玉祥, 1882-1948), the Christian General. Feng imprisoned Zhili-leader and 3rd president Cao Kun(曹錕) of Republic of China

He installed the more liberal Huang Fu(黃郛,1883-1936), evicted the Last Emperor from the Forbidden City, and invited Sun Yat-sen to Beijing to resurrect the Republican government and reunify the country. Sun came to Beijing, despite illness and died there in April 1925.

Puyi spent a few days at the house of his father 2nd Prince Chun, and then temporarily resided in the Japanese embassy for a year and a half. In 1925, he moved to the "Quiet Garden Villa" in the Japanese Concession in Tianjin.

1932 Puppet Emperor of Manchukuo

He was the emperor for 3rd times from 1 March 1934 – 15 August 1945 (11 years, 167 days)

On 1 March 1932, Puyi was installed by the Japanese as the ruler of Manchukuo, considered by most historians as a puppet state of Imperial Japan, under the reign title Datong (大同). In 1934, he was officially crowned the emperor of Manchukuo under the reign title Kangde (康德). he was only 28 years old, the 3rd times as Emperor, but this time not for China, but Manchukuo, where his ancestry come from in North Eastern China.

At the end of World War II, Puyi was captured by the Soviet Red Army on 16 August 1945 while he was in an airplane fleeing to Japan. The Soviet army took him to the Siberian town of Chita. He lived in a sanatorium, but was later taken to Khabarovsk near the Chinese border.

In 1946, he testified at the International Military Tribunal for the Far East in Tokyo, detailing his resentment of how he had been treated by the Japanese.

After Chinese communists took over mainland China, Puyi was repatriated to China in 1949, spent ten years in a Fushun War Criminals Management Centre.

1959 A reformed man - a commoner

Puyi came to Beijing in 1959 with special permission from Chairman Mao Zedong and lived the next six months in an ordinary Beijing residence with his sister before being transferred to a government-sponsored hotel. He subsequently worked as an editor for the literary department of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, where his monthly salary was around 100 Yuan, an office in which he served from 1964 until his death in 1967.

Cultural Revolution 1966 - the end of last emperor of China

Mao began the Cultural Revolution in 1966, and the youth militia known as the Red Guards saw Puyi, who symbolized Imperial China, as an easy target of attack. Puyi was placed under protection by the local public security bureau, although his food rations, salary, and various luxuries, including his sofa and desk, were removed. Puyi became affected physically and emotionally. He died in Beijing of complications arising from kidney cancer and heart disease on 17 October 1967. Puyi's body was cremated. His ashes were first placed at the Babaoshan Revolutionary Cemetery, alongside those of other party and state dignitaries (before the establishment of the People's Republic of China this was the burial ground of Imperial concubines and eunuchs). In 1995, as a part of a commercial arrangement, Puyi's widow transferred his ashes to a new commercial cemetery in return for monetary support. The cemetery is located near the Western Qing Tombs (清西陵), 120 km (75 mi) southwest of Beijing, where four of the nine Qing emperors preceding him are interred, along with three empresses, and 69 princes, princesses, and imperial concubines.

In all his life, Pui Yi had been puppets for others, he was a emperor for the use of either the imperial family or political opportunists or Japanese militarists, never a time he was a real emperor. He has a dream after he grow up, to be a real emperor, 1932 was the year he was waiting for, a realized of his emperor dream. But it was also the dream that started the journey to another destination that few people want, a prison. From emperor to a prisoner, what a drastic change in life, and the psychological pressure on him.

He silenced himself for many years, surrounded only by plants in his garden and books in the library. He started to learn how to become a commoner. But fate was against his wishes, he was still an emperor, the last emperor. In 1966, come the Cultural Revolution, the political fanatic never give him a chance, and took the opportunity to end his self pride, and dug out his sad historical past. The mental and physical abuses was too much for him, now old age of 61 years old, he died in 1967, reported kidney cancer.....or political pressure....

Dr Sun Yat-sen & Taiwan

2011-10-10T23:58:00.023+08:00

Taiwan(台灣)

Taiwan or Formosa, is an island, of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. It is now ROC(Republic of China)after Chinese Civil War.

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Kingdom of Tungning(1661-1683)

1624, Dutch established commercial base in Taiwan.The Dutch made Taiwan a colony with its colonial capital at Tayoan City (present day Anping, Tainan).The Dutch military presence was concentrated at a stronghold called Castle Zeelandia.

In 1661, a Chinese fleet led by the Ming loyalist Cheng Ch'eng-kung (Zheng Chenggong鄭成功,1624-1662, known in the West as Koxinga) retreated from the mainland and landed on Luerhmen (鹿耳门),Taiwan. Cheng expelled the Dutch and established Taiwan as a base in his attempt to restore the Ming Dynasty. A pro-Ming Dynasty state, it was founded by Koxinga (also known as Zheng Chenggong) after the Ming government in mainland China was overtaken by the Manchu-ruled Qing Dynasty. Koxinga hoped to use the island to train military forces and use it as a base of operations for recapturing the mainland from the Manchus. He died shortly thereafter on 23/6/1662, Zheng Jing(鄭經)succeeded his father as the King of Tungning. Following death of Zheng Jing in 1681, the lack of an official heir meant rule of Taiwan would pass to his illegitimate son. This caused great division in the government and military powers, resulting in a exceptionally destructive struggle for succession.

Prince of Yanping (延平郡王), Ming Empire
- 1661-1662 Zheng Chenggong
King of Tungning
- 1662 - 1682 Zheng Jing
- 1682 - 1683 Zheng Keshuang

Qing dispatched their navy with Shi Lang(施琅) at the head, destroying the Zheng fleet at the Penghu Islands. In 1683 after the Battle of Penghu, Qing troops landed in Taiwan, Zheng Keshuang(鄭克塽)gave in to the Qing Dynasty's demand of surrender, and his kingdom was incorporated into the Qing Empire as part of Fujian province, ending two decades of rule by the Zheng family. Ironically, Shi Lang(施琅) was the captain of the naval fleet of Zheng Chenggong's father, Zheng Zhilong(鄭芝龍).

Taiwan under Qing Dynasty rule

From 1680 the Qing Dynasty ruled Taiwan as a prefecture and in 1875 divided the island into two prefectures, north and south. In 1887 the island was made into a separate Chinese province. Manchu ruled Taiwan from 1683 to 1895. It was part of Manchu empire(now China).

Governors
- 1885 - 1891 Liu Mingchuan
- 1894 - 1895 Tang Ching-sung

Japanese Occupation 1895-1945

Japan had sought to control Taiwan since 1592, when Toyotomi Hideyoshi began extending Japanese influence overseas. In 1609, the Tokugawa Shogunate sent Arima Harunobu on an exploratory mission. In 1616, Murayama Toan led an unsuccessful invasion of the island.

In 1871, an Okinawan vessel shipwrecked on the southern tip of Taiwan and the crew of fifty-four was beheaded by the Paiwan aborigines. The Ryūkyū Kingdom kept a tributary relationship with Great Qing Empire at the same time was subordinate to Satsuma Domain of Japan. When Japan sought compensation from Qing China, it was first rejected because Qing considered the incident an internal affair since Taiwan was a prefecture of Fujian Province of Qing and the Ryūkyū Kingdom was a tributary of Qing. When Japanese foreign minister Soejima Taneomi asked the compensation again claiming four of the victims were Japanese citizens from Okayama prefecture of Japan, Qing officials rejected the demand on the grounds that the "wild" and "unsubjugated" aboriginals (台灣生番/台湾生番) were outside its jurisdiction.The open renunciation of sovereignty led to a Japanese invasion of Taiwan. In 1874, an expeditionary force of three thousand troops was sent to the island. There were about thirty Taiwanese and 543 Japanese casualties

The Qing Dynasty was defeated in the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) and Taiwan and Penghu were ceded in full sovereignty to the Empire of Japan. Inhabitants wishing to remain Qing subjects were given a two-year grace period to sell their property and move to mainland China. Very few Taiwanese saw this as feasible.

However, on 25 May 1895, a group of pro-Qing high officials proclaimed the Republic of Formosa to resist impending Japanese rule. Japanese forces entered the capital at Tainan and quelled this resistance on 21 October 1895. The first republic last only about 5 months. Taiwan was under the control of Japanese empire for 50 years from 1895 to 1945. Taiwan under Empire of Japan rule ended after it lost World War II and signed the Instrument of Surrender of Japan on 14 August 1945.

From Manchu to Japanese occupation, there were uprisings and opposition movement in Taiwan. As for Manchu, Taiwanese Han were fighting for the reinstate of the Ming rule, in line with the new direction in mainland China. The Tiandi Hui was strong and inspired by Taiping Rebellion, and the appeal by reformist and revolutionists. There was no Taiwan independence movement. As for opposition to Japanese rule, it had been uprising initially by military way, but it later developed into more civilian action to oppose the Japanese rule, and communists begin to penetrate the island. They voices for self rule become stronger. The opposition was to be in line with the mainland China, many Taiwanese participated in uprising in mainland China to overthrow Manchu. However after 1911 when Manchu was overthrow, the period of political chaos by warlords and later Japanese militarists followed, Taiwanese Hans also participate actively in the resistance to protect their ancestry land. They are strongly behind Dr Sun for revolution, and later against Japanese invasion of China.

However after 50 years of Japanese rule in Taiwan, there were significant number of Taiwanese, who had been culturally assimilated, were royal to Japan, and joined their arm forces during the WW2, including the ex-president Lee Teng Hui.

Dr Sun Yat-sen and Taiwan

In 1894, Dr Sun was in Tianjin, together with Lu Haodong(陸皓東, 1868-1895) to sent a petition to Li Hongzhang(李鸿章, 1823-1901), the Viceroy of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang. Li had no time to look at the petition, as First Sino Japanese War(1894 -1895) broke up. Beiyang fleets were defeated by the Japanese navy. Li Hongzhang was the one who signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki(下関条約) "in perpetuity". It is also known as Treaty of Maguan(马关条约). It was signed at the Shunpanrō hall on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and Qing Empire of China, ending the First Sino-Japanese War. The peace conference took place from March 20 to April 17, 1895.

At the peace conference between Imperial Japan and Qing Dynasty, Li Hongzhang and Li Jingfang(李經方,1855?-1934), the ambassadors at the negotiation desk of Qing Dynasty, originally did not plan to split Taiwan away from the Mainland because they also realised Taiwan’s great location for trading with the West. Therefore, even though Qing Dynasty had lost wars against Britain and France in the 19th century, Emperor of Qing was serious to keep Taiwan under its control. On 20th March 1895, at Sunpanro (春帆楼) in Shimonoseki in Japan, 1-month-long peace conference had started. Li stated about Taiwan that, ‘Taiwan is already independent enough, and impossible to give other country (台湾已立一行省、不能送給他国).

Before the treaty was signed, Li Hongzhang was attacked by a right-wing Japanese extremist on March 24 1895: he was fired at and wounded on his way back to his lodgings at Injoji temple. The public outcry aroused by the assassination attempt caused the Japanese to temper their demands and agree to a temporary armistice. The conference was temporarily adjourned and resumed on April 10 1895.

It was too late for China, as she has no political power to bargain with military strong Japan. The treaty was drafted with John W. Foster, former American Secretary of State, advising the Qing Dynasty. It was signed on 17th April 1895 by Count Ito Hirobumi and Viscount Mutsu Munemitsu for the Emperor of Japan and Li Hongzhang and Li Jingfang on behalf of the Emperor of China.

Article 1: China recognizes definitively the full and complete independence and autonomy of Korea, and, in consequence, the payment of tribute and the performance of ceremonies and formalities by Korea to China, that are in derogation of such independence and autonomy, shall wholly cease for the future.
Articles 2 & 3: China cedes to Japan in perpetuity and full sovereignty of the Penghu group, Taiwan and the eastern portion of the bay of Liaodong Peninsula together with all fortifications, arsenals and public property.
Article 4: China agrees to pay to Japan as a war indemnity the sum of 200,000,000 Kuping taels
Article 6: China opens Shashih, Chungking, Soochow and Hangchow to Japan. Moreover, China is to grant Japan most-favored-nation treatment.

It was an unfair treaty to China; Korea was taken away from China's sphere of influence and colonized by Japan, and Japan gained Penanghu & Taiwan in perpetuity. It was a peace treaty for China to end the war under pressure.

General Zuo Zongtang(左宗棠, 1812-1885), an equally famous but more respected Chinese military leader, accused Li Hongzhang of being a traitor, and predicted that Li will be hated for thousand years(“李鴻章誤盡蒼生，將落個千古罵名”). It was time Qing Empire need to reform or end.....uprisings followed...

The Hsing Chung Hui (兴中会), literally means the Revive China Society or the Society for Regenerating China, was founded in Honolulu, Republic of Hawaii, by Dr. Sun Yat-sen on 24 November 1894 to forward the goal of establishing prosperity for China and as a platform for future revolutionary activities against Manchu. It was formed during the First Sino-Japanese War after a string of Chinese military defeats exposed Qing corruption and incompetence, and considered as national humiliation.

In spring 1895, the Hsing Chung Hui (兴中会), which was based in Hong Kong, planned the first Guangzhou Uprising. Lu Haodong was tasked with designing the revolutionaries' flag. On 26 October 1895, Yang Quyun(楊衢雲) and Sun Yat-sen led Zhen Shiliang(鄭士良, 1863-1901) and Lu Haodong(陸皓東) to Guangzhou, preparing to capture Guangzhou in one strike. However, the details of their plans were leaked to the government. The Qing Government began to arrest revolutionaries, including Lu Haodong, who was later executed. The first Guangzhou uprising was admittedly a failure. Sun Yat-sen and Yang Quyun were wanted by the Qing Government. Under the pressure from Qing Government, the government of Hong Kong forbade these two men to enter the territory for five years. Sun Yat-sen went into exile in Japan together with Chen Shao Bai(陳少白).

Chen Shao Bai went to Taiwan twice and established the Taipei branch of Hsing Chung Hui (兴中会)in Mid November 1897. He wins the support of Wu Wen-Siu (吳文秀), Chao Man-chao (趙滿朝) and Rong Qi-nien (容祺年), among others, and sets up a branch of the society in Taipei.

Dr Sun's visit to Taiwan
Between 1900 and 1918 Dr. Sun Yat-sen went to Taiwan three times. His first visit there was for the preparation for the Huichou Uprising(惠州起義). His last visit was in 1924, on the way to Beijing, North China via Keelung. All together, he visited Taiwan 4 times, this revealed that Taiwan is important in Dr Sun's mind .

1900 The first visit to Taiwan

In 1900, the Boxer Rebellion unfolded in China, and the north was in anarchy. The revolutionaries, therefore, decided to prepare for a military uprising. In June, Sun Yat-sen along with Zhen Sholiang, Chen Shaobai, Yang Quyun, and several Japanese people, such as Miyazaki Toten, Heiyama Shu, and Ryōhei Uchida, arrived in Hong Kong from Yokohama, but the British authorities refused to admit them. With the support of a Japanese organization Black Dragon Society(日本黑龍會), Sun Yat-sen went to Taiwan via Shimonoseki(馬關)on September 25,1900. He arrived at Keelong on 28-9-1900, then to Taipei. After meeting with Taiwan's Japanese governor Kodama Gentarō(兒玉源太郎,1898-02-26 to 1906-04-14), he gained the governor's promise that Japanese officers would support an uprising in Guangzhou. Kodama Gentaro, Japanese viceroy of Taiwan asked Goto Shimpei, the Japanese official in charge of civil affairs on the island, to contact Sun Yat-sen to offer help. As a result, Sun Yat-sen established a command center for the uprising at a place near today’s Changsha Street. More Taiwanese joined the movement.

Dr. Sun’s plan to direct the national revolution from Taiwan was frustrated as pro-Manchu cabinet came to power in Japan, Huang said, yet in his four visits to this island, Dr. Sun planted seeds of hope in the hearts of the Taiwanese people and tied together the anti-Japanese movement on Taiwan and the national revolutionary movement on the mainland

On October 8, Sun Yat-sen ordered Zhen Shiliang(鄭士良) and others to launch an uprising in Huizhou Sanzhoutian(惠州三洲田), also known as the Huizhou Uprising or Genji Uprising. The revolutionary army initially numbered 20,000 men, but the Japanese officers changed their minds and refused to support the revolution, despite the Japanese governor's promise. This uprising therefore also failed. Revolutionaries, such as Shi Jian and Yamada Ryusei, were killed as a result. Sun Yat-sen was deported from Taiwan back to Japan.

Growth of Tong menghui in Taiwan

In 1910, Wang Chao-pei(王兆培), a member of the Fujian branch of the Revolutionary Alliance, the successor organization to the Revive China Society, went to Taiwan to engage in organizational work. While studying at the Taipei Medical School, he secretly recruited Weng Chun-ming(翁俊明), Chiang Wei-shui(蔣渭水), Tu Tsung-ming(杜聰明) and others as alliance members. Weng served as liaison director in charge of developing the society’s chapter in Taiwan.

In the following year, the Revolutionary Alliance staged the 329 Guangzhou Uprising (the Huanghuagang Uprising). In Taiwan, Tainan’s Hsu Tsan-yuan(許贊元) and Miaoli’s Luo Fu-hsing(羅福星) also took part in the uprising. Later, members of Taiwan’s elites, such as Lien Heng (連橫) and Lai He (賴和), joined the alliance, which saw its Taiwanese membership grow to 76.

After Formation of Republic Of China in 1911

The success of the 1911 Xinhai Revolution and the consequent establishment of the Republic of China greatly encouraged people in Taiwan, sparking a surge of anti-Japanese sentiment. This was attested, for example, by the 1913 Miaoli Incident involving Luo Fu-hsing and the 1915 Tapani Incident, a large-scale uprising led by Yu Ching-fang(余清芳). Such activities were covertly supported by Lin Tsu-mi(林祖密), a member of an influential family in Taichung, who subsequently became a Sun “disciple” and joined in the work of the Constitutional Protection Movement in mainland China

1913 The 2nd Visit to Taiwan

1912- On August 25, 1912, the Kuomintang (國民黨)was established at the Huguang Guild Hall in Beijing, where the Revolutionary Alliance(Tongmenhui) and five smaller pro-revolution parties merged to contest the first national elections. Sun, the then Premier of the ROC, was chosen as the party chairman with Huang Xing(1874-1916) as his deputy.

The most influential member of the party was the third ranking Song Jiaoren, who mobilized mass support from gentry and merchants for the KMT on a democratic socialist platform in favor of a constitutional parliamentary democracy. The party was opposed to constitutional monarchists and sought to check the power of Yuan. The Kuomintang won an overwhelming majority of the first National Assembly in December 1912.

The first parliamentary election in February 1913. , which then convened the National Assembly of the Republic of China for the first time on April 8. The Kuomintang won majority of the seats, and Song Jiaoren was designated to form the cabinet.

Yuan soon began to ignore the parliament in making presidential decisions and had parliamentary leader Song Jiaoren assassinated in Shanghai in 1913. Members of the KMT led by Sun Yat-sen staged the Second Revolution in July 1913, a poorly planned and ill-supported armed rising to overthrow Yuan, and failed.

After failing the Second Revolution, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, in the company of Mr. Hu Han-min(胡漢民, 1879-1936)and other revolutionary leaders, left Shanghai by German Vessel MS York(德国轮船约克号) on 2/8/1913. Arrived in Mawei(马尾), Fukien Province on 3rd August on his way from Shanghai to Kwangtung Province, planning to launch another offensive to overthrow Yuan Shih-kai. Upon learning of the changed situation in Kwangtung, he left Mawei for Keelung, Taipei on 4/8/1913 by Fushun Maru(抚顺丸) for a second visit, instead of proceeding to Canton.". He arrived at Taipei on 5-8-1913 with Hu Hanmin.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen stayed at the Hotel Umeyashaki(梅屋敷旅馆) operated by a Japanese individual in the then Omari Machi (at the intersection of the now Chung Shan North Road, Sec. 1 and Peiping West Street). During his stay there, he wrote two Chinese characters, "Po Ai (Universal Love)," for Sogo Daiwa, the owner of the hotel, and another two characters, "Tung Jen (Fellowman)," for Daiwa's younger brother, Goichiro Fujii, as souvenirs. Hotel Umeyashaki is now Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall. They only stayed in Taiwan for 10 hours, secretly met the early members of Tongmenhui. Dr Sun met Dr Weng Junming(翁俊明, 1893-1943)the first Taiwan member of Tongmenhui, Dr Jiang Weishui(蒋渭水, 1891-1931)popularly known as Taiwan's Sun Yat-sen, Luo Fuxing (罗福星, 1886-1914)who participated in Huanghuakang Uprising、and Liao Jinping(廖进平,1895-1947), who financially supported the uprisings.

Liao Chin-ping(廖進平) presented Dr Sun with a donation of 60,000 Japanese yen, and Sun reciprocated with a bottle of whiskey.

Dissatisfied with Yuan Shi-kai’s malfeasance, Weng Chun-ming, Tu Tsung-ming and other Alliance members slipped into Beijing intent upon exacting revenge by introducing deadly bacteria into Yuan’s water supply. Although the plot failed, it clearly evidenced the sympathy of Taiwan compatriots for the national revolution spearheaded by Sun.

Hwang Xing was also waiting for Shizuoka Maru to Singapore or USA.

Then Dr Sun took Japanese vessel Shinano Maru(信浓丸) on 5/8/1913 from Keelung to Mojiko(門司港), Japan. Arrived at Kobe on the 9th, and Tokyo on 18th.

Yuan, claiming subversiveness and betrayal, expelled adherents of the Kuomintang from the parliament. Yuan dissolved the KMT in November (whose members had largely fled into exile in Japan) and dismissed the parliament early in 1914.

Dr. Sun’s plan to direct the national revolution from Taiwan was frustrated as pro-Manchu cabinet came to power in Japan. Sun Yat-sen was back in Japan and would not see China again until after the death of Yuan in 1916

1918 The 3rd Visit to Taiwan

On July 1917, Sun Yat-sen arrived in Guangzhou from Shanghai, and telegram the original members of parliament in Peking to come to Guangzhou and re-established a new government. The Naval Minister Cheng Biguang(程璧光,1861-1918)conducted nine ships to support Sun Yat-sen and arrived Guangzhou on July 22.

On August 25, around 100 original members of parliament convened a conference in Guangzhou and passed the resolution on establishing a military government in Guangzhou to protect the Provisional Constitution. The military government consisted of a generalissimo and three field marshals to exercise the administrative rights of the Republic of China.

On September 1, 91 members in the Guangzhou parliament voted, and 84 of them voted Sun Yat-sen as the generalissimo. Then they selected the leaders of the National Protection War (护国战争/護國戰爭,1915-1916)or anti-Monarchy War, Tang Jiyao(唐继尧/唐繼堯) of the Yunnan clique and Lu Rongting(陆荣廷, 1856-1927) of the Old Guangxi clique as marshals, Wu Tingfang(伍廷芳, 1842-1922)as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tang Shaoyi(唐紹儀, 1862-1938) as the Minister of Finance (abstained), Cheng Biguang(程璧光) as the Naval Minister, and Hu Hanmin as the Minister of Communications. Sun Yat-sen inaugurated on September 10, and appointed Li Liejun (李烈钧)as the Chief of Staff, Li Fulin(李福林) as the Commander of the Guards, Xu Chongzhi(許崇智, 1887 - 1965)as staff officer and Chen Jiongming(陳炯明) as the Commander of the First Army.

After the establishment of the Guangzhou Military Government, the north and the south of China were in confrontation. Among the supporters of Guangzhou Government, the militants in Guangxi and Yunnan were superior in strength. Hunan's Tan Yanxi(譚延闓,1880-1930), Zhao Tihuan and Cheng Chieng also supporting the Constitutional Protection Movement. With the support of Lu Rongting(陆荣廷)and the Guangxi Army, the Constitutional Protection Army defeated Duan Qirui(段祺瑞)'s assault in November. Duan resigned as the North's prime minister as a result, leaving the post to Feng Guozhang(馮國璋, 1859-1919). The north and the south were in a temporary armistice.

The Constitutional Protection Movement(护法运动, 1917-1922) launched by the Military Government of the Republic of China in Guangzhou on September 10, 1917, was intended to "protect" this provisional constitution.

During 1918, Cheng Biguang turned his position toward Guangxi clique, and he was assassinated. The Extraordinary Session of Parliament was controlled by the Old Guangxi clique(舊桂系), and was restructured on May 1918 in which the generalissimo was replaced by a committee of seven executives consisting of Sun, Tang Shaoyi, Wu Tingfang, and Tang Jiyao on one side and Lu Rongting, Cen Chunxuan(岑春煊), and Lin Baoyi(林葆怿, 1863-1927) on the other.

Feeling marginalized, Sun Yat-sen resigned as the generalissimo, and left Guangzhou to Shanghai. The Guangzhou Military Government is now headed by the Cen Chunxuan(岑春煊), the chief executive. Wu Tingfang's election as Guangdong's governor was nullified by Lu Rongting.

ON 1/6/1918, from Guangzhou by Suzhou Maru(苏州丸) to Swatow with Hu Han-min(胡漢民)、Tai Chi-tao(戴季陶,1891-1949)then by Amakusa Maru(天草丸)to Keelung and arrived Taipei the next day on 7th June. The Japanese authority in Taiwan did not allow him to land at Taiwan, but allowed supporters and members to meet him on board the ship. Dr Sun only stay one night at the port. He left again after one hour with Shinano Maru to Kobe, Japan.

1924 The 4th visit

Puyi, the last emperor was expelled from the Forbidden City in Beijing in 1924 by warlord Feng Yuxiang. Feng Yuxiang , popularly known as Christian General, who even named his army, Nationalist Army. General Feng invited Dr Sun to Beijing.

On November 10, 1924, Sun traveled north to Tianjin and delivered a speech to suggest a gathering for a "National conference" for the Chinese people. It called for the end of warlord rules and the abolition of all unequal treaties with the Western powers. Two days later, he traveled to Beijing to discuss the future of the country, despite his deteriorating health and the ongoing civil war of the warlords.

Dr Sun visited Keelung on 13-11-1924, his way to North China, Beijing. The visit was brief and may be just a stop on the way to Kobe, Japan, without landing in Taiwan.

On November 28, 1924 Sun traveled to Japan and gave a speech on Pan-Asianism at Kobe, Japan.

This was the last trip to Taiwan. He passed away in 1925 at Beijing due to liver cancer. Sun died on March 12, 1925 at the age of 58 at the Rockefeller Hospital in Beijing.

Keenly aware of the suffering his Taiwan brethren under Japanese colonization, on his deathbed Sun repeatedly reminded his comrade Tai Chi-tao(戴季陶) that until Taiwan had been restored to China, three demands should be made upon Japan, the most important of which was to grant Taiwan and Korea self-governance and free the people of Taiwan. In Dr Sun's mind while he was sick, he still remember the unification of Taiwan with China.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen dies in Beijing. Taiwanese students Hong Yan-chiu (洪炎秋, 1899-1980), Ye Xian-yu (蘇薌雨, 1902-1986) and other student representatives deliver an elegy to Dr. Sun Yat-sen: “Who can lead the three million Taiwanese people now that they have lost a great man? Our generation will carry on the uncompleted work of our motherland” (三百萬臺灣剛醒同胞唯先生何人領導，四十年祖國未竟事業舍我輩其誰分擔).

Chiang Wei-shui(蔣渭水)and Lin Hsien-tang(林獻堂) joined with other Taiwanese to establish the Taiwanese Cultural Association(台灣文化協會)on 17-10-1921,which was founded by Chiang Wei-shui in Dadaocheng, Taipei, and the Taiwan People’s Party(臺灣民眾黨), Taiwan's first political party on 10-7-1927, continue Dr Sun Yat-sen’s call for the recovery of Taiwan. Ironically many of the early Taiwan political activists were doctors, like Dr Sun.

The rule by Japanese occupation and acculturation in 50 years of their occupation, developed a group of Japanese friendly community, who are willing to accept Japanese culture, even changed their names. After 1915, armed resistance against the Japanese colonial government nearly ceased. Instead, spontaneous social movements became popular. The Taiwanese people organized various modern political, cultural and social clubs, adopting political consciousness with clear intentions to unite people with sympathetic sensibilities.

The formal surrender occurred on the morning of October 25, 1945 in Taipei City Hall (modern Zhongshan Hall). The Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan formally surrendered to Chen Yi representing the Commander in Chief of the Chinese Theatre. On the same day, the Office of the Chief Executive began functioning from the building which now houses the ROC Executive Yuan. The occupation was finally over, but many still remember fondly of Japanese Occupation era. This is the group who are strongest supporter in Taiwan independence.

The entry of General Chiang Kai-sheh and their forces, created political pressure to the locals, especially after 228 incident, where 20,000 t0 30,000 civilian were killed, many local intellectuals and politician. The political resentment and anger developed towards the KMT military government, but have no power to voice and act. The pressure suddenly released when democracy opened the doors....the main root cause for independence from KMT rule, and later Taiwan independence.

This was the dilemma of Taiwan, they suddenly lost their identification,and forgot Dr Sun, and their ancestry roots.......may be the culture of their ancestry land is not progressive enough for a modern Taiwan. A political move for independence from their ancestry land....a political and cultural dichotomy in Taiwan....politically and culturally, China was divided....

Taiwan was marginalized historically and politically by Manchu, even KMT and Communists. They did not see the Taiwan island when compared it with the large mainland. To the politician, the small island is insignificant, and looked lightly at the territorial and political issue of the island. This was great mistake by Manchu, KMT in the past. This weaken Chinese bargaining power in international border dispute, and it created opportunity for the global opportunists to manipulate on the problem. USA even milked out the cash from the economically strong Taiwan for their arms deals. The discovery of oil fields in the South China Sea will see more political movement in the region, and complicated the strait relationship of mainland China and Taiwan.

When you see India, Philippines, Vietnam, Japan and USA suddenly gear up their military and political activities in the region, it is sign for worry .....for Taiwan and mainland China....and can they forget about Dr Sun Yat-sen and unification? .....Strait relationship after 100 years of Xinhai Revolution is now facing tough challenge....

Suggested readings:
1. 913年8月5日孫逸仙與胡漢民搭乘「撫順丸」從馬尾抵達基隆下榻台北御成町「梅屋敷」旅館, http://www.wretch.cc/blog/alamge/33487678

Death of Dr Sun Yat-sen

2011-10-10T23:53:00.021+08:00

Journey to Beijing

On 5-11-1924, the last emperor Puyi was expelled from the Forbidden City in Beijing by warlord Feng Yuxiang(冯玉祥/馮玉祥, 1882-1948), the Christian General. Feng imprisoned Zhili-leader and 3rd president Cao Kun(曹錕) of Republic of China, During a war against Zhang Zuolin(张作霖) in October 1924, Cao was betrayed and imprisoned by his General Feng Yuxiang in the Beijing coup. Feng occupied Beijing and forced Cao to resign. His brother, Cao Rui (曹叡), committed suicide while under house arrest. Cao Kun was released two years later as a goodwill gesture by Feng to Wu Peifu(吴佩孚) or "Jade Marshall" (玉帥).

He installed the more liberal Huang Fu(黃郛,1883-1936), evicted the Last Emperor from the Forbidden City, and invited Sun Yat-sen to Beijing to resurrect the Republican government and reunify the country.

Following his expulsion from the Forbidden City, Puyi spent a few days at the house of his father 2nd Prince Chun, and then temporarily resided in the Japanese embassy for a year and a half. In 1925, he moved to the "Quiet Garden Villa" in the Japanese Concession in Tianjin.

While Puiyi was expelled from Forbidden City, and resided at Japanese embassy at Tianjin, Dr Sun Yat-sen was giving a speech at Tianjin. I do not know did they ever met? even at the cross point of their life at Tianjin.....

1924- On November 10, 1924, Sun traveled north to Tianjin and delivered a speech to suggest a gathering for a "National conference" for the Chinese people. It called for the end of warlord rules and the abolition of all unequal treaties with the Western powers. Two days later, he traveled to Beijing to discuss the future of the country, despite his deteriorating health and the ongoing civil war of the warlords.

On November 28, 1924 Sun traveled to Japan and gave a speech on Pan-Asianism at Kobe, Japan.

1925- Sun came to Beijing, despite illness and died of liver cancer on March 12, 1925 at the age of 58. He died at the Rockefeller Hospital in Beijing. In keeping with common Chinese practice, his remains were placed in the Green Cloud Monastery, a Buddhist shrine in the Western Hills a few miles outside of Beijing.

On April 23, 1929, the Chinese government appointed He Yingqin(何应钦/何應欽, 1890-1987) to be in charge of laying Dr. Sun to rest. On May 26, the coffin departed from Beijing, and on May 28, it arrived in Nanjing. On June 1, 1929, Dr. Sun was buried at Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum (中山陵), Nanjing.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Mausoleum (中山陵) is situated at the foot of the second peak of Mount Zijin (Purple Mountain) in Nanjing, China. Construction of the tomb started in January 1926 and was finished in spring of 1929. The architect was Lu Yanzhi(呂彥直, 1894-1929), who died shortly after it was finished. Lu died at the age of 35, relative young age.

After Sun’s death

Warlordism did not end after Dr Sun's death, but took on a different appearance. All cliques now wore the Zhongshan suit and had party membership, effectively becoming KMT franchisees. Tang Jiyao, claiming to be Sun's chosen successor, tried to seize control of the southern government during the Yunnan-Guangxi War but was routed. In the north the Anti–Fengtian War was waged from November 1925 to April 1926 by the Guominjun against the Fengtian clique and their Zhili clique allies. The war ended with the defeat of the Guominjun and the end of the provisional executive government.

After Dr Sun's death, Hu Hanmin(胡漢民/胡汉民, 1879-1936) was one of the three most powerful figures in Kuomintang, as vice generalissimo,he become acting generalissimo when Dr Sun Yat-sen left Guangzhou to Shaoguan(韶关)in Sept 1924, and chairman of Chinese Kuomintang Central Political Committee(中国国民党中央政治委员会/中央政治会议/中政会）, the top decision body of ruling KMT(國民黨). He was a very important right-winger in Kuomintang. The other two were Wang Jingwei(汪兆銘,汪精衛, 1883-1944) and Liao Zhongkai(廖仲恺/廖仲愷, 1877-1925) who were left wingers, who were close with the Soviet Union as well as the Chinese Communist Party. Liao Zhongkai was the finance minister under Dr Sun.

National Government of the ROC,Guangdong(中華民國國民政府)1/7/1925 to 20/5/1948

After the death of Dr Sun, for the unification of modern China and to start the Northern Expedition(北伐) against the Beiyang government in Beijing. Chinese Kuomintang Central Political Committee(中国国民党中央政治委员会) decided to form a national government at Guangdong on 1-7-1925. National Military Council(國民政府軍事委員會) was also formed at the same time to command the Chinese National Revolutionary Army(國民革命軍) for Northern Expedition. Wang jingwei, Tan Yankai(譚延闓) and Chiang Kai-shek(蔣介石) were in the committee of National Militry Council, with Wang as chairman. This new government replaced the Military government in Guangzhou (1921-1925) set up by Dr Sun.

Wang jingwei(汪兆銘) was elected as the first chairman of the National Government of the ROC,Guangdong(第一任國民政府主席) from 1/7/1925 to 23/3/1926. He was also the 1st chairman of newly formed National Military Council(國民政府軍事委員會).

Liao Zhongkai(廖仲恺) was assassinated before a Kuomintang Executive Committee meeting on August 30, 1925 in Guangzhou, Guangdong when five gunmen riddled him with bullets from Mauser C96's as he stepped out of his limo, and Hu Hanmin was suspected and arrested. This left only Wang Jingwei and the rising Chiang Kai-shek as rivals for control of the Kuomintang. At the time, Chiang Kai-shek was a much junior party leader, but he had a strong political ambition. Wang Jingwei was not a political ambitious man at the time. The event effectively remove two competitors from the obstacles to political ambition of Chiang.

Wang was elected as Chairman of Chinese Kuomintang Central Political Committee on 23-1-1926, replacing Hu Han-min. Wang should theoretically be the most powerful man at this time in modern China, but he lacked military power base despite having appointed as chairman of National Military Council. This also start the political rivalry of Wang and Chiang, Chiang was active in his pursuit of political ambition, Wang was a reactive and passive player. Between the death of Dr Sun and the end of Resistance War, it was the period of Chiang and Wang.

A power struggle between his young protégé Chiang Kai-shek and his old revolutionary comrade Wang Jingwei split the KMT. At stake in this struggle was the right to lay claim to Sun's ambiguous legacy. Chiang's relatively low position in the party's internal hierarchy was bolstered by his military backing and adept political maneuvering following the Zhongshan Warship Incident. On June 5, 1926, Chiang became Commander-in-Chief of the National Revolutionary Army (NRA),and on July 27 1926 he launched a military campaign known as the Northern Expedition in order to defeat the warlords controlling northern China and to unify the country under the KMT.

Wang had clearly lost control of the KMT by 1926, when, following the Zhongshan Warship Incident(中山舰事件), or "March 20th Incident", on March 20, 1926, involved a suspected plot by Captain Li Zhilong of the warship Chung Shan to kidnap Chiang Kai-shek. After the incident, Chiang successfully sent Wang and his family to vacation in Europe. It was important for Chiang to have Wang away from Guangdong while Chiang was in the process of expelling communists from the KMT because Jiang was then the leader of the left wing of the KMT, notably sympathetic to communists and communism, and may have opposed Chiang if he had remained in China. Wang resigned on 23-3-1926 as Chairman, and left Guangzhou to Europe on 11-5-1926.

It triggered a political struggle between the Communist Party of China and Kuomintang(KMT). The civil war began in April 1927, amidst the Northern Expedition. During the 1920s, Communist Party of China activists retreated underground or to the countryside where they fomented a military revolt, beginning the Nanchang Uprising on August 1, 1927. This marked the beginning of the ten year's struggle, known in mainland China as the "Ten Year's Civil War" (十年内战). It lasted until the Xi'an Incident when Chiang Kai-shek was forced to form the Second United Front against the invading Japanese and essentially ended when major active battles ceased in 1949-1950.

After Wang resigned, Chiang becoming the head of the Kuomintang party and commander-in-chief of all the armies for the Northern Expedition.

Tan Yankai(譚延闓) was the acting Chairman of the National Government of the ROC after Wang left, acting Chairman of National Government of ROC, Guangdong(代理國民政府主席) from 30/3/1926 to 20/3/1927). The office later moved to Wuhan(武漢).

On June 5, 1926, Chiang became Commander-in-Chief of the National Revolutionary Army (NRA), and on July 27 he launched a military campaign known as the Northern Expedition(北伐)in order to defeat the warlords controlling northern China and to unify the country under the KMT. The NRA branched into three divisions: to the west was Wang Jingwei and its allies, who led a column to take Wuhan; Bai Chongxi(白崇禧, 1893-1966) went east to take Shanghai; Chiang himself led in the middle route, planning to take Nanjing before pressing ahead to capture Beijing.

National Government at Wuhan(武漢)1926-1927

On 8-11-1926, the National Government of ROC, Guangdong, declared that the capital was moving to Wuhan, and by 5th December, all government offices stopped operating in Guangzhou, by 21-2-1927, the government officially operated in Wuhan. During the period between the moving of the government from Guangzhou and Wuhan from 5/12/1926 to 20/2/1927,Chinese Kuomintang Central Executive Committee(中國國民黨中央執行委員) and National Government Temporary Combined Committee Meeting(國民政府委員臨時聯席會議) as temporary administration institution, Xu Qian(徐謙) was the President of Combined Meeting(聯席會議主席)。

From 21-2-1927 to 19-8-1927, the Wuhan government did not appoint any chairman, the government was ruled by the committee of Wang Jin-wei(汪精衛)、Tan Yankai(譚延闓) 、Sun Ke(孫科)、Xu Qian(徐謙)、Tse-ven Soong or TV Soong(宋子文)as standing committee. Wang Jing-wei was the chairman of the standing committee on 10-3-1927 in his absence. This Wuhan government ruled until Ninghan Reunion(寧漢合流) where Wuhan and Nanjing government reunited.

When Chiang was having power control in KMT, he started the Northern Expedition. But in view of his dictatorship, the KMT members asked Wang to return from Europe. Chiang has no choice, but accepted the return of Wang. Wang returned by train from Russia to China in Feb 1927, in Russia he met Stalin. He arrived at Shanghai on 1-4-1927, returned to Wuhan on 6/4 and on 10/4/1927 officially took over as chairman of the Standing Committee, National Government of ROC, Wuhan (武漢國民政府常務委員會主席)from 10/4/1927 to 20/9/1927. On 5-4-1927, KMT-CCP Joint Declaration (國共兩黨領袖汪兆銘、陳獨秀聯合宣言) was issued by Chen Duxiu(陳獨秀), Secretary General of the Communist Party of China and Wang Jin-wei. He was against Chiang’s suggestion of anti Communist(排共建議)，and suggested cooperation with communist(堅持容共). Allied with Chinese Communists and advised by Soviet agent Mikhail Borodin, Wang declared the National Government as having moved to Wuhan. While attempting to direct the government from Wuhan, Wang was notable for his close collaboration with leading Communist figures, including Mao Zedong, Chen Duxiu, and Borodin, and for his faction's provocative land-reform policies.

"Ninghan Separation" (宁汉分裂/寧漢分裂)18/4/1927 to 19/8/1927
(i) 南京（1927年4月18日—1937年11月20日）

Chiang Kai-shek occupied Shanghai in April 1927. Wang's regime was opposed by Chiang Kai-shek, who was in the midst of a bloody purge of Communists in Shanghai on 12/4/1927 or 412 Incident, was calling for a push farther north. Wang was against the bloody suppression of suspected Communists known as the "White Terror". The KMT was now plagued by factionalism between Wang Jingwei and Chiang Kai Shek. Chiang formed a new alternative KMT government in Nanjing(南京國民政府) on 18-4-1927. The separation between the governments of Wang(Wuhan) and Chiang(Nanjing)are known historically as the "Ninghan Separation" (宁汉分裂/寧漢分裂).

During the period from 18-4-1927 to 19-8-1927, there was no appointment of Chairman at Nanjing, but Hu Hanmin supported Chiang and was appointed as Chairman of Central Executive Committee of Kuomintang (Nanjing) from 1927-1931. (南京國民政府採取委員制，由蔣中正、胡漢民、張靜江、吳稚暉、鈕永建等十二人為政府委員，由中政會主席胡漢民主持國民政府，鈕永建為國民政府秘書長，蔣中正為國民革命軍總司令，吳稚暉為總司令部政治部主任。政府轄區包括滬、蘇、浙、閩、兩廣與皖之一部等.)

(ii) Ninghan Reunion(寧漢復合)16/9/1927 to 7/2/1928

Within several weeks of Chiang's suppression of Communists in Shanghai Wang's leftist government was attacked by a KMT-aligned warlord and disintegrated, leaving Chiang as the sole legitimate leader of the Republic. KMT troops occupying territories formerly controlled by Wang conducted massacres of suspected Communists in those areas: around Changsha alone, over ten thousand people were killed in a single twenty day period. Fearing retribution as a Communist sympathizer, Wang publicly claimed allegiance to Chiang and fled to Europe. Wang requested Chiang to resign as Commander-in-Chief of the National Revolutionary Army, as condition for reunion of the government.

On 14/8/1927, Chiang resigned ( 蔣中正下野)，as Nanjing and Wuhan reunited(寧漢合流), the government of "ninghan reunion(寧漢復合政府)" on 19/8/1927 moved to Nanjing(遷往南京). Wang Jingwei arrived at Nanjing on Sept (汪兆銘亦於9月初親抵南京) and Ninghan officially reunited(寧漢正式復合)，是为“寧漢復合（中國共產黨稱作寧漢合流）”, there was no appointment of Chairman temporary during the period(後暫不設主席期間). The period last from 16/9/1927 to 7/2/1928 without any appointment of chairman for Nanjing government(united government).

The Northern Expedition 1926-1928
The Northern Expedition also known as Northern March began from the KMT's power base in Guangdong province on 9-7-1926, and ended on 29-12-1928, when On June 4, 1928, Zhang, who was heading north from Beijing by train, was assassinated by Japanese conspirators, operating from Japan's Kwantung Army. Yan Xishan(閻錫山/阎锡山)'s forces occupied Beijing and the city was renamed "Beiping" or "Northern Peace". Yan's occupation of Beijing in June, 1928, brought the Northern Expedition to a successful conclusion. Yan's occupation of Beijing in June, 1928, brought the Northern Expedition to a successful conclusion. Yan's assistance to Chiang was rewarded shortly afterwards by his being named Minister of the Interior and deputy commander-in-chief of all Kuomintang armies. Zhang's son, Zhang Xueliang, took over control of Manchuria and decided to cooperate with Chiang and the Kuomintang by replacing all banners of the Beiyang Government in Manchuria to the flag of the Nationalist Government on 29/12/1928, the incident was called North-east Flag Change(東北易幟), thus nominally uniting China under one state, due to his desire to drive out Japanese influence over Manchuria.

National Government, Nanjing（南京國民政府)1927-1948

Tan Yankai(譚延闓)was later appointed as 2nd chairman of the National Government of ROC(第二任國民政府主席)from 7/2/1928 - 10/10/1928年10月10日,also the first President of the National Government, Nanjing（南京國民政府第一任）, a united government.

When The National Revolutionary Army (NRA,國民革命軍) entered Beijing in 8th June 1928, which reflected the success of Northern Expedition, a personal political accomplishment for Chiang. Chiang Kai-shek was appointed as 3rd chairman of the National Government of ROC(國民政府委員會主席第三任) and 2nd President of the National Government of ROC, Nanjing（南京國民政府第二任）（首次）from 10-10-1928 to 15-12-1931,along with heads of the five branches of government (五院院長).

On 29/12/1928, Manchuria under Northeast Flag Replacement（東北易幟)，The Northern Expedition completed(北伐完成)，and China was united(全國統一）.

The Kuomintang under Chiang Kai-shek established control over much of China by 1928. According to Dr Sun's view, military regime should be over, and China should be entering the era of Tutelage Period(训政时期). Tutelage Period was the transition period before a full representative democracy fully implement under new constitution. Hu Han-min was in the opinion, that there was no necessity to have new constitution now. But Wang Jingwei, Yan Xishan(阎锡山)，Feng Yuxiang(冯玉祥)met at Beijing, insisted on having new constitution and they drafted the new constitution in opposition to Nanjing government, the drafted constitution was historically known as Taiyuan Constitution(太原約法). The Nationalist Government promulgated the Provisional Constitution of the Political Tutelage Period(中华民国训政时期约法)on 8-5-1931, effective from 1st June. Under this document, the government operated under a one-party system with supreme power held by the National Congress of the Kuomintang and effective power held by the Central Executive Committee of the Kuomintang. This was the constitution crisis, another personal clash between Chiang and Wang.

Central Plain War(中原大战, May 1930 – November 4, 1930)
Between 1929 and 1930, Wang collaborated with Feng Yuxiang and Yan Xishan to form a central government in opposition to the one headed by Chiang. Wang took part in a conference hosted by Yan to draft a new constitution, and was to serve as the Prime Minister under Yan, who would be President. Wang's attempts to aid Yan's government ended when Chiang defeated the alliance in the Central Plains War. Central Plains War (中原大战, May 1930 – November 4, 1930 ) was the largest civil war within the factionalised Kuomintang (KMT) that broke out in 1930. It was fought between the forces of Chiang Kai-shek and the coalition of three military commanders who had previously allied with Chiang: Yan Xishan(閻錫山), Feng Yuxiang(馮玉祥), and Li Zongren(李宗仁), Zhang Fakui(張發奎). The war spread wide across Central Plains, a core region of China. Chiang victory, Yan and Feng resigned. Chiang becomes more powerful, and a strong man in modern China. The war however weaken China and KMT in later events against Japanese and Communist.

Lin Sen(林森) was acting Chairman from 15/12/1931 to 1/1/1932, and later appointed as 4th chairman of the National Government of ROC(國民政府主席第四任) and 3rd President of the National Government of ROC, Nanjing（南京國民政府第三任）from 15/12/1931 to 1/8/1943. He was actually a nominal appointment, the Chairman post from 1931 after 6th constitution change, has no power of actual government administration. The actual political power was under General Chiang Kai-sheh, who was the Chairman of National Military Council(國民政府軍事委員會, 1-7-1925 to 31-5-1946) from January 17, 1938, during the Second Sino-Japanese War and World War II.

The National Government passes the Constitutional Draft of the Republic of China, called the “May 5th Constitutional Draft” (五五憲草)on 5-5-1936.

Hu Huimin died on May 12, 1936. His death sparked a crisis. Chiang wanted to replace Hu with loyal followers in southern China and end the autonomy the south enjoyed under Hu. As a result Chen and the New Guangxi clique conspired to remove Chiang from office. In the so-called "Liangguang Incident", Chen was forced to resign as governor of Guangdong after Chiang bribed many of Chen's officers to defect and the conspiracy collapsed.

On 12-12-1936,in Xian, Chiang Kai-shek is abducted and held by Marshal Chang Hsue-liang (張學良) and Yang Hu-cheng (楊虎城) until the 25th, when he is released. This event later becomes known as the Xian Incident.

Wang Jing-wei had Changed

In 1931, Wang joined another anti-Chiang government in Guangzhou. After Chiang defeated this regime, Wang reconciled with Chiang's Nanjing government and held prominent posts for most of the decade. Wang was appointed premier just as the Battle of Shanghai (1932) began. He had frequent disputes with Chiang and would resign in protest several times only to have his resignation rescinded. As a result of these power struggles within the KMT, Wang was forced to spend much of his time in exile. He traveled to Germany, and maintained some contact with Adolf Hitler. The effectiveness of the KMT was constantly hindered by leadership and personal struggles, such as that between Wang and Chiang. In December 1935, Wang permanently left the premiership after being seriously wounded during an assassination attempt a month earlier on 1-11-1935.

The Second Sino-Japanese War (July 7, 1937 – September 9, 1945) was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union (1937–1940) and the United States. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor (1941), the war merged into the greater conflict of World War II as a major front of what is broadly known as the Pacific War. The Second Sino-Japanese War was the largest Asian war in the 20th century. It also made up more than 50% of the casualties in the Pacific War if the 1937–1941 period is taken into account.the war is most commonly known as the War of Resistance Against Japan (抗日战争).

7-7-1937- In a Beijing suburb, the Japanese army, looking to provoke confrontation, bombards Wanping County from the Marco Polo Bridge. The Japanese then attempt to take the town. The National Army of the Republic of China puts up fierce resistance, and the first fighting in the War of Resistance Against Japan is initiated. This event is later known as the “July 7th Incident” (七七事變).

During the period of 21/11/1937 to 5/5/1946, during the Resistance War, the capital of the National Government moved to Chongqing(重慶), historically it was known as Chongqing National Government(重慶國民政府). After the war was over, the capital of the government moved back to Nanjing on 5-5-1946.

29-3-1938- In Wuchang, the Kuomintang convenes an emergency National Congress. Guidelines on fighting the War of Resistance and national reconstruction are formulated. Chiang Kai-shek is elected Director-General of the Kuomintang, and Wang Qing-wei (汪精衛) Deputy Director-General of the Kuomintang.

1940 - During this time,Wang Jingwei with the Japanese Imperial Army, formed the puppet government, Japanese called it Nanjing National Government, but historically it was Wang Jingwei regime(汪精衛政權, 1940-1945). Wang Jingwei was originally the leftist leader of a Kuomintang (KMT) faction called the Reorganizationists who had broken away from Chiang Kai-Shek's government in March 1940 and defected to the Japanese invaders. Wang from a patriotic Dr Sun's supporter becomes a traitor, is it because of the personal rivalry between him and Chiang that caused the drastic change, that upgraded into national political conflict?...what caused the change?....

1941- on 10th Feb 1941, the Revolutionary Alliance Conference of Taiwan (台灣革命同盟會) is set up in Chongqing, under the direction of the Kuomintang. Its guiding purpose is to focus all of Taiwan’s revolutionary power to topple Japanese imperialism; restore Taiwan to glory; and unite in effort with the motherland to establish a new China based on the Three Principles of the People.

On 9-12-1941, The Republic of China officially declares war on the Axis powers of Japan, Germany and Italy, following the start of the Pacific War.

General Chiang Kai Sheh Era from 1-6-1943 to 20-5-1948

When Lin Sen was sick, General Chiang Kai-sheh was relieving from 1-6-1943 to 1-8-1943. Chairman of the National Government Lin Sen (林森) died on 1-8-1943. He was then acting from 1-8-1943 to 10-10-1943. From 10-10- 1943 to May 20, 1948, he was elected as 5th chairman of the National Government of ROC(國民政府委員會主席,第五任) and 4th President of the National Government of ROC, Nanjing（南京國民政府第四任）（二次）. In 1943, the constitution changed again to gove actual government administration power to the Chairman(主席). General Chiang Kai-sheh was the one now holding actual political power as well as military power, the man who actually ruled the united modern China, the strong man of China.

Japan surrendered on 14-8-1945.

Republic of China(1948-1949 in mainland, after 1949 in Taiwan)

When the ROC moved the capital back to Nanjing, and the Second Sino-Japanese War was over, but the Chinese Civil War anticipated. The political climate pressured Chiang Kai-shek into enacting a democratic Constitution that would put an end to KMT single party rule. The Chinese Communists sought a coalition, made of one-third Nationalists, one-third Communists, and one-third of members from other parties, to form a coalition government that would draft the new Constitution. However, Chiang Kai-shek refused to relinquish power and insisted on having the Nationalist Government draft the Constitution and then holding nation-wide elections in which the Communists would be permitted to participate.KMT-drafted Constitution was adopted by the National Assembly on December 25, 1946, promulgated by the National Government on January 1, 1947, and went into effect on December 25, 1947. The Constitution was seen as the third and final stage of Kuomintang reconstruction of China. This time the 2nd constitution crisis was between Chiang and Communists.

There after that, ROC government replaced National Government(中華民國政府取代國民政府). General Chiang become the first President(總統)of ROC or Republic of China(中華民國), and continued from 1/3/1950 to 5/4/1975. He was however chased away from mainland China when communist took over in 1949. Chiang remained as President in Taiwan until the day he died in 1975.

The Communists, though invited to the convention that drafted it, boycotted and declared after the ratification that not only would it not recognize the ROC constitution, but all bills passed by the Nationalist administration would be disregarded as well. Zhou Enlai challenged the legitimacy of the National Assembly in 1947 by accusing KMT hand-picked the members of the National Assembly 10 years earlier and thus could not have legal representative of the Chinese people.

The history revealed that before Dr Sun's death, there were warlords, and after his death, there was KMT splits between Wang Jingwei and Chiang Kai-sheh, and Chinese civil war between KMT and CCP started, and Japanese invasion. It was a history of divided nation, chaos, and wars. The democracy and constitutional government were facing obstacles after obstacles, movement to republican was further delay, and slow down. Military rule under one party(KMT)or under communist rule were the norm. There was no unity, and China continue divided until today.

Will it be a different scenario, when Hu Han-min,Liao Zhongkai, and Wang Jing-wei are united like in the days of Tongmenhui?... the ambitious dictator opportunist General Chiang Kai-sheh will be contained, and Wang Jing-wei will not become a traitor..... Too many heads spoiled the soup, and failed Dr Sun Yat-sen dream journey to republic....

1924年11月5日，已退位12年的废帝溥仪突然接到冯玉祥的国民军通知，限令3小时内将清室成员全部搬出故宫。在溥仪出宫五天后，故宫宣布对外开放，从此象征帝王之尊的紫禁城向老百姓敞开了大门。(1967年10月，溥仪患肾癌去世。)

冯玉祥等人多次联名电请孙中山，年近花甲的孙中山以染病之身于1924年11月13日启程北上。12月31日，孙中山抵达北京，但他的病情迅速恶化。1925年3月12日，孙中山离开了人世，后被安葬于南京中山陵。

中华民族从来不会忘记自己的英雄，更不会忘记对先驱的纪念，1940年，当时的国民政府通令全国，尊崇孙中山为中华民国国父；1956年，中国共产党领袖毛主席称孙中山为伟大的革命先行者；1997年，中国共产党第三代领导人江泽民将孙中山列为20世纪中国三位伟人之一。

Dr Sun Yat -sen - The challege of having own military force

2011-10-10T20:44:00.011+08:00

Dr Sun Yat-sen may be the Provincial President of newly found Republic of China, but he held the post for a short while, thereafter he had to pass the post to Yuan Shikai. Dr Sun realized that he needed his own military forces for revolution.

After the death of Yuan Shikai, China fragmented into numerous fiefdoms ruled by warlords. Sun Yat-sen attempted in 1917 and 1920 to set up a base in his native Guangdong to launch a northern campaign to unite China under his Three Principles of the People. However, his government remained militarily weaker than local warlords armies. Calls by Sun for arms and money were ignored by the western powers.

Then in 1921 the representative of Comintern, Henk Sneevliet (using the name Maring), met with Sun in Guangxi. He proposed to set up a military academy and train the revolutionary army, which confirmed Sun's ideas and he eventually accepted. The Chinese Communist Party sent Li Dazhao and Lin Boqu (林伯渠) to discuss with Sun and his party on how to set up this academy.

In 1924, in the 1st National Congress of Kuomintang, the policy of alliance with the Soviet Union and CCP was passed as guidance for KMT. As a result, the final decision of establishment of a military academy was made and preparatory committee was set up accordingly. The money necessary for the construction and support of the Academy in 1924-1925 was provided by the Soviets.

The Nationalist Party of China Army Officer Academy (中国国民党陆军军官学校/中國國民黨陸軍軍官學校), commonly known as the Whampoa Military Academy (黄埔军校), was a military academy in the Republic of China (ROC) that produced many prestigious commanders who fought in many of China's conflicts in the 20th century, notably the Northern Expedition, the Second Sino-Japanese War and the Chinese Civil War.

Chiang Kai-shek(蔣中正/蔣介石) was appointed the first commandant of the academy. Liao Zhongkai (廖仲愷), the famous leftist of Kuomintang and Sun's treasury secretary, was appointed as representative of KMT to the academy. Zhou Enlai, Hu Han-min and Wang Ching-wei were among the instructors in the political department. He Yingqin and Ye Jianying were once military instructors.

The military academy was officially opened on May 1, 1924 under the Kuomintang (KMT), but the first lessons began on June 16, 1924. The inauguration was on Changzhou Island offshore from the Whampoa dock in Guangzhou, thus earning its common name. During the inaugural ceremonies, Sun Yat-sen delivered a speech that was later to become the lyrics of the national anthem of the Republic of China.

The original Whampoa Military Academy existed from 1924 to 1926, over 6 terms it enrolled more than 7000.

Sun Yat-sen died on March 12, 1925, creating a power vacuum in the Kuomintang. Liao Zhongkai was one of the three most powerful figures in the Kuomintang Executive Committee, the other two were Wang Jingwei and Hu Hanmin. A contest ensued between Chiang, who stood at the right wing of the KMT, and Sun Yat-sen's close comrade-in-arms Wang Jingwei, who leaned towards the left. Liao was assassinated before a Kuomintang Executive Committee meeting on August 30, 1925 in Guangzhou, Hu was suspected and arrested, and Wang Jingwei was the only one left. On June 5, 1926, Chiang became Commander-in-Chief of the National Revolutionary Army (NRA), and on July 27 he launched a military campaign known as the Northern Expedition in order to defeat the warlords controlling northern China and to unify the country under the KMT. Chiang Kai-shek occupied Shanghai in April 1927, and began a bloody suppression of suspected Communists known as the "White Terror". Within several weeks of Chiang's suppression of Communists in Shanghai Wang's leftist government was attacked by a KMT-aligned warlord and disintegrated, leaving Chiang as the sole legitimate leader of the Republic. Chiang Kai-shek purged the Chinese Communist Party during the Northern Expedition, which caused the beginning of Chinese civil war. Wang Jingwei's National Government was weak militarily, and was soon ended by Chiang with the support of a local warlord. Wang, fearing retribution as a Communist sympathizer,publicly claimed allegiance to Chiang and fled to Europe. Chiang become the Chairman of the Nationalist Government of China on 10-10-1928 and new political power in modern China until 1949.

The academy was moved to the newly established capital in Nanjing after the defeat of the warlords in 1928. The academy moved again to Chengdu during the Japanese invasion. In 1950, after the Communist victory on mainland China and the establishment of the People's Republic of China, the academy was re-established in Fengshan, Kaohsiung County (now part of Kaohsiung City, Taiwan as the Chinese Military Academy (陸軍官校) and changed name in 2004 to the Military University. (軍官大學) The site of the original academy in Guangzhou is now a museum.

Note: In 1925, Chiang Ching-Kuo, son of Chiang Kai-shek went on to Moscow to study at a Communist school. Ching-kuo was an enthusiastic student of Communist ideology, particularly Trotskyism. He lived in Russia for 12 years and have a Russian wife, Faina Ipat'evna Vakhreva,one son and one daughter were born in Russia.

For reader's information, Dr Sun also had pilot training school in Japan, and modern army training base in USA.

It is also interesting to know that Wang Jingwei, the successor of Dr Sun faced the same problem of no support by own army. The political power was within the hands of General Chiang Kai-shek,a military dictator and a fake republican, like General Yuan Shikai, taken away the fruit of Xinhai Revolution, obstruct the road to democracy and Republic. The military power prevail over the democratic constitutional forces, the democrats and republicans, who due to lack of military power to protect their belief, failed one by one, some were assassinated or faded away on the way... the winner were military opportunist General Chiang Kai-shek and Chinese communists, who bought the people more wars, dead, and sufferings....

辛亥革命以来，共和制度的生存非常短暂，阻碍民主的反动势力并未受到致命的打击，以至孙中山先生在长达10年捍卫共和的历程中，充满了浓郁的悲剧色彩。俄国革命的胜利使孙中山看到了希望。他创建黄埔军校，为了统一全国，他再次进行北伐。

Dr Sun - The aspiration for New China

2011-10-10T20:39:00.004+08:00

Wuchang Uprising - The Choice by the people

2011-10-10T17:41:00.008+08:00

The New Armies (新軍) were the modernized Qing armies, trained and equipped according to Western standards. The first of the new armies was founded in 1895, following Japan's victory in the First Sino-Japanese War.

On December 8, 1895, Empress Dowager Cixi appointed Yuan Shikai the commander of the 4,000 men who formed the basis of the first New Army. Further expanded to 7,000, this New Army became the most formidable of the three army groups stationed near Beijing and proved effective against the Boxers in Shandong province. Yuan showed his loyalty to the Qing court, albeit little more than symbolically, by committing a detachment to relieve Beijing from foreign hands.

The New Army was gradually expanded and upgraded in the following years. Yuan became increasingly disrespectful of the dynasty and only loyal to the party from which he benefited; his defection to Cixi against Guangxu Emperor was a major blow to the Hundred Days Reform. After 1900, Yuan's troops were the only militia that the Qing court could rely on amidst revolutionary uprisings throughout China.

The successful example of the new army was followed in other provinces. The New Army of Yuan was renamed the Beiyang Army on June 25, 1902 after Yuan was officially promoted to the "Minister of Beiyang". By the end of the dynasty in 1911, most provinces had established sizable new armies; however, Yuan's army was still most powerful, comprising six groups and numbering more than 75,000 men. The Qing unified all of China's armies into one force, the "Chinese Army", which was commonly still called the New Army. Two-thirds of the Chinese Army was Yuan's Beiyang Army.

During the Xinhai Revolution, most of the non-Beiyang forces as well as some Beiyang units in the Chinese Army revolted against the Qing. Yuan led the Beiyang Army into opposing the revolution while also negotiating for the Qing's surrender and his ascendency to the presidency of the new republic.

There were 5,000 new army in Hubei. About 75% were either member of the revolutionary movement or supporters.

The uprising itself broke out by accident. At the time there were two local revolutionary groups ready in Wuhan, the Literary society (文學社) and the Progressive Association (共進會). The two groups worked together led by Chiang Yi-wu (蔣翊武) and Sun wu (孫武).

The Wuchang Uprising began with the dissatisfaction of the handling of a railway crisis. The crisis then escalated to an uprising where the revolutionaries went up against Qing government officials. The uprising was then assisted by the New Army in a coup against their own authorities in the city of Wuchang, Hubei province on October 10, 1911.[1] The Battle of Yangxia led by Huang Xing would be the major battle in the uprising. These events served as a catalyst to the Xinhai Revolution, which led to the collapse of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC). It was actually New Army Mutiny.

They met in Yanzhi Lu and decided mutiny to be on Mid-Autumn festival (6-10-1911), but the date was disclosed by the drunken soldiers, the government army imposed curfew, the date was postponed to 9-10-1911. An accident by cigarettes caused an exposure, which resulted in the alert of the government army, and the Member Register of Revolutionaries was obtained by the army. Sun wu (孫武)was seriously injured.

Facing arrest, and certain execution, the revolutionaries had their identities revealed. They had no choice but to stage a coup. Qing Viceroy of Huguang Duan Zheng (瑞澂) tried to track down the revolutionaries. Jiang Yiwu (蔣翊武) of the Literary society decided to launch an attack that night, but was discovered by the Qing. Before the mutiny started , the group were surrounded by the government army, 32 were captured except Chiang Yi-wu (蔣翊武).Several members were arrested and executed.

Xiong Bingkun (熊秉坤) then decided to revolt on the evening of October 10, 1911 at 7pm. The modernized New Army in Wuchang staged a mutiny. While the New Army belonged to the Qing government, it has already been infiltrated by the then exiled Sun Yat-sen's anti-Qing allegiance. This event would takeover the government house office of Duan Zheng, who was terrified and escaped from a dig-tunnel. After fierce fighting, the army captured strategic points in the city. More revolutionaries joined the revolt and the government troops were defeated.

This was the famous Wuchang Uprising or Wuchang Mutiny. The 18 star flag of the revolutionary was raised at famous Heyang tower. The uprising later spread to become Xinhai Revolution that ended the Qing Empire.

Sun Yat-sen himself played no direct part with the uprising in Wuchang. He was traveling in the United States, trying to drum up financial support from overseas Chinese. At the time he was at Denver Colorado at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. He received a telegram from Huang Xing that was one week old and could not decipher it because he did not have the secret key with him. The next morning he read in the newspaper headline that the city of Wuchang was occupied by the revolutionaries. After the wuchang uprising, the revolutionaries telegraphed the other provinces asking them to declare their independence, and 15 provinces declared their independence from the Qing dynasty in Southern China and Central China

Representatives from the seceding provinces met and declared the founding of the Republic of China on January 1, 1912. Sun Yat-sen would return to China on December 1911 to be elected provisional president of the Republic of China.

When the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 broke out, the Wuchang mutineers needed a visible high-ranking officer to be their figurehead. Li Yuanhong (黎元洪)was well respected, had supported the Railway Protection Movement, and knew English which would be useful in dealing with foreign concerns. He was reportedly dragged from hiding under his wife's bed and forced at gunpoint to be the provisional military governor of Hubei despite killing several of the rebels. Though reluctant at first, he embraced the revolution after its growing momentum and was named military governor of China on November 30.

Li was made vice president as a compromise and he formed People's Society to campaign for the presidency.

Sun eventually agreed to cede his provisional presidency to Yuan Shikai, in exchange for Yuan's help in pressuring the Last Emperor to abdicate. On February 12, 1912, Puyi, the Last Emperor stepped down from the throne. The Qing dynasty could no longer govern itself as it seemed to have forefeited the mandate of heaven. This brought an end to the imperial era.

The Wuchang Uprising was started basically by the new army of the Qing Empire, who were supporters of Tongmenhui, a form of mutiny. The one person who has done much of the ground work within the new army was Zhao Shen(趙聲, 1881-1911), the chief commander of the revolutionists in 2nd Guangzhou New Army Uprising(庚戌新军起义/廣州新軍起義) and the Huanghuakang Uprising(黃花崗起義). After the failure of Huanghuakang Uprising, he was so sad and become seriously ill, passed away on 18-4-1911. Zhao Shen, himself a new army official, would have participated in the Wuchang Uprising if he is still alive. Another one was Ni Yingdian(倪映典 1885-1910),who was the 2nd in command of 2nd Guangzhou Uprising or Guangzhou New Army Uprising( 庚戌新军起义/廣州新軍起義), also a new army.

Remember Hwang Xing(黃興),Zhao Shen(趙聲), and Ni Yingdian(倪映典)in Wuchang Uprising, they are the man behind the event.....their names may not be remember now in Mainland China and Taiwan. It was 100 years ago, many have fade memory or disregard the historical personality...

Choices were made which led to various historical events of China by the heroes of the era, the journey to Republic.

Xinhai　Revolution(辛亥革命)

2011-10-10T14:11:00.009+08:00

Today is the 100 Year Anniversary of Xinhai Revolution, and formation of Republic of China. Both Taiwan and Mainland China celebrated the 100 anniversary of the historical event on 10-10-1911.

Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou(馬英九)said Monday that China should "move bravely toward freedom and democracy."

Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) yesterday used the centennial of a revolution that ended imperial rule to make an appeal to further relations with Taiwan, saying they should move beyond the history that divides them and focus on common economic and cultural interests. Hu said China and Taiwan should end antagonisms, “heal wounds of the past and work together to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.” He stressed that “Achieving reunification by peaceful means best serves the fundamental interests of all Chinese, including our Taiwan compatriots,” Hu said, adding that the sides should increase economic competitiveness, promote Chinese culture and build on a sense of a common national identity.“We must strengthen our opposition to Taiwanese independence ... and promote close exchanges and cooperation between compatriots on both sides,” he said.

It seems the anniversary bought some good tidings, will the two leaders make history by moving together for unification. That their names will make history for themselves and the Chinese people prior to their retirement from politic.

Time is now short for both, as Hu jintao may be due to leave office from next year , and Ma Ying-jeou is to face President re-election soon.

The Xinhai Revolution or Hsinhai Revolution (辛亥革命), also known as the Revolution of 1911 or the Chinese Revolution, was a revolution that overthrew China's last imperial dynasty, the Qing (1644-1912), and established the Republic of China. The revolution consist of many revolts and uprisings. The turning point is the Wuchang Uprising on October 10, 1911 that was a result of the mishandling of the Railway Protection Movement. The revolution ended with the abdication of the "Last Emperor" Puyi on February 12, 1912, that marked the end of over 2,000 years of Imperial China and the beginning of China's Republican era.　The revolution name "Xinhai" is named after the sexagenary cycle of the Chinese calendar.

In general the revolution was a reaction to the declining Qing state and its inability to reform and modernize China to confront the challenges posed by foreign powers and reverse domestic decline, and the majority Han Chinese's resentment of the ruling Manchu minority. Many underground anti-Qing groups with the support of Chinese revolutionaries in exile have tried to overthrow the Qing. The brief civil war that ensued was ended through a political compromise between Yuan Shikai, the late Qing military strongman, and Sun Yat-sen, the leader of the Tongmenghui (United League). After the Qing court transferred power to the newly-founded republic, the formation of a provisional coalition government was created along with the National Assembly. Though political power of the new national government in Beijing was soon thereafter monopolized by Yuan and leading to decades of political division and warlordism, including several attempts at imperial restoration.

Today, both the Republic of China on Taiwan and the People's Republic of China on the mainland consider themselves to be successors to the Xinhai Revolution and continue to pay homage to the ideals of the revolution including nationalism, republicanism, modernization of China and the national unity. October 10 is commemorated in Taiwan as Double Ten Day, the National Day of the Republic of China. In mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, the same day is usually celebrated as the Anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution. Many overseas Chinese also celebrate the anniversary in Chinatowns across the world.

“For us, China’s Xinhai Revolution is still not dead history, it still has a strong resonance with present-day realities,” said Lei Yi, a historian at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing. “A key lesson of the revolution is that the country’s fate depends on whether the rulers make the right choices about advancing reforms. Above all, there’s still the issue that a modern China needs a modern form of government — constitutional government.”

Remembering Xinhai Revolution in 1911, the revolutionists who lost their lives for the sake of the future of the China, will they be happy at the situation in the strait today?

Will they be happy to see the strait relationship been manipulated by the foreign power to gain political and economic benefits at the expense of the Chinese people?...

Will the mainland China prepare for a political reform to change to constitutional government system?.

The time is right now for unification,and is right time for reformation.

Are they bold and ready to make the first step?......

Dawn of Qing Dynasty

2011-10-10T13:46:00.015+08:00

Dawn is the time that marks the beginning of the twilight before sunrise. It is recognized by the presence of weak sunlight, while the sun itself is still below the horizon. Dawn should not be confused with sunrise, which is the moment when the leading edge of the sun itself appears above the horizon. 100 years ago, today Qing Dynasty, China's last empire was facing its dawn day in history.....

The founding of Qing Dynasty 1644

Qing Dynasty(清朝),last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912. The Qing Dynasty was founded not by Han Chinese, who form the majority of the Chinese population, but a hunting, fishing, and farming people who would come to be known as the Manchus, and who are today an ethnic minority of China. The Manchus believed themselves to be descended from Jurchens (女真), a Tungusic people who lived around the region now comprising the Chinese provinces of Jilin and Heilongjiang. During Hong Taiji(爱新觉罗氏皇太极,1592-1643)'s reign, the official name of "Manchu" (滿族) for all Jurchen people in November 1635. He also changed the name of his empire from Jin(金, historically known as later Jin 后金)to Qing(清). He is also known as Hóng Tàijí (洪太極) or Huáng Táijí (皇台吉). He continued the expansion of the state in the region later known as Manchuria, pushing deeper into Mongolia and raiding Korea and Ming China. His personal military abilities were widely praised and he effectively developed the military-civil administration known as the Eight Banners or Banner system. This system was well-suited to accept the different peoples, primarily Chinese and Mongols, who joined the Manchu state either following negotiated agreements or military defeat. Hong Taiji died on 21-9-1643, just few months before his army seize control of Beijing.

In 1644, the Ming Dynasty's capital of Beijing was sacked by a coalition of rebel forces led by Li Zicheng(李自成,1606-1645) a former minor Ming official who became the leader of the peasant revolt. The last Ming ruler, the 16th Ming emperor, Chongzhen Emperor(明思宗)committed suicide when the city fell. This make the official end of the Ming dynasty. Li Zicheng proclaimed himself as the Emperor of Shun Dynasty, and ruled over China briefly from 1643-1645, less than 2 years.

The Manchus then allied with Ming general Wu Sangui and seized control of Beijing and overthrew Shun Dynasty. Li's army was defeated on May 27, 1644 at the Battle of Shanhai Pass by the combined forces of Ming turncoat general Wu Sangui(吳三桂,1612-1678) and the Manchurians, Li fled from Beijing towards his base in Shaanxi. Historically, he disappeared and where about unknown. The empire of Han had ended, and China was ruled by foreigner, Manchu under Qing Dynasty, the mandate of heaven was given to a foreign race.

The first emperor of Qing Dynasty was Aisin Gioro Fulin(爱新觉罗福臨,1638-1661), the son of Hong Taiji who ruled from 1644-1661. He was actually the 3rd emperor of the Qing Dynasty but the first emperor to rule over China. He was given the title of The Shunzhi Emperor (順治帝), a child emperor. He ascended to the throne at the age of five (six according to traditional Chinese age reckoning) in 1643 upon the death of his father Hong Taiji, but actual power during the early part of his reign lay in the hands of the appointed regents, Princes Dorgon.

The dawn of Qing Dynasty

Qing empire was facing humiliation from foreign power,First Sino-Japanese War, Opium Wars, and was politically weak. It was in dilemma, facing the pressure from their own people to change and modernize. The reformists and revolutionists were actively fighting for their agenda. The Qing emperor was worry these movements were going after the country as a whole or their own power base. Initially they were for reformation, but later was fearful that they may lost their imperial power under Constitutional Monarchy. Ultimately the time was short for Qing, they no longer has luxuries of ample time to decide. It was the dawn time....

The Four Bandits and later Hsing Chung Hui(兴中会)in 1894 , Yang Heling(杨鹤龄) , Sun Yat-sen(孙中山), Chen Shaobai(陈少白) and You Lie(尤列)had arrived, Huang Xing(黄兴), Song Jiaoren(宋教仁) of The Huaxinghui(華興會) in 1904, and the same year Guāngfùhuì (光復會) formed by Cai Yuanpei(蔡元培),Tao Chengzhang (陶成章) ,龔寶銓、魏蘭, joined by Xu Xilin(徐錫麟)、Qiu Jin(秋瑾), Zhang Taiyan(章太炎). There were many more revolutionaries planning to overthrow Qing for the formation of Republic, they later become members of Tongmenhui. Never mind if you cannot remember the names, they were the names that make the history of modern China....

From 1889 to 1898, the Empress Dowager lived in the Summer Palace in semi-retirement. Guangxu Emperor was given the opportunity to actually walk out from her shallow of this powerful de factor ruler of China. But the opportunity was also too short, otherwise the fate of Qing may had changed.

After losing to Japan in the First Sino-Japanese War, the Guangxu Emperor initiated the Hundred Days' Reform, in which new laws were put in place and some old rules were abolished. Newer, more progressive-minded thinkers like Kang Youwei(康有为/康有為, 1858-1927) were trusted and recognized conservative-minded people like Li Hongzhang(李鸿章, 1823-1901) were removed from high positions. The reform movement,The Hundred Days' Reform(百日維新), was short-lived, for only 104 days. It ended in a coup d'état ("The Coup of 1898") by powerful conservative opponents led by Empress Dowager Cixi, in 1898. He was put under house arrest until his death.

Empress Dowager Cixi(慈禧太后, 1835-1908), issued an imperial edict in 1901 calling for reform proposals from the governors-general and governors and initiated the era of the dynasty's "New Policy", also known as the "Late Qing Reform". Cixi and the Guangxu Emperor(光绪帝, 1871-1908) both died in 1908, leaving a relatively powerless and unstable central authority. Aisin-Gioro Puyi(愛新覺羅．溥儀, 1906-1967, the oldest son of Prince Zaifeng(愛新覺羅載沣, 醇親王,1883-1951) was appointed successor at the age of two, leaving Zaifeng with the regency.

In April 1911 Zaifeng created a cabinet, in which there were two vice-premiers. Nevertheless, this cabinet was also known by contemporaries as "The Royal Cabinet" because among the thirteen cabinet members, five were members of the imperial family or Aisin Gioro relatives. This brought a wide range of negative opinions from senior officials like Zhang Zhidong(张之洞, 1837-1909).

Puyi's father, Prince Zaifeng(the 2nd Prince Chun), served as a regent until 6 December 1911 when Empress Dowager Longyu(隆裕皇后, actually Empress Xiao Ding Jing (孝定景皇后)) took over in the face of the Xinhai Revolution. She is best remembered for signing the abdication on behalf of the child Emperor Puyi, in 1911, ending imperial rule in China.

The dawn was too short for them.... Oct 10th 1911, Wuchang Uprising by the new army started the Xinhai Revolution, and the end of Qing Dynasty. The people had decided to change, by overthrowing the Qing emperor, by changing the political system of China, to become a republic.....

Today was the 100 years after the fall of Qing Empire....

Is the past lesson on the political history tell us something? We need to understand the people, otherwise the anger and desire for change by the people will decide the fate of the government.

It does not matter how long the government has ruled the country; the Jasmin flowers will always ready for the government who are not for the people.... just like Tunisia, Egypt, Libya...and the Qing Dynasty 100 years ago.....

Remember Steve Jobs - Mr Apple

2011-10-09T22:31:00.002+08:00

Drawing from some of the most pivotal points in his life, Steve Jobs, chief executive officer and co-founder of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, urged graduates to pursue their dreams and see the opportunities in life's setbacks -- including death itself -- at the university's 114th Commencement on June 12, 2005.

This is a prepared text of the Commencement address delivered by Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Computer and of Pixar Animation Studios, on June 12, 2005

'You've got to find what you love,' Jobs says

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first 6 months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: "We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?" They said: "Of course." My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents' savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn't see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out OK. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn't interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.

It wasn't all romantic. I didn't have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends' rooms, I returned coke bottles for the 5¢ deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the 7 miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:

Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn't have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can't capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But ten years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, it's likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards ten years later.

Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky — I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation — the Macintosh — a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30 I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn't know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down - that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me — I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn't see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.

During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, Toy Story, and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple's current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.

I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn't even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor's code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you'd have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I'm fine now.

This was the closest I've been to facing death, and I hope it's the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

(source: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html)

Hirado(-平戸), Japan

2011-10-04T07:58:00.010+08:00

Hirado(平戸),Nagasaki

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Hirado (平戸市 Hirado-shi) is a city in Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan.

The city of Hirado is located on the north western tip of Kyushu, the southernmost of the four main islands of Japan. Hirado City consists of populated islands (Hirado(平戸島), Ikitsuki(生月島), Oshima(的山大島), Takushima(度島), and Takashima(鷹島) islands), numerous unpopulated islands with in its vicinity, and the town of Tabira(田平町 Tabira-chō). Part of Nagasaki Prefecture, Hirado and Ikitsuki islands are connected to the main island of Kyushu by bridges.

The part historically named Hirado is located on the island of the same name. On October 1, 2005 Ikitsuki, along with the town of Tabira, and the village of Ōshima, both from Kitamatsuura District, was merged into the expanded city of Hirado. With recent mergers, the city's boundaries have expanded, and Hirado now occupies parts of the main island of Kyūshū. The components are connected by the Hirado Bridge.

Where the East meet West.....Hirado has a long history of interaction with foreign countries. From the Sengoku Period (the Warring States Era from 1467 to 1600) to the beginning of the Edo Period (1603-1867), the city blossomed through trade with the Netherlands and other European countries and was known as `Firando` by the Western visitors. It flourished to become a wealthy trading port that was even called `Firando, Capital of the West`. A cultural crossroad, Hirado still has many historical sites from that period of time.

Hirado had been a port of call for ships between the Asian mainland and Japan since the Nara period. During the Kamakura and Muromachi periods, the local Matsuura clan held the rights to trade with Korea and with Sung Dynasty China. During the Sengoku and early Edo periods, Hirado's role as a center of foreign trade increased, especially vis-a-vis Ming Dynasty China and the Dutch East India Company (VOC). The Portuguese arrived in 1550; and the English and Dutch initially reached Japan at the beginning of the 17th century. At its maximum the Dutch trading center covered the whole area of present-day Sakikata Park.

In 1637 and in 1639, stone warehouses were constructed, and the Dutch builders incorporated these dates into the stonework. However, the Tokugawa shogunate disapproved of the use of any Christian Era year dates, and therefore demanded the immediate destruction of these two structures. This failure to comply with strict sakoku(鎖国,さこく)national isolation policy was then used as one of the Shogunate's rationales for forcing the Dutch traders to abandon Hirado for the more constricting confines of Dejima, a small artificial island in the present-day city of Nagasaki. The last VOC Opperhoofd or Kapitan at Hirado and the first one at Dejima was François Caron, who oversaw the transfer in 1641.

Historian said that the transfer was actually the excuse for the Shogunate to take the Dutch trade away from the Hirado clan. During the Edo period, Hirado was the seat of the Hirado Domain. Hirado Castle is today an historical and architectural landmark.

Kakure Kirishitan - The hidden Christian

Hirado has a long Christian tradition. With the arrival of St Fransisco Xavier in the mid 16th century, many people converted to Christianity. Even during the period of Christian prohibition, people continued their faith underground. When the ban was lifted many people in Hirado became Catholics again and some kept practicing their faith as they did under the ban. They are called Kakure Kirishitan. Many beautiful churches and sights related to this long Christian history can be found in Hirado so come and Discover Hirado!

Some history on hidden Christian
Christianity was proclaimed initially by the Society of Jesus, joined later on by the less cautious Franciscan order. In 1570 there were 20 Catholic missionaries in Japan, the most famous of whom was Francis Xavier, who arrived in 1549. Nagasaki became the center of Japanese Catholicism, and maintained close cultural and religious ties to its Portuguese origins. These ties were severed once Christianity was outlawed; at this point, Catholicism went underground, its rites preserved by the Kakure Kirishitan, or "hidden Christians", who continued practicing their faith in secret. Some Japanese Catholics were killed for their faith, thus becoming martyrs. Many of these martyrs have been canonized by the Church, and their feast is still kept by Catholics as a universal memorial on February 6 each year.

Kakure Kirishitans who refused to renounce their unorthodox, secrecy practices decided not to rejoin Catholic Church, they were called Hanare Kirishitan (離れキリシタン, separated Christians). Ikitsuki Island(生月島), Gotō Islands.

Yamada Church, the last remaining one in Nagasaki Prefecture to have an organized group of Hidden Christians (Kakure Kirishitan) in practice and existence. Located near Yamada Elementary School, this small church holds much history as one of the first and last outposts of Christian belief and persecution in Japan.

Discovery in History

Hirado Castle,also known as Kameoka Castle, looks out over the surrounding blue sea. From the top of the main donjon one can admire the view of the harbour and the primeval forest of little Kurokojima island.

In Konoura village on Oshima Island you can still find the old wooden townhouses lining up next to each other creating a special atmosphere that is reminiscent of an old traditional Japan.

There is Umegayatsu Kairakuen Mansion,a old Japanese style villa.

The Dutch Trading Post, before it was ordered to be moved to Dejima in Nagasaki City, the Dutch Trading Post was located here in Hirado.

William Adams(1564-1620)
The first English citizen to arrive in Japan, Anjin Miura(三浦按針)(Williams Adams' Japanese name)or Anjin-sama became a diplomatic advisor for the Tokugawa Shogunate. William Adams (1564–1620), the English navigator, died here, and the Gravesite can be found here. he became a key advisor to the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu and built for him Japan's first Western-style ships. Adams was later the key player in the establishment of trading factories by the Netherlands and England. He was also highly involved in Japan's Red Seal Asian trade, chartering and captaining several ships to Southeast Asia. He died in Japan at age 55, and has been recognized as one of the most influential foreigners in Japan during this period.

Camillus Costanzo (1571–1622)
Camillus Costanzo (1571–1622), Italian Jesuit martyr, was burnt alive in Hirado. Camillus Costanzo SJ was a soldier and a law student before joining the Naples province of the Society of Jesus in 1591. A native of Calabria, southern Italy. Initially he was sent to China by Jesuit Order ; but the Portuguese prevented his entrance into that country. Instead, his energy and calling were invested in Japan. He learned the Japanese language quickly; and he successfully encouraged converts in the region near the city of Sakai(西海市 Saikai-shi). When all missionaries were banished from Japan, he went to Macao for six years, devoting himself to studying Buddhist texts and writing pamphlets in Japanese. Despite the dangers involved in ignoring the Tokugawa shogunate's exclusionary laws (sakoku), he returned in 1621. Disguised as a soldier, he managed to elude capture until April 24, 1622 when he was arrested on the island of Hirado off the western coast of Kyushu.He was condemned to death; and he was burned alive on September 15, 1622. There is a monument to Costanzo Camillus, Jesuit martyr, located in the mainland part of the modern city of Hirado, formerly the town of Tabira, Japan.

Zheng Chenggong(郑成功/鄭成功)

The Taiwanese national hero and Ming general Koxinga(国姓爷)(1624–1662)was born here.His actual name is Zheng Chenggong(郑成功/鄭成功). Right behind Kawachi Village is a small hill on which the little Maruyama Park is located. Here one can find the mausoleum of Zheng Chenggong. Inside there's a statue of him and every year on July 14 the Tei Seiko Festival is being held at this spot.

He is the son of Zheng Zhilong(鄭芝龍), a Chinese merchant/pirate, and his Japanese wife Tagawa Matsu(田川松),or Weng-shi (翁氏) (1601 - 1646). Born in Kawachi village on Hirado Island, Zheng Chenggong's Japanese name is Tei Seikô.

She gave birth to Koxinga during a trip with her husband when she was picking seashells on the Senli Beach, Sennai River Bank (川內浦千里濱), Hirado.The stone beside which she gave birth still exists today as the Koxinga Child Birth Stone Tablet (鄭成功兒誕石碑), which is 80-cm tall and 3-metre wide, and submerged during high tides.

Tagawa Matsu raised Koxinga in Japan by herself until he was seven, and her closeness with her son is evident in some of the accomplishment and decisions Koxinga made in his adult life.

Later he moved to China with his parents. During the turbulent days of the decline of the Chinese Ming Dynasty and the rise into power of the Qing Dynasty he was active in the movement supporting the Ming. Famous for achievements such as conquering Taiwan and making valuable efforts towards the country’s national land development, he was also called Kokusenya or Koxinga. Koxinga died of malaria at the age of 37, at a relative young age.

In 1995, Hirado started a friendship affiliation with Nan'an City(南安) of Fujian Province, China, the birthplace and homeground of Zheng Chenggong's Chinese father.

Japanese diplomat Inagaki Manjiro(稲垣満次郎)(1861–1908) also born in Hirado.

Discovery the natural beauty

The city is surrounded by the bountiful sea and is blessed with a rich natural environment. Its main industries are fishing and agriculture. It is the northern entrance to the Saikai National Park.

Discovery of the culture

It seems like I am using my blog to promote Hirado, Japan for free.....better look for yourself at their official websites...other than believing in what I wrote to plan your trip to Hirado...

References:

1. Hirado official website, http://www.city.hirado.nagasaki.jp/english/home.htm
2. Religion: Japan's Crypto-Christians, Time Magazine, 11-1-1982 http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,925197,00.html
3. Ikitsuki Journal; Once Banned, Christianity Withers in an Old Stronghold, The New York Times, 25-12-2003, http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/25/world/ikitsuki-journal-once-banned-christianity-withers-in-an-old-stronghold.html
4. Koxinga, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koxinga

Actual Voice of Dr Sun Yat-sen（孫中山)

2011-09-19T07:07:00.024+08:00

This is the actual voice of Dr Sun Yat-sen（孫中山)in Mandarin, the father of modern China.

Sun Yat-sen (12 November 1866 – 12 March 1925)was a Han Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" (國父), a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China. Sun played an instrumental role in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty during the Xinhai Revolution. Sun was the first provisional president when the Republic of China was founded in 1911 and later co-founded the Kuomintang (Chinese National People's Party) where he served as its first leader. Sun was a uniting figure in post-Imperial China, and remains unique among 20th-century Chinese politicians for being widely revered amongst the people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Although Sun is considered one of the greatest leaders of modern China, his political life was one of constant struggle and frequent exile. After the success of the revolution, he quickly fell out of power in the newly founded Republic of China, and led successive revolutionary governments as a challenge to the warlords who controlled much of the nation. Sun did not live to see his party consolidate its power over the country during the Northern Expedition. His party, which formed a fragile alliance with the Communists, split into two factions after his death. Sun's chief legacy resides in his developing a political philosophy known as the Three Principles of the People: nationalism, democracy, and the people's livelihood

(source: wikipedia)

San-min Doctrine(三民主義)

Dr Sun was talking about political philosophy known as the Three Principles of the People or San-min Doctrine(三民主義,San-min Zhǔyì): nationalism(民族主義, Mínzú Zhǔyì), democracy( 民權主義, Mínquán Zhǔyì), and the people's livelihood(民生主義, Mínshēng Zhǔyì). The ideology is heavily influenced by Sun's experiences in the United States and contains elements of the American progressive movement and the thought championed by Abraham Lincoln. Sun credited a line from Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, "government of the people, by the people, for the people," as an inspiration for the Three Principles.

The time may be 1911, after the founding of modern China.

It is interesting to hear the original voice of Dr Sun on the San-min Zhǔyì, this year will be 100 anniversary of the formation of modern China. He said The revolution is not yet finished. Is the speech remind us of what happen to the current political environment in China? Is Dr Sun's San min Doctrine is still relevant now in Taiwan and Mainland China?

The political system of Manchu had been overthrown, is China united as a country? The desire by the superpowers and neighbor, especially USA & Japan to divide China is still relevant at the current political scenario. Is China still facing the political threat as the time of Dr Sun? but this time with the burden of the Taiwan separatism...the situation become more complicated.

The people's livelihood(民生主義, Mínshēng Zhǔyì)

China and Taiwan are financially and economically strong now, but if we look at both socially, is anything lacking as Dr Sun had been fighting for? The people's livelihood(民生主義), Dr Sun divided livelihood into four areas: food, clothing, housing, and transportation; and planned out how an ideal (Chinese) government can take care of these for its people. China or People Republic of China may be economically strong now, but the issues of poverty, income distribution inequality, environment pollution,corruption, abuse of power, food contamination,....reflected that she is far away from the dream of Dr Sun. Taiwan did not do better, she has the same failure of corruption, food issues, but in view of earlier development status, she has a better political and legal system to hide it.

In Chinese thinking, peace or hebing(和平), with the word 和 as harmony and 平 as equality, balanced. In the word 和 there is one mouth(口) and one grain(禾). Peace only come when people are well feed with one grain for one mouth. Food sufficiency is a critical factor for political stability, it is always the political challenge for the rulers in China, from ancient time until now. Unless all the Chinese people are well fed, Mínshēng(民生) will still weak in mainland China and Taiwan. Despite both are economically strong, there are people died of hunger in mainland China, recently UK published Economist also reported a Taiwan man died of hunger in the financially strong Taiwan. Mainland China has been trying to achieve the objective, but was hamper by corruption and its large land mass and population. As a small island, Taiwan is better in the Mínshēng(民生)issue.

Are they now developed into a more civic society with their economical successes? The trends seems to going the opposite direction....

Nationalism(民族主義, Mínzú Zhǔyì)

Nationalism(民族主義, Mínzú Zhǔyì), is more complicated. To achieve this Dr Sun believed that China must develop a "civic-nationalism," Zhonghua Minzu, as opposed to an "ethnic-nationalism," so as to unite all of the different ethnicities of China, mainly composed by the five major groups of Han, Mongols, Tibetans, Manchus, and the Muslims or Hui. Chinese is actually a modern term for Zhonghua Minzu(中华民族) or Chinese nationality, but mistakenly and wrongly used by the world as refereed Chinese to only Han people. Chinese is a relatively new term for Chinese people, it included the 5 main ethnic groups in China.

Looking at the internal ethnic problems of mainland China and Taiwan, and the politically divided China-Taiwan,nationalism or Mínzú Zhǔyì is actual a failure to Dr Sun. This give the opportunities to USA, Japan and some western countries to manipulate the issues for their political and economical advantages.

There are even Taiwan independent supporters fighting for de-sinoism(to remove any Chinese element from Taiwan), and the political process of Han people in Taiwan to split themselves again to "benshengren"(本省人) and "waishengren"(外省人). The "waishengren" literally "out-of-province person", are people from mainland China who emigrated with the KMT government, they are politically for unification with mainland China. The "benshengren", literally "home-province person" are people who emigrated earlier, but mainly people who had gone through the 50 years Japanese colonization, many can speak Japanese, some use Japanese names or with family members who had fight for Japanese Imperial Army during the WW2. They are culturally more close to Japan, typical example is former President Lee Teng Hui. They are the one who support Taiwan independence, and called themselves native Taiwanese, at the expense of the actual Taiwan native people(原住民). The "benshengren"(本省人) and "waishengren" are mainly Han Chinese ethnicity, Min-nan people (閩南人) and Hakka(客家人), with some minorities. Basically they are the same culturally, but politically due to different time of arrival, and the treatment and political abuses of KMT, caused the historical divided, and resulted in strong root for Taiwan independence movement. Where is the nationalism to them? Nationalism is Taiwan independence?....

The democracy( 民權主義, Mínquán Zhǔyì)

Someone said it is not easy to teach Chinese about democracy. One scholar even said democracy is demon go crazy. The 5000 years of civilization in China, mainly under imperial rule,communist rule or one party ruled; the period of democracy is short.

The People Republic of China, even economically no longer a communist country; but politically still remain under communism, a one party ruled country. Theoretically as communist country, democracy is extremely weak. But Chinese has seen more freedom recently, especially on capitalist economy. However the freedom of expression was limited, especially opposition voices on the livelihood issues, like Aids, milk powder, railway accidents, pollutions, corruptions; were silenced by the ruling communist government.

Taiwan may say it is now a democratic, but still relatively short, and the system may be heavily influence by the businesses, secret society, KMT bureaucracy, corruptions, fighting in the assembly, which tainted their democracy development. But this is the only factor that the Taiwanese is proud of in their justification for independence. Taiwan's democracy is tainted with foreign support, from USA and Japan.

On international relationship, Taiwan is politically and military influenced by USA and Japan. Ironically, in Sept 2011, two rival camps of next President Election 2012 visited USA in their promotion campaign. President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九)'s KMT team and defended his top election campaign aide King Pu-tsung’s (金溥聰) trip to the US as an opportunity to promote Taiwanese policies in the US.Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairperson Tsai Ing-wen’s (蔡英文) US visit has apparently boosted her support rate. From their activities in USA it is clearly revealed the USA foreign policy on strait relationship is not straight forward, but critical for both camps, with hidden strategic move best know to them. Why must Taiwan professed as either a part of China or independent Taiwan, visited to USA for their support? This revealed Taiwan democracy is fake, Taiwan still need USA for military and political support to survive, both candidates know the games....

At one side USA only recognize People Republic of China as legitimate government for China, at the same time supplies arms to Taiwan, recognize as part of China by USA. The reason given was:

"Obama administration for telling US Congress on Wednesday that it plans a US$5.3 billion (S$6.83 billion) upgrade of Taiwan's F-16 fighter fleet. The US offer - which includes sales of advanced air-to-air missiles, laser- and GPS-guided bombs and radars -Washington says it wants Beijing and Taipei to determine their future peacefully, and that it is obliged by US law to help the island defend itself. Taiwan said the upgrade of the F-16s would contribute to regional peace by improving its defense capability in the face of what it called a continued threat from China."

What is USA(an outsider) action to supply arms to Taiwan, a part of China in the face of threat from their own government(as recognized by USA in one China policy), is clear cut interference of internal affairs of China. In military or international law, an unfriendly act, which can provoke war. The excuses by Obama' administration was "wants Beijing and Taipei to determine their future "peacefully", and that it is obliged by US law to help the island defend itself". What a hypocrisy, by supplying arms, the Taiwan issue can solved peacefully, why not Obama as Nobel Peace Prize winner, be a peace maker and call for peaceful negotiation for unification(instead of supply arms)???

Logically, USA's hypocrisy was diplomatically supported one China policy, militarily support Taiwan's defense(part of China), indirectly revealed actually USA support war between mainland China and Taiwan. It is just like saying I recognize USA as one nation, but I supply arms to Hawaii independent movement to fight Obama's central government...what a silly and cunning strategy, USA is using.... but they gained strategic advantage economically and militarily over East Asia. this is especially so when USA is facing economic decline, war or arms sales is the last resort to boost their economy. But unfortunately their allies, Europe faced similar economic problems and has wake up against unnecessary war. USA must find other way to boost its arms industry as war become difficult with less allies, strait relationship is the cash cow.

Another Taiwan's support is Japan, China's neighbour, linked to USA by The Treaty of Mutual Cooperation and Security between the United States and Japan (日本国とアメリカ合衆国との間の相互協力及び安全保障条約 Nippon-koku to Amerika-gasshūkoku to no Aida no Sōgo Kyōryoku oyobi Anzen Hoshō Jōyaku). Its defense, like USA perceived China as threat, revealed in their defense white paper. Japan is waiting for the timing, the right time to gain their political benefits....they played their strategy similarly on Strait relationship, never call for peaceful unification solution as neighbor....

Democracy was the main failure of Dr Sun's San-min Doctrine...and also his personal dream.... even he admired USA's Abraham Lincoln, and have friends in Japan; but there was no support from the two nations on his revolution in 1910s, he was forced to obtain support from communist Russia(another wolf) and revert to military action for Northern Expedition by Guangzhou militarist government, to unite China against the war lords. But he failed and died of fatigue in 1925...his democratic friends failed him...

This opened way for military opportunist Chiang Kai-shek(蔣介石)to takeover the power, which led to Chinese Civil War (1927-1949/1950), a military dictator who killed the opening and opportunity for Chinese democracy.

"Revolution is not success yet"

Overall, Dr Sun is actually facing failure in his San Min Doctrine in the current political environment. Despite the Chinese Revolution had inspired many developing countries to fight for independence, but China still suffering from the negative impact of the civil war. I wonder how the communist government and party leaders of Taiwan political parties feel when hearing the speech of Dr Sun 100 years ago...

No wonder Dr Sun said "Revolution is not success yet". But despite of revolutions after revolutions, civil wars and cultural revolution; Chinese as a Mínzú(民族)and as a nation, is still divided. His own people failed him. Chinese no longer adhered to San Min Doctrine?

"government of the people, by the people, for the people," is a dream far away from Chinese people.

May be China/Taiwan need a personality, a new personality or a new cultural movement that can cry" I have a dream" like Martin Luther King, and finish the revolution to democracy, to "government of the people, by the people, for the people,". but not cultural revolution please.....she needs mental revolution to be more civilized and more democratic...

The problem is when will it be?....

Chinese need to learn from German on issue of Nationalism(民族主義, Mínzú Zhǔyì) where West German willing to sacrifice financially and economically for East German for the sake of unification...

... and from Scandinavian countries on The people's livelihood(民生主義, Mínshēng Zhǔyì), where each individual can be happy to have all the life necessity well take care.

But please do not learn Mínquán Zhǔyì(民權主義), from USA and British on the lesson of wild absolute freedom as their democracy, they are not the good teachers. Their democracy of absolute freedom has failed them, but China need to learn their strong legal system(法律)to maintain and sustain the San Min Doctrine((三民主義).

China should developed their own form of democracy that will enriched their people to be free, mentally and spiritually towards a civilized and democratic society....

Otherwise, Dr Sun see nothing on his effort to overthrown Manchu government; Dr Sun's dream is not a divided China, either politically, ethnically or physically; His vision was not only economically strong nation, but also a united, civilized and democratic country where Chinese people of all ethnic groups are living happily in their own land, and playing positive role as global citizen.

Idolizing foreigners(洋化)

Looking at the younger generations of mainland China and Taiwan, socially and culturally, I can see two trends, mainland China is idolizing USA, and Taiwan idolizing USA and Japan, but biased toward Japan. The younger generations now deviated further from their Chinese identity, and may have inferior complex over their Chinese cultural identity. If what I see is true, and the cultural orientation of the younger generations, mainland China will be one day "Little USA", and Taiwan, "Little Japan"..... they will go separate way seeking for different cultural identity....The cultural dichotomy in future era will further divide the Chinese culturally and socially, making unification more difficult.... San Min Doctrine is far away, not in their mind, and the influence of popular culture(most are originated from either USA or Japan) is much stronger than their Chinese traditional culture. This is the real threat for China...

100 years later,....is the tears still dropping....for China

Two Lives Changed After Pearl Harbor

2011-09-13T13:42:00.002+08:00

Devotions from History - Two Lives Changed After Pearl Harbor

真珠湾攻撃隊長　淵田美津雄中佐に一体何がおきた？

Jacob DeShazer - Doolittle Raider turned missionary

2011-09-13T10:37:00.009+08:00

Jacob Daniel DeShazer (15 November 1912 – 15 March 2008) participated in the Doolittle Raid as a staff sergeant and later became a missionary in Japan. Here is the story of how from a Doolittle Raider, he become a Christian missionary.

Jacob DeShazer - Doolittle Raider
Doolittle Raid

The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands (specifically Honshu) during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. The raid was planned and led by Lieutenant Colonel James "Jimmy" Doolittle. Doolittle would later recount in his autobiography that the raid was intended to bolster American morale and to cause the Japanese to begin doubting their leadership:

The Japanese people had been told they were invulnerable ... An attack on the Japanese homeland would cause confusion in the minds of the Japanese people and sow doubt about the reliability of their leaders. There was a second, and equally important, psychological reason for this attack ... Americans badly needed a morale boost.[1]

Sixteen U.S. Army Air Forces B-25B Mitchell medium bombers were launched from the U.S. Navy's aircraft carrier USS Hornet deep in the Western Pacific Ocean. The plan called for them to bomb military targets in Japan, and to continue westward to land in China—landing a medium bomber on the Hornet was impossible. All of the aircraft involved in the bombing were lost and 11 crewmen were either killed or captured—with three of the captured men executed by the Japanese Army in China. One of the B-25s landed in the Soviet Union at Vladivostok, where it was confiscated and its crew interned for more than a year. Thirteen entire crews, and all but one crewman of a 14th, returned either to the United States or to American forces.[2][3]

The raid caused negligible material damage to Japan, but it succeeded in its goal of helping American morale, and casting doubt in Japan on the ability of the Japanese military leaders. It also caused Japan to withdraw its powerful aircraft carrier force from the Indian Ocean to defend their Home Islands, and the raid contributed to Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto's decision to attack Midway — an attack that turned into a decisive rout of the Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) by the U.S. Navy near Midway Island in the Central Pacific.

The Doolittle Raid

On 1 April 1942, the 16 modified bombers, their five-man crews and Army maintenance personnel, totaling 71 officers and 130 enlisted men,[14] were loaded onto the USS Hornet at Alameda. Each aircraft carried four specially constructed 500-pound (225 kg) bombs. Three of these were high-explosive munitions and one was a bundle of incendiaries. The incendiaries were long tubes, wrapped together in order to be carried in the bomb bay but designed to separate and scatter over a wide area after release. Five bombs had Japanese "friendship" medals wired to them—medals awarded by the Japanese government to U.S. servicemen before the war.[16] The bombers' armament was reduced to decrease weight (and thus increase range). Each bomber launched with two .50-caliber (12.7 mm) machine guns in an upper turret and a .30-caliber (7.62 mm) machine gun in the nose. The simulated gun barrels mounted in the tail cones, intended to discourage Japanese air attacks from behind, were cited afterward by Doolittle as being particularly effective.[11] The aircraft were clustered closely and tied down on the Hornet's flight deck in the order of their expected launch.

The B-25s then flew towards Japan, most in groups of two to four aircraft before changing to single file at wavetop level to avoid detection.[22] The aircraft began arriving over Japan about noon (Tokyo time; six hours after launch) and bombed 10 military and industrial targets in Tokyo, two in Yokohama and one each in Yokosuka, Nagoya, Kobe and Osaka. Although some B-25s encountered light antiaircraft fire and a few enemy fighters over Japan, no bomber was shot down. Only the B-25 of Lt. Richard O. Joyce received any battle damage, minor hits from antiaircraft fire.[20] B-25 No. 4, piloted by Lt. Everett W. Holstrom, jettisoned its bombs before reaching its target when it came under attack by fighters after its gun turret malfunctioned.[23]

15 of the 16 aircraft then proceeded southwest along the southern coast of Japan and across the East China Sea towards eastern China, where several fields in Zhejiang province were supposed to be ready to guide them in using homing beacons, then recover and refuel them for continuing on to Chongqing, the wartime Kuomintang capital.[14] The primary base was at Zhuzhou, toward which all the aircraft navigated, but Halsey never sent the planned signal to alert them, apparently because of a possible threat to the task force. One B-25, extremely low on fuel, headed instead for the closer land mass of the Soviet Union.

The raiders faced several unforeseen challenges during their flight to China: night was approaching, the aircraft were running low on fuel and the weather was rapidly deteriorating. None would have reached China at all except for a fortuitous tail wind as they came off the target that increased their ground speed by 25 knots for seven hours.[24] As a result of these problems, the crews realized they would probably not be able to reach their intended bases in China, leaving them the option of either bailing out over eastern China or crash landing along the Chinese coast.[11][N 4] Fifteen aircraft reached the Chinese coast after 13 hours of flight and crash landed or bailed out; the crew who flew to the Soviet Union landed 40 miles (65 km) beyond Vladivostok, where their B-25 was confiscated and the crew interned. It was the longest combat mission ever flown by the B-25 Mitchell medium bomber, averaging approximately 2,250 nautical miles (4,170 km). Although York and others were well-treated, diplomatic attempts to return them to the United States proved unsuccessful. Eventually they were relocated to Ashgabat (20 miles (32 km) from the Iranian border), and York managed to bribe a smuggler, who helped them cross the border and reach nearby British consulate on May 11, 1943.[2][3] According to declassified Soviet archives, smuggling was staged by NKVD, because the Soviet government felt unable to repatriate them legally in the face of the neutrality pact with Japan.[25]

Doolittle and his crew, after safely parachuting into China, received assistance from Chinese soldiers and civilians as well as John Birch, an American missionary in China. As did the others who participated in the mission, Doolittle had to bail out but fortunately landed in a heap of dung (saving a previously injured ankle from breaking) in a paddy in China near Quzhou. Doolittle thought that the raid had been a terrible failure because the aircraft were lost, and that he would be court-martialed upon his return.[26] Doolittle subsequently recommended Birch for intelligence work with Claire Chennault's Flying Tigers.

The Killing by Japanese

Approximately 250,000 Chinese civilians were massacred by the Japanese Army in eastern China in retaliation for Chinese assistance of the attacking American aviators. Following the Doolittle Raid, most of the B-25 crews that came down in China eventually made it to safety with the help of Chinese civilians and soldiers. The Chinese people who helped them, however, paid dearly for sheltering the Americans. The Japanese military began the Zhejiang-Jiangxi Campaign to intimidate the Chinese from helping downed American airmen. The Japanese killed an estimated 250,000 civilians while searching for Doolittle's men.

Jacob DeShazer - Prisoner of War
The missing crews

The crews of two aircraft (10 men in total) were unaccounted for: Hallmark's crew (sixth off) and Farrow's crew (last off).

On 15 August 1942, the United States learned from the Swiss Consulate General in Shanghai that eight of the missing crew members were prisoners of the Japanese at Police Headquarters in that city (two crewmen had drowned after the crash landing of their aircraft). On 19 October 1942, the Japanese announced that they had tried the eight men and sentenced them to death, but that several of them had received commutation of their sentences to life imprisonment. No names or details were included in the broadcast.

After the war, the complete story of the two missing crews was uncovered in a war crimes trial held in Shanghai. The trial opened in February 1946 to try four Japanese officers for mistreatment of the eight captured crewmen. Two of the missing crewmen, Staff Sgt. William J. Dieter and Sgt. Donald E. Fitzmaurice, had drowned when their B-25 crashed off the coast of China. The other eight, Lieutenants Dean E. Hallmark, Robert J. Meder, Chase Nielsen, William G. Farrow, Robert L. Hite, and George Barr; and Corporals Harold A. Spatz and Jacob DeShazer were captured. In addition to being tortured and starved, these men contracted dysentery and beriberi as a result of the poor conditions under which they were confined. On 28 August 1942, pilot Hallmark, pilot Farrow and gunner Spatz were given a mock trial by the Japanese, although the airmen were never told the charges against them. On 14 October 1942, these three crewmen were advised that they were to be executed the next day. At 16:30 on 15 October 1942, the three were taken by truck to Public Cemetery Number 1 outside of Shanghai and executed by a firing squad.

The other five captured airmen remained in military confinement on a starvation diet, their health rapidly deteriorating. In April 1943, they were moved to Nanking where, on 1 December 1943, Meder died. The remaining four men (Nielsen, Hite, Barr and DeShazer) eventually began receiving slightly better treatment from their captors and were even given a copy of the Bible and a few other books. They survived until they were freed by American troops in August 1945. The four Japanese officers who were tried for war crimes against the eight Doolittle Raiders were all found guilty. Three of them were sentenced to hard labor for five years and the fourth to a nine-year sentence.

Clip from an Anti-Japanese Propaganda video entitled "Know Your Enemy: Japan." Released in 1945, the film gives an overview of Japanese social, military, and political culture, attempting to provide a rationale for America's war with Japan.

After the War

DeShazer eventually became a missionary and returned to Japan in 1948, where he served in that capacity for over 30 years.

Of the group, only Hite is alive. Barr died of heart failure in 1967, Nielsen in 2007 and Jacob DeShazer died 15 March 2008.

One other Doolittle Raid crewman was lost on the mission. Corporal Leland D. Faktor (flight engineer/gunner with Gray) was killed during his bailout attempt over China, the only man on his crew to be lost.

(source: wikipedia)

Jacob DeShazer - Christian missionary

Jacob DeShazer, a member of the Doolittle Raiders, tells the story of his conversion to Christianity in a Japanese POW camp, his forgiveness for his Japanese torturers, and his return to Japan to preach the Gospel.

The following Bible words inspired Jacob DeShazer to forgive his enemies, the words also inspired through Jacob DeShazer testimony, transform a pilot from Japanese Imperial Navy Air Service to love his enemies....

2 Corinthians 5:17-19

17 If any person is in Christ, then that person is made new. The old things have gone; everything is made new! 18 All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between us and himself. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. 19 I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace {to tell people}.

(Extract from the New Testament, Holy Bible)

Enemy become Friend

The most interesting testimony of his life is how he met Mitsuo Fuchida (淵田美津雄). Mitsuo Fuchida (淵田美津雄) (3 December 1902 - 30 May 1976) was a Captain in the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service and a Imperial Japanese Navy flying ace pilot before and during World War II. He is perhaps best known for leading the first air wave attacks on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Fuchida was responsible for the coordination of the entire aerial attack working under the overall fleet Vice Admiral Chuichi Nagumo. After World War II ended, Fuchida became an evangelist Christian preacher and frequently travelled to the United States to minister to the Japanese expatriate community.

DeShazer, the Doolittle Raider who bombed Nagoya, met Captain Mitsuo Fuchida, who led the attack on Pearl Harbor, becoming close friends. Fuchida became a Christian in 1950 after reading a tract written about DeShazer titled, "I Was a Prisoner of Japan", and spent the rest of his life as a missionary in Asia and the United States. On occasion, DeShazer and Fuchida preached together as Christian missionaries in Japan. In 1959, DeShazer moved to Nagoya to establish a Christian church in the city he had bombed.

Two enemies become brothers in Christ.

References
1. http://www.doolittleraid.com/
2. http://www.doolittleraider.com/
3. Spared for Life and strength to forgive, http://realideal.com/forum/topic/467

Japanese Hidden Christian(隠れキリシタン kakure kirishitan).

2011-09-07T19:37:00.016+08:00

The root of the Japanese word for Christianity (キリスト教 Kirisuto-kyō) comes from the Japanese katakana transcription of the word Cristo (キリスト kirisuto), Portuguese word for Christ, and the Japanese word for doctrine (教 kyō, a teaching or precept).

Nestorian (Assyrian Church)
A Japanese Christian institute claims that there is enough archaeological evidence to suggest that Nestorian (Assyrian Church) missionaries first landed in Japan in AD 199, believing that they traveled through India, China and Korea before the Tang Dynasty. It also estimates that the first churches were fully established by the end of the 4th century especially at Nara in central Japan. Historical evidence in China have proved the arrival of Nestorian during Tang Dynasty, it is possible that some of them had arrived at Japan.

Catholic
In the year 1542, the first Europeans from Portugal landed on Kyushu in Western Japan. The two historically most important things they imported to Japan were gunpowder and Christianity. The Japanese barons on Kyushu welcomed foreign trade especially because of the new weapons, and, therefore, tolerated the Jesuit missionaries. The missionaries were successful in converting quite large numbers of people in Western Japan including members of the ruling class.

On August 15, 1549, St. Francis Xavier (later canonized by Gregory XV in 1622), Fr. Cosme de Torres, S.J. (a Jesuit priest), and Fr. John Fernandez arrived in Kagoshima, Japan, from Spain with hopes of bringing Catholicism to Japan. The arrival started the Christian history in Japan.

On September 29, St. Francis Xavier visited Shimazu Takahisa, the daimyo of Satsuma (containing the city of Kagoshima), asking for permission to build the first Catholic mission in Japan. The daimyo agreed in hopes of creating a trade relationship with Europe. Within a year, however, he relented on this promise and made it illegal for people to convert.

In 1550, Francis Xavier also undertook a mission to the capital Kyoto.

The Hideyoshi's Prohibition Edict was published on July 24,1587

Towards the end of the 16th century, the Jesuits lost their monopoly position in Japan when Franciscan missionaries arrived in Kyoto despite a first banning edict by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. In 1597, Hideyoshi proclaimed a more serious banning edict.

日本二十六聖人 Nihon Nijūroku Seijin

On February 5, 1597, twenty-six Christians(six European Franciscan missionaries, three Japanese Jesuits and seventeen Japanese laymen) including three young boys—were executed by crucifixion in Nagasaki. These individuals were raised on crosses and then pierced through with spears.

List of the 26 Martyrs of 1597
•Saint Antonio Dainan
•Saint Bonaventura of Miyako
•Saint Cosme Takeya
•Saint Francisco Branco
•Saint Francisco of Nagasaki
•Saint Francisco of Saint Michael
•Saint Gabriel de Duisco
•Saint Gaius Francis
•Saint Gundisalvus (Gonsalvo) Garcia
•Saint Isabel Fernandez
•Saint Ignatius Jorjes
•Saint James Kisai
•Saint Joaquim Saccachibara
•Saint Juan Kisaka
•Saint Juan Soan de Goto
•Saint Leo Karasumaru
•Saint Luis Ibaraki
•Saint Martin of the Ascension
•Saint Mathias of Miyako
•Saint Miguel Kozaki
•Saint Paulo Ibaraki
•Saint Paul Miki or Saint Paulo Miki – Born in Japan in 1562, he joined the Society of Jesus in 1580 and was the first Japanese member of any Catholic religious order. He died one year before his ordination to the Catholic priesthood. Miki's remaining ashes and bones are now located in Macau, China.
•Saint Pablo Suzuki
•Saint Pedro Bautista or Saint Peter Baptist – He was a Spanish Franciscan who had worked about ten years in the Philippines before coming to Japan. St. Peter was a companion of St. Paul Miki when Christianity was made illegal.
•Saint Pedro Sukejiroo
•Saint Philip of Jesus - Born in Mexico in 1572 (at the time "New Spain"). Upon his martyrdom he became the first Mexican saint and patron saint of Mexico City.
•Saint Thomas Kozaki
•Saint Thomas Xico

Tokugawa Ieyasu and his successors continued the persecution of Christianity in several further edicts. In 1612, the Tokugawa Regime published the Tokugawa Prohibition Edict dated 1-9-1612, by which not only the Missionaries or Religious, but all their followers were suppose to change religion or get out of Japan.

1616 (the restriction of foreign trade to Nagasaki and Hirado, an island northwest of Kyūshū), 1622 (the execution of 120 missionaries and converts), 1624 (the expulsion of the Spanish), and 1629 (the execution of thousands of Christians). Finally, the Closed Country Edict of 1635 prohibited any Japanese from traveling outside Japan or, if someone left, from ever returning. In 1636 the Dutch were restricted to Dejima, a small artificial island—and thus, not true Japanese soil—in Nagasaki's harbor.

Persecution continued sporadically, breaking out again in 1613 and 1630. By 1630, Christianity was driven underground.

On September 10, 1632, 55 Christians were martyred in Nagasaki in what became known as the Great Genna Martyrdom. At this time Roman Catholicism was officially outlawed. The Church remained without clergy and theological teaching disintegrated until the arrival of Western missionaries in the nineteenth century.

While there were many more martyrs, the first martyrs came to be especially revered, the most celebrated of which was Paulo Miki. The Martyrs of Japan were canonized by the Roman Catholic Church on June 8, 1862 by Blessed Pius IX and are listed on the calendar as Sts. Paul Miki and his Companions, commemorated on February 6. Originally this feast day was listed as Sts. Peter Baptist and Twenty-Five Companions, Martyrs, and commemorated on February 5.

The last persecution was during 1868-1873, the Christian in Japan endured 250 years of persecution.

For the other list of Catholic martyrs, please refer to wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martyrs_of_Japan , and the official website of The 26 Martyrs Museum in Nagasaki City, Japan, http://www.26martyrs.com/. The museum is located at Nishizaka-machi 7-8, Nagasaki City, 850-0051 Japan.

The Shimabara Rebellion(島原の乱 Shimabara no ran)1637-1638

The Shimabara Rebellion (島原の乱 Shimabara no ran) was an uprising largely involving Japanese peasants, most of them Catholic Christians, in 1637–1638 during the Edo period.

In the wake of the Matsukura clan's construction of a new castle at Shimabara, taxes were drastically raised, which provoked anger from local peasants and lordless samurai. In addition, religious persecution against the local Christians exacerbated the discontent, which turned into open revolt in 1637. The Tokugawa Shogunate sent a force of over 125,000 troops to suppress the rebellion, and after a lengthy siege against the rebels at Hara Castle, defeated them.

The Shimabara Rebellion, led by a young Christian boy named Amakusa Shiro Tokisada(天草四郎時貞), took place in 1637. The Rebellion broke out over economic desperation and government oppression but later assumed a religious tone. About 27,000 people joined the uprising, but it was crushed by the shogunate after a sustained campaign. Shiro led the defence of Hara Castle and died when it fell. The rebel leader Amakusa Shiro was beheaded, and persecution of Christianity became strictly enforced.

They are not considered martyrs by the Catholic Church since they took up arms for materialistic reasons.

Shimabara Rebellion ended in 1638, about 35,000 Christians die.

Japan's national seclusion policy was tightened, and formal persecution of Christianity continued until the 1850s.

Dutch and Chinese were restricted, respectively, to Dejima and to a special quarter in Nagasaki. Besides small trade of some outer daimyo with Korea and the Ryukyu Islands, to the southwest of Japan's main islands. By 1641, foreign contacts were limited by the policy of sakoku to Nagasaki.

By 1650, Christianity was almost completely eradicated, and external political, economic and religious influence on Japan became quite limited. Only China, the Dutch East India Company, and for a short period, the English, enjoyed the right to visit Japan during this period, for commercial purposes only, and they were restricted to the Dejima port in Nagasaki. Other Europeans who landed on Japanese shores were put to death without trial.

First Japanese Mass Migration - nikkeijin(日系人)

Many Japanese were deported to Macau or to the Spanish Philippines. Many Macanese and Japanese Mestizos are the mixed-race descendants of the deported Japanese Catholics. 400 were officially deported by the government to Macau and Manila, but thousands of Japanese were pressured into moving voluntarily. About 10,000 Macanese and 3,000 Japanese were moved to Manila. Some went to Siam.

Nikkeijin in Siam(タイ王国の日系人)

Some of Japanese Christian went to Siam. The Japanese quarters of Ayutthaya were home to about 1,500 Japanese inhabitants (some estimates run as high as 7,000). The community was called Ban Yipun in Thai, and was headed by a Japanese chief nominated by Thai authorities. It seems to have been a combination of traders, Christian converts ("Kirishitan") who had fled their home country to various Southeast Asian countries following the persecutions of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu, and unemployed former samurai who had been on the losing side at the battle of Sekigahara. Padre Antonio Francisco Cardim recounted having administered sacrament to around 400 Japanese Christians in 1627 in the Thai capital of Ayuthaya ("a 400 japoes christaos"). Until 1630, Ayudhyan society was very tolerant toward diverse religions.

The Japanese settlement is situated on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River in an
area called Ko Rian. It was located opposite the Portuguese settlement and was
separated from the English and Dutch settlement by the Suan Phlu canal to the north.(http://ayutthaya-history.com/Settlements_Japanese.html). Fr. Nixi took care of the Japanese in the church they had built, most probably in the Japanese settlement of Ayutthaya.

There were four hundred Japanese Christians in the Japanese enclave in 1624 and six hundred soldiers in 1628. The Christian refugees came mainly from peasant families, thus it is unlikely that this category overlapped too much with the warriors. There were specialized Japanese employees who, in turn, may have had families. Thus, a number between 2,000 and 3,000, including non-Japanese residents, seems more realistic. According to such an estimate, Ayutthaya featured one of the biggest Nihonmachi in Southeast Asia, probably second in population only Manila (which featured two Japanese settlements, in Dilao and San Miguel). At the same time it was larger than Faifo and Tourane (both in Cochinchina, today Da Nang and Hoi An in central Vietnam) and Ponhealu and Phnom Pehn (in Cambodia).

The Christian men were in all probability the only Japanese who brought their Japanese wives with them to Siam. For the rest, it can be assumed that intermarriage between Japanese men and local women (Siamese, Mon or Laotian) was likely, since Ayutthaya was cosmopolitan enough to accept unions between members of different communities. The Christians, whenever possible, probably sent their children (both males and females) to receive their teaching in the Portuguese enclave, which faced the Nihonmachi on the western side of the Menam.

There probably would have been a whole generation of young “Japanese-Thai” adults. The males among them were educated in the Japanese martial way but born and raised many thousands of miles away from Edo. “it might be inferred that through constant intermarriage with the women of the county, they have become absorbed in the mass of the population.”

(extract from http://17thcenturysiam.blogspot.com/2009/11/p.html)

In 1626, the Portuguese Jesuit Antonio Francesco Cardim visited Ayudhya together with a converted Japanese priest, Roman Friar Nixi, Nagamasa invited them for a banquet and entertained them at length. The apparent friendliness of the 'capitano' Nagamasa is described in a letter written by Cardim in Italian and sent to Rome. In the same missive, the Jesuit father talks of 400 Japanese Christian living in Ayudhya. Tolerance toward the Japanese Christians in Ayudhya might had been assured as well by the fact that the Japanese, despite their relatively small number, represented a military power the Siamese court and the other inhabitants of the entrepôt had learned to take seriously. The Japanese colony was highly valued for its military expertise, and was organized under a "Department of Japanese Volunteers" (Krom Asa Yipun) by the Thai king.

There were also Japanese communities in Ligor and Patani.

From the 1580s to the 1630s, a Japanese community of traders, mercenaries, and Catholic exiles thrived in the Ayutthaya Kingdom's capital Ayutthaya. They arrived primarily on the red seal ships which controlled trade between Japan and Siam. By 1620, the Japanese district in the city's southeast, on the east bank of the Chao Phraya River, numbered between 1,000 and 1,500 inhabitants, making it the second-largest Japanese community abroad, behind that in Manila.

Yamada Nagamasa(山田長政, 1590–1630)
One of its members, Yamada Nagamasa(山田長政, 1590–1630), who later became the governor of the Nakhon Si Thammarat in southern Thailand. He rose to prominence as a military advisor to King Songtham, attaining the rank Ok-ya Senaphimuk (ออกญาเสนาภิมุข). However, in 1630 Sri Voravong (later known as King Prasat Thong) the defense minister sent him to put down a rebellion at Ligor (today Nakhon Si Thammarat); he was wounded in the battle, and then poisoned by an emissary sent by Prasat Thong.

Following Yamada's death in 1630, the new ruler was Prasat Thong (สมเด็จพระเจ้าปราสาททอง, reigned 1629-1656), who was the first king of Prasat Thong dynasty, the 4th dynasty of Ayutthaya kingdom. He sent an army of 4000 soldiers to destroy the Japanese settlement in Ayutthaya, but many Japanese managed to flee to Cambodia. A few years later in 1633, returnees from Indochina were able to re-establish the Japanese settlement in Ayutthaya (300-400 Japanese). Upon hearing the news, Tokugawa Iemitsu, then shogun of Japan, cut off relations with Siam, refused to issue further Red Seal ship(朱印船 Shuinsen) permits for Siam. Red seal ships were Japanese armed merchant sailing ships bound for Southeast Asian ports with a red-sealed patent issued by the early Tokugawa shogunate in the first half of the 17th century. Between 1600 and 1635, more than 350 Japanese ships went overseas under this permit system.

Japan was concomitantly closing itself to the world at that time, initiating the "Closed Country"or Sakoku(鎖国), period. Dutch then took over the trade between Siam and Japan.

Monseigneur Laneau(1637 in Mondoubleau-1696 in Ayutthaya) worked at propagating the Christian faith and also took care of Annamite Christians and Japanese Christian communities in Siam. He was head of a Roman Catholic mission in Indochina, with his headquarters at Ayutthaya. Laneau became bishop of Ayutthaya in 1674. During the 1688 Siamese revolution, Laneau and his missionaries were taken hostage by the Siamese.

I wonder is there any Japanese Christian now in Ayutthaya, Thailand.....

Filipino Japanese(フィリピンの日系人)

The Japanese population in the Philippines has since included descendants of Japanese Catholics and other Japanese Christians who fled from the religious persecution imposed by the Tokugawa shogunate during the Edo period and settled during the colonial period from the 17th century until the 19th century. A statue of daimyo Ukon Takayama, who was exiled to the Philippines in 1614 because he refused to disvow his Christian beliefs, stands a patch of land across the road from the Post Office building in the Paco area of Manila. In the 17th century, the Spaniards referred to the Paco Area as the 'Yellow Plaza' because of the more than 3,000 Japanese who resided there.

Daimyo kirishitan- Dom Justo Takayama (高山右近)
Dom Justo Takayama (高山右近,or Iustus Takayama Ukon or Hikogoro Shigetomo) (1552 Haibara-cho, Nara, Japan – February 4, 1615 Manila, Philippines) was a kirishitan daimyo and a Japanese Samurai who followed Christianity in the Sengoku period of Japan. He was a layperson of the archdiocese of Tokyo.

Takayama Justo was born to be the heir of Takayama Tomoteru, the lord of Sawa Castle in the Yamato Province. His name as a child was Hikogorō (彦五郎). At the age of 12 (1564), his father converted to Catholicism and Hikogorō was also baptized Justo. After his coming-of-age ceremony, Hikogorō was named Shigetomo (重友). However, he is better known as Takayama Ukon (高山右近). The name Ukon comes from the government post he pretended, the officer of Ukonoefu (this was usual practice among samurai of the time).

Following the 1614 prohibition of Christianity by Tokugawa Ieyasu, the ruler of the time, he was expelled from Japan. On November 8, 1614, together with 300 Japanese Christians he left his home country from Nagasaki. He arrived at Manila on December 21 and was greeted warmly by the Spanish Jesuits and the local Filipinos there. It was reported that the Spaniards referred to the Paco Area as the "Yellow Plaza" because of the more than 3,000 Japanese who resided there. Plaza Dilao is the last vestige of the old town of Paco. There is a statue of Dom Justo Takayama in Plaza Dilao, Manila. When he died in 1615, the Spanish government interred him with a Christian burial with full military honors as a Daimyo. He is the first Daimyo to be buried in Philippine soil.

Shimabara peninsula after the war
On the Shimabara peninsula, most towns experienced a severe to total loss of population as a result of the rebellion. In order to maintain the rice fields and other crops, immigrants were brought from other areas across Japan to resettle the land. All inhabitants were registered with local temples, whose priests were required to vouch for their members' religious affiliation. Following the rebellion, Buddhism was strongly promoted in the area. Certain customs were introduced which remain unique to the area today. Towns on the Shimabara peninsula also continue to have a varied mix of dialects due to the mass immigration from other parts of Japan

Period of Isolation and Hidden Christianity Period started in 1639, where there was a complete ban of Portuguese ships.

Hidden Christian(隠れキリシタン kakure kirishitan).

教会シリーズ　平戸・生月

The Catholic remnant in Japan were driven underground and its members became known as the "Hidden Christians". Kakure Kirishitans are called the "hidden" Christians because they continued to practice Christianity in secret. They worshipped in secret rooms in private homes. As time went on, the figures of the saints and the Virgin Mary were transformed into figurines that looked like the traditional statues of the Buddha and bodhisattvas. The prayers were adapted to sound like Buddhist chant, yet retained many untranslated words from Latin, Portuguese and Spanish. The Bible was passed down orally, due to fears of printed works being confiscated by authorities. Because of the expulsion of the Catholic clergy in the 17th century, the Kakure Christian community relied on lay leaders to lead the services

Some priests remained in Japan illegally, including eighteen Jesuits, seven Franciscans, seven Dominicans, one Augustinian, five seculars and an unknown number of Jesuit irmao and dojuku. Since this time corresponds to the Thirty Years' War between Catholics and Protestants in Germany, it is possible that the checking of Catholic power in Europe reduced the flow of funds to the Catholic missions in Japan, which could be why they failed at this time and not before. During the Edo period, the Kakure Kirishitan kept their faith. Biblical phrases or prayers were transferred orally from parent to child, and secret posts (Mizukata) were assigned in their underground community to baptize their children, all while regional governments continuously operated Fumie to expose Christians. Drawn from the oral histories of Japanese Catholic communities, Shusaku Endo's acclaimed novel "Silence" provides detailed accounts of the persecution of Christian communities and the suppression of the Church.

On March 17th, 1865, some month after the opening of Oura Church in Nagasaki, some hidden Christians from Urakami come out to confirm that the catholic priest were back in Japan.

Hanare Kirishitan (離れキリシタン, separated Christians)

Many secret Christians, some of whom had adopted these new ways of practicing Christianity, came out of hiding when religious freedom was re-established in the mid-19th century and rejoined the Catholic Church after renouncing their unorthodox, syncretic practices. However, there were those who decided not to rejoin. They are known as the Hanare Kirishitan (離れキリシタン, separated Christians).
Following the legalization of Christianity and secularization of Japan, many Hanare Kirishitan lineages ended abruptly. Traditionally, boys learned the rituals and prayers from their fathers; when boys were uninterested or moved away from the homes, there would be no one left to continue the lineage.

In some cases, the communities drifted away from Christian teachings. They lost the meaning of the prayers and their religion became a version of the cult of ancestors, in which the ancestors happened to be their Christian martyrs.

For a while, Hanare Kirishitans were thought to have died out entirely, due to their tradition of secrecy. A group on Ikitsuki Island in Nagasaki prefecture, which had been overlooked by the Japanese government during the time of persecution, made their practices public in the 1980s and now perform them for audiences; however, these practices have acquired some attributes of theater, such as the telling of folktales and the use of statues and other images which most underground Christians had never created.

生月島（いきつきじま）

Ikitsuki (生月町 Ikitsuki-chō) is a former town on the island of the same name located in Kitamatsuura District, Nagasaki, Japan. Ikitsuki is known historically for two primary reasons: a legacy of whaling and hidden Christians. Near the south end of the island is a museum with exhibits on both these aspects of Ikitsuki's history.

Yamada church is the last remaining one in Nagasaki Prefecture to have an organized group of Hidden Christians (Kakure Kirishitan) in practice and existence. Located near Yamada Elementary School, this small church holds much history as one of the first and last outposts of Christian belief and persecution in Japan

The anthropologist Christal Whelan uncovered the existence of genuine Hanare Kirishitans on the Gotō Islands where Kakure Kirishitans had once fled. There were only two surviving priests on the islands, both of whom were over 90, and they would not talk to each other. The few surviving laity had also all reached old age, and some of them no longer had any priests from their lineage and prayed alone. These Hanare Kirishitans had a strong tradition of secrecy.

Gotō Islands 五島列島（ごとうれっとう）

The Gotō Islands (五島列島 Gotō rettō, literally: "five-island archipelago") are Japanese islands in the East China Sea, off the western coast of Kyūshū. The islands are a part of Nagasaki Prefecture.
Many of the inhabitants are descended from Christians of the Catholic-derived Kakure Kirishitan sect, and until recently Hanare Kirishitans still lived there, but the majority either returned to Catholicism after it was legalized in the 19th century or reverted to earlier practices. The islands have numerous Catholic churches, the oldest and most famous of which is Dozaki church, built in 1868 and located about 6 km north of Fukue port.

Following the legalization of Christianity and secularization of Japan, many Hanare Kirishitan lineages ended abruptly. Traditionally, boys learned the rituals and prayers from their fathers; when boys were uninterested or moved away from the homes, there would be no one left to continue the lineage.

The main reason which led to the complete extinction of Christianity in Japan by 1638 were the government's intentions to exert absolute control over its people. This would not have been possible with the interference of an aggressive and intolerant foreign religion like Christianity of that time.

After the Meiji restoration, prohibition of Christianity was abolished in 1873, on the 6th year of the Meiji Government. After World War II the number of Japanese Christians has been slowly increasing again.

Suggested movie in youtube;

1. Hidden Christians - Japan , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkw7UeX_p74, Journeyman Pictures( Since Japan's rulers outlawed Christianity in the sixteenth century, believers have hidden their faith. But what began as Christianity has evolved into something quite different).

Further reading/viewing;

1. The Cross and the Rising Sun: The British Protestant missionary movement in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, 1865-1945, by A. Hamish Ion, Wilfrid Laurier Univ. Press, 1993
2.Photo-Documentary of Christian history in Japan with Concentration on Hidden Christians, http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/asian-studies/projects/kakurekirishitan/
3. Site of the Martyrdom of the 26 Saints of Japan, http://www.26martyrs.com/
4. Shimabara - St. Olaf College, http://www.stolaf.edu/depts/asian-studies/projects/kakurekirishitan/shimabarapics.html

Kagawa Toyohiko 賀川豊彦(1888-1960) - “Gandhi of Japan.”

2011-09-07T08:21:00.010+08:00

Toyohiko Kagawa was a Japanese pacifist, Christian reformer, evangelist, leader of the cooperative movement, and labor activist. He wrote, spoke, and worked at length on ways to employ Christian principles in the ordering of society.

He was hailed as a modern Saint Francis, favorably compared with Mohandas Gandhi.

Kagawa agreed that individual salvation was one important dimension of the faith, he maintained that for Christianity to be faithful to its founder’s vision and example it must also be a social movement

He is also “founding father” of Japanese consumer cooperative movement. Kagawa spoke passionately of cooperation and cooperatives:

"The capitalistic system has four main difficulties: It is based on selfish profiteering motives. It has the power to accumulate money for the few because it is based on competitive principles. The few compete with one another so that they need big concentration of capital; and this results in class struggle and revolution. But with the Christian cooperative motives we can get rid of the profiteering motives. Then there will be no need of the concentration of capital, no fear of class struggle and revolution".

石川本社ビル　賀川豊彦生誕地

Kagawa was born in Kobe, Japan to a philandering businessman and a concubine. However, both parents died while he was young. He was sent away to school, where he learned from two American missionary teachers, Drs. Harry W. Myers and Charles A. Logan, who took him into their homes.

Having learned English from these missionaries, Kagawa converted to Christianity after taking a Bible class in his youth, which led to him being disowned by his remaining extended family. Kagawa studied at the Tokyo Presbyterian College, and later enrolled in the Kobe Theological Seminary. While studying there, Kagawa was troubled by the seminarians' concern for technicalities of doctrine. He believed that Christianity in action was the truth of Christian doctrines. Impatiently, he would point to the parable of the Good Samaritan. From 1914 to 1916 he studied at Princeton Theological Seminary. In addition to theology, through the curricular exchange program with the university he also studied embryology, genetics, comparative anatomy, and paleontology while he was in Princeton

大正期神戸のスラムと賀川豊彦

“Jesus Band” was established in 1909 (Meiji 22) when Toshihiko Kagawa was 21 years old. It was initially called “Kyureidan”.

Toyohiko Kagawa rented a 5-mat-room in Shin-Ikuta and commenced his missionary activities and charity work. The funding of the activities and the work was covered by his own scholarship, the fee for translation and manuscript, and wages as well as contributions from understanding insiders and outsiders involved in church.

In 1910, the first chapel, or the rented 5-mat-room used as a houseand for engaging in missionary work (6-221 Kita Honmachi, Fukiai-ku, Kobe) was named “Kyureidan”. It changed to “Jesus Band” in 1914.

From 1910 to 1924 he lived for all but two years in a shed six feet square (about 180 cm) in the slums of Kobe. In 1912 he unionized the shipyard workers. He spent two years (1914-1916) at Princeton studying techniques for the relief of poverty. In 1918 and 1921 he organized unions among factory workers and among farmers. He worked for universal male suffrage (granted in 1925) and for laws more favorable to trade unions.

Song of Farmers(農民歌)

Kagawa was arrested in Japan in 1921 during Kawasaki-Mitsubishi Shipbuilders strike. It was during this time that he seemed to realize that he was in a movement beyond his control. What was concerned by Kagawa, was that strikers with legitimate concerns could be transformed into a violent mob. It became increasingly clear to him that it can develop into situation against his pacifism, and not abide by his Christian principles of non-violence.

At a gathering of fourteen young pastors attending the Presbyterian Pastors National Meeting on October 5, 1921, he launched the Iesu no Tomo Kai at Church of Christ in Japan (Presbyterian). He was the founder of the Friends of Jesus movement (Iesu no Tomo Kai イエスの友会).The five principles of the Friends of Jesus are: Piety (Devotion to God in Christ), Work (of Mind and Hand), Purity (including War on Vice and Liquor), Peace (including War on War), and Service (Social, Religious, Political).It was through the Friends of Jesus movement that Kagawa’s vision of individual and social transformation was expanded far beyond the Shinkawa slums.

He was arrested again in 1922 for his part in labour activism. While in prison he wrote the novels Crossing the Deathline and Shooting at the Sun. The former was a semi-autobiographical depiction of his time among Kobe's destitute.

Kagawa and Sugiyama Genjiro organized the Japan Farmers’ Union (Nihon NØmin Kumiai) to address the difficulties of peasants in rural areas and to slow down the flow of displaced farmers into urban centers of unemployment and poverty. His Iesu Dan イエス団 (Jesus Band) in Shinkawa served initially as the promotion headquarters of the union.

After his release, Kagawa helped organize relief work in Tokyo following the 1923 Great Kantō earthquake

In 1923 he was asked to supervise social work in Tokyo. His writings began to attract favorable notice from the Japanese government and abroad. He established credit unions, schools, hospitals, and churches, and wrote and spoke extensively on the application of Christian principles to the ordering of society.

He founded the Anti-War League in 1928

He began the Kingdom-of-God Movement in 1930 and traveled extensively overseas to preach and teach.

1930s was the difficult time, a pre war period where ultra-nationalism and militarism were on the rise. Despite that, Friends of Jesus Movement continued their social transformation work.

In 1940, he was arrested after publicly apologizing to China for the Japanese invasion of that country. He was arrested and held in prison for two particular crimes: 1) he organized the voiceless so that they might speak in unison to those with power and be heard, and 2) he apologized to the Chinese for the Japanese occupation of portions of China. Toyohiko's commitment to peace--one he felt compulsory for all who hoped to follow Jesus even if it cost them their lives--made him a dangerous criminal in the eyes of Military government of Japan.

In the summer of 1941 he visited the United States in an attempt to avert war between Japan and the Us. After the war, despite failing health, he devoted himself to the reconciliation of democratic ideals and procedures with traditional Japanese culture.

He died in Tokyo on 23 April 1960.

During his life, Kagawa wrote over 150 books. He was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1947 and 1948, and Nobel Peace Prize in 1954 and 1955. After his death, Kagawa was awarded the second-highest honor of Japan, induction in the Order of the Sacred Treasure. He is commemorated in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America as a renewer of society on April 23 of the same year.

"I read a book that a man called Christ went about doing good. It is very disconcerting to me that I am so easily satisfied with just going about" Toyohiko Kagawa

He lived like Jesus Christ.....

Suggested readings;

1. Toyohiko Kagawa Revisited - Think Kagawa 賀川豊彦を考えるhttp://d.hatena.ne.jp/kagawa100/20081009/1223509755
2. Kawaga Memorial Hall, http://core100.net/kinenkan/map.html
3. 賀川豊彦献身100年記念事業オフィシャルサイト, http://www.kagawa100.com/
4. Ｎａｒｕｔｏ　Ｃｉｔｙ　Ｋａｇａｗａ　ＴｏｙｏｈｉｋｏＭｕｓｅｕｍ, http://www.tv-naruto.ne.jp/kagawa-kan/kagawa13.html
5. Unconquerable Kagawa. 1951. Reader's Digest. pg.29-31
6. Telling The Stories That Matter: April 27 - Toyohiko Kagawa, Poet, Pacifist, Friend of the Poor, April 27, 2010http://www.ttstm.com/2010/04/april-27-toyohiko-kagawa-poet-pacifist.html
7. 賀川豊彦と中国, 劉家峰, http://kuir.jm.kansai-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/10112/3341/1/05 (In Japanese)
8. The Legacy of Toyohiko Kagawa, http://www.nasco.coop/attachments /Kagawa_article.pdf
9 Toyohiko Kagawa Revisited, by Robert M. Armstrong, http://d.hatena.ne.jp/kagawa100/20081009/1223509755
10. Jesus Band, http://www.jesusband.jp/eng/history.html
11. Christianity as a Transnational Social Movement: Kagawa Toyohiko, by Mark R. Mullins ,http://japanese-religions.jp/publications/assets/JR32_a_Mullins.pdf

Kano Jigoro(嘉納治五郎) - Father of Judo

2011-09-06T12:36:00.013+08:00

Here is another opponent of Japanese militarism, he is the father of Judo, involved in International Olympic until the last day of his life. He fight for Tokyo Olympic despite the odds was against him(included the Japanese military). Because of his patriotic spirit, and opposition to militarism, he whole hearty believed by having Olympic games in Japan, it will promoted the spirit of global peace in Japan and avoiding war by Japanese militarism. He successfully gained the right for Japan to hold 1940 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, but the game was later cancelled by Japanese government after his death.

As the military took over more aspects of Japanese life, Kano resisted the use of Judo for military purposes, over the militarists strenuous objections... he was bold to tell the military government, get out from Judo....

He may had failed, but the sport he found, Judo today is one of the regular sport event in Summer Olympic Games. His name and spirit of sport and peace continue throughout the world, through sport and Judo.....

He is a Japanese hero....one of only few who dare to stand up against militarism.

Kano Jigoro(嘉納治五郎, 28 October 1860 – 4 May 1938), 柔道の父

Kanō Jigorō(嘉納治五郎, 28 October 1860 – 4 May 1938), creator of Judo and founder of the modern Japanese educational system, member of Japan's Olympic Committee, and de-facto foreign minister for Japan was a staunch opponent of militarism. Concerned that his Judo school, the Kodokan, would be used as a military training center, he obtained a promise from the Emperor that it would not be. Alternate sources list different causes of death, and some consider his passing to be suspicious.

Kano Jigoro(嘉納治五郎) - Father of Judo

Judo was the first Japanese martial art to gain widespread international recognition, and the first to become an official Olympic sport. Pedagogical innovations attributed to Kanō include the use of black and white belts, and the introduction of dan ranking to show the relative ranking between members of a martial art style. Well-known mottoes attributed to Kanō include "Maximum Efficiency with Minimum Effort"「精力善用] and "Mutual Welfare and Benefit."「自他共栄」.

1860-1867 As a child

1860- Kano was born into a relatively affluent family. His father, Jirosaku(嘉納治朗作（希芝）,b 1813-d1885), was the second son of the head priest of the Shinto Hiyoshi shrine in Shiga Prefecture. He married Sadako Kano(b? – d1869), daughter of the owner of Kiku-Masamune sake brewing company and was adopted by the family, changing his name to Kano, and ultimately became an official in the Bakufu government.
Kano Jigoro, the youngest of five children, was born in what is now Hyogo Prefecture on October 28, 1860. Jigoro Kano was born in the seaside town of Mikage in 1860. His father and uncle were both adopted by Kano family as mukoyoshi .

Note: A mukoyōshi (婿養子) (literally "adopted son-in-law") is a man who is adopted into a family without a male heir, and who takes the family's surname. (Traditionally in Japan, a woman takes her husband's name and is adopted into his family; see married and maiden names: Japan.) This is done to preserve the name and occupation of the family when there is no suitable male heir. Usually, when there is an unwed daughter of a suitable age, she will marry the mukoyōshi, but if there is no daughter, the mukoyōshi can take a bride from outside his adopted family. Mukoyōshi have a low status in society, yet in one study, up to a quarter of heirs in a community were mukoyōshi.

Milage was located near Kobe, famous for sake industry. Kano was the proprietor of the famous Kiku Masamune brand, now under Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewing Co.,Ltd.

1867- 188 As Student

1867- Jigoro Kano had an academic upbringing and, from the age of seven, he studied English, Japanese calligraphy (書道 shodō) and the Four Confucian Texts (四書 Shisho) under a number of tutors.

1870- Kanō became a student in 1870 in the Seitatsu Shojuku(成達書塾) in Ryōkoku, which is pretty much a school for learning how to write. His teacher was Ubukata Keidō. He also got acquainted there with the Chinese Classics. Ubukata-sensei himself was strongly influenced by Western thought and tried to convey this on to Kanō. Given Kanō’s young and inexperienced age, a first step to do was to recommend that he’d study English. He was sent to Mitsukuri Shūhei to do so.

1873- Studied at boarding school, Ikuei Gijuku, located at Karasumori-cho, Shiba, Tokyo. When he was fourteen, Kano began boarding at an English-medium school, Ikuei-Gijuku in Shiba, Tokyo. The culture of bullying endemic at this school was the catalyst that caused Kano to seek out a Jujutsu (柔術 Jūjutsu) dojo (道場 dōjō, training place) at which to train.

1874- Transfer to English Department, Tokyo School of Foreign Language. Classmate included Takaaki Kato, who later become Prime Minister. Tōkyō School of Foreign Languages or Tōkyō Gaikokugo Gakkō(東京外国語学校).

1875- Attended Kaisei School(Tokyo Kaisei Gakko), Tokyo (Now 開成中学校・高等学校（かいせいちゅうがっこう・こうとうがっこう、, Kaisei Junior & Senior High School）. The school, which has produced many notable alumni, was founded in 1871. At first, it was established as a Kyōryū Gakkō of the prepschool to Senior school such as First High School（After the WWⅡ,this school was integrated into The University of Tokyo.）. It is located in Arakawa, Tokyo. The school formed the foundation for the nation’s first university, Tokyo University, four years later in 1877. ( Source: The history of modern Japanese education: constructing the national school system,1872-1890, by Benjamin C. Duke, Rutgers University Press, 2009; pg 152-156)

1877- Mr. Kano studied politics and economic at Tokyo University(就讀東京大学文学部，主修哲學東大文学部一年). Tōkyō University or Tōdai did not exist in 1875, and was only created in 1877; the old name of Imperial University (帝國大學, Teikoku daigaku) was only given in 1886, five years after Kanō graduated, and its name was changed again in 1897 into Tōkyō Imperial University(東京帝國大學 Tōkyō Teikoku daigaku) (see: http://www.u-tokyo.a.../b03_02_e.html)

The Faculty of Letters at The University of Tokyo is Japan’s oldest humanities department. It is comprised of the “three humanities” (philosophy, history, and literature) as well as the behavioral sciences. The Faculty of Letters dates back to 1877, the year the Tokyo Kaisei School and the Tokyo Medical School were combined into the University of Tokyo. From the beginning, the Faculty featured a curriculum that combined Western knowledge with Sino-Japanese scholarly traditions, and efforts have always been made to sustain a system of learning that maintains a balance between these two traditions. The University of Tokyo was later renamed Tokyo Imperial University, and after the war it was restructured under a new system, returning to its original name.(source: The History of Faculty of Letters, http://www.l.u-tokyo.ac.jp/eng/history/history.html)

1878 - He was a private school student at Nisho Gakusha (二松学舎), now Nishogakusha University,二松學舍大学)

二松学舍，从1877年三岛中洲在东京麴町一番町(现实东京都千代田区三番町)开设了的汉学私塾开始。二松的名庭园有象征不变的节操，坚贞的松之木二个的根据事，又的韩愈『蓝田县丞厅墙记』请求有作为校舍的意义，作为学校到将来继续的事被命名了. 日文和汉文的二松』

1979- Approached to teach in Gakushuin while still studying . Moved to Eishoji, and started preparatory school, Kano Juku( 嘉納塾) in Feb 1979 . Kano Juku( 嘉納塾)was a tutoring school(the forerunner of the Kodokan) where Kano taught English. Similar to the Kodokan at that time, he had few pupils.

1881- He graduated in July of 1881 (Meiji 14, 7th month)from Tokyo University with a Bachelor’s Degree of Letters or Bungakushi(文学士,東京大学文学部哲学政治学理財学科卒業). Noted, many sources stated Tokyo Imperial University, which is wrong, as it was still Tokyo University.

1882 – He returned to the same Faculty of Letters to focus on Aesthetics and Moral Philosophy, in what thus was graduate study (or as they call it in England ‘Postgraduate). He finished this study in July of 1882. It is there where he also studied under Ernest F. Fennolosa.

1882-1909 As Educator

1882- The year 1882 was a landmark year for Jigoro Kano. He was appointed lecturer(学習院教授補,Relief lecturer) in politics and economics at Gakushuuin(学習院). After appointment as lecturer in Gakushuuin, he moved to Eisho Ji (永勝寺).

In 1882 Kano Jigoro organized the Kodokan judo school at Eishoji, a Buddhist temple in Shitayakita, Kita Inari-cho, Tokyo(now Higashi Ueno, Daito –ku), Tokyo. Judo (Japanese: 'the way of softness'). It started as a twelve Tatami room.

He became an instructor of the Gakushuin in 1882 and eleven years.

In 1882 he started the Kobunkan English Language School. This school was to teach Japanese children the English language. The school was closed in 1889 when Dr. Kano took his first trip abroad.

Note:

Gakushuuin(学習院), a private school for the nobility or Imperial family members and peerage(Kazoku,華族), administrated by Gakushuin (華族會館). The college was initially found in 1847 in Kyoto Imperial Palace or Kyōto Gosho (京都御所), it then moved to Kanda Nishiki-cho ,Tokyo in 1877. The meaning of Gakushuuin(学習院) is Chinese characters for "to be taught" and "to learn" in the following quotation from the Analects of Confucius: "To be taught and to learn the truth is such a precious thing."

1882 - Gakushuin become independent from Peer Club(學習院脫離華族會館獨立)，and under Ministry of education(文部卿).Note: 文部卿 was now Minister of Education( 文部大臣)from 1885.

1884 Gakushuin became a government school under the jurisdiction of the The Imperial Household Agency (宮內廳, Kunaichō), with entry now open to children from outside the ranks of the nobility as well. It was the only government college administrated by The Imperial Houehold Agency(宮內廳, Kunaichō), and not under Education ministry(文部卿).The college was under leadership of Lt General Tateki Tani , later Viscount Tani Tateki (谷干城), who later become Minister of Agriculture and Commerce in 1885.

The Imperial Household Agency (宮內廳, Kunaichō) is a government agency of Japan in charge of the state matters concerning Japan's imperial family and also keeping the Privy Seal and the State Seal. In 1911, it was named the Imperial Household Ministry (宮内省 Kunaishō).

Then, following the establishment of a higher education section, lectures in subjects such as politics, law and literature were held for 12 years between 1893 and 1905. It was later reformed in 1949 as a private university. Now it is Gakushuin University (学習院大學)(http://www.gakushuin.ac.jp/univ/english/his/index.html)

1883- Kano received his teaching license in Kito-Ryu. The dojo was moved to larger area in Kanda, Tokyo.

1884-1887 Professor of economic at Komaba Agricultural College(now Tokyo University of Agriculture)駒場農学校理財学教授(駒場農学校（こまばのうがっこう）は、日本の旧制教育機関。現在の東京大学農学部、筑波大学、東京農工大学農学部の前身にあたる農学に関する日本初の総合教育・研究機関であった)

1885- It was reported he received his Doctorate from Gakushuin in 1885 and he was promoted to Professorship(教授), some even said he become Principal of Gakushuin. But the principal of Gakushuuin was 谷干城 from 1884-1885. May be he was promoted to Soninkan,a senior official. Gakushuin was not a university, it was not possible to award a doctorate degree.(戰前學習院只有幼稚園至高等科，雖然曾經於1893年嘗試開辦大學科，但於1905年廢止).

(In Japanese ‘instructor’ 師 or 指南番or lecturer 専任講師 is not a ‘professor’ 大学教授, but some college may called its lecturer 教授)

1886- Headmaster of Goko( 第五級高等學校校長,(旧制第五高等中学校),now Kumamoto University(（現・熊本大学）.

1887- In 1887 the young son of the Meiji emperor began attending the Gakushuin and Kano had the job of supervising his education and choosing his classmates. This student was destined to become the Taisho Emperor of Japan. In 1884 Kano was promoted to Soninkan which meant that he became a senior official appointed by the Imperial Household Agency and who had to report directly to the then Emperor. It seems quite likely that Kano taught him the ‘modern’ Western sciences of economics and politics

1888- Eventually a military man by the name of Lt. General Miura Sogo(三浦梧楼)was brought in to head the Gakushuin.

1889- Promoted as Vice-Principal of Gakushuin( 学習院教頭,きょうとう). Viscount Miura Gorō (三浦梧楼)was the principal from 1888 to 1892. A clash of opinions between Kano and Miura Gorō resulted in Kano being sent abroad for sixteen months by the Imperial Household Agency to Europe to study European education. Miura being a military man favored a more cadet style education at the Gakushuin and wanted to confine the school to educating the sons of the former military families. Kano on the other hand was keen to educate the brightest people without regard to their samurai background or lack of it.

1889 - 1891 - Kano spent sixteen months touring Europe. First trip was to Paris, France.

1891-1893 - on his return to Japan, he was sent to Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu where he was appointed headmaster of the Kumamoto High school (1891-3). In 1891 he left the school and became the principal of the No. 5 Junior High School(第五高等学校長)in Kumamoto, Kyushu. While as principal at the school he introduced Judo as an additional gym class.

1893- He was appointed as Chief of the Inspectorate for School Textbooks, Tokyo. Six months later, he was appointed as Principal in the No. 1 Junior High School in Tokyo. 4 months later he become Principal of Tokyo Teacher Training college or Tokyo Koto Shihan Gakko(東京高等師範学校)until 1897.

A Qing's Chinese education reformer, Zhang Baixi(张百熙)and Viceroy of Huguang, Zhang Zhidong (張之洞), asked Kano to instruct Chinese students in Japanese education methods in 1893.

1894- 1894 appointed as Principal of Tokyo Teacher Training college or Tokyo Koto Shihan Gakko(東京高等師範学校),東京高等師範学校附属中学校（現・筑波大学附属中学校・高等学校）, now Junior and Senior High School at Otsuka, University of Tsukuba

1896- Followed Minister of Education(文部大臣) to visit Kansai region, Japan in April(に随行して４月関西へ出張)

1898- Appointed Principal of Tokyo Teacher Training college or Tokyo Koto Shihan Gakko(東京高等師範学校)for the 2nd time, he held the position for 6 months. He was then with the Ministry of Education (文部省 Monbushō) from 1898–1901(日本的文部省擔任部門的主管)

1899-Director/Head of Bureau of General Education or Monbusho(文部省普通学務局長).

"Kobun Gakuin" school or Hongwen xueyuan(弘文學院)was opened as preparatory school for students from Manchu China. Initially it was called 亦樂書院, opened in 1899

1901-1920- Reappointed 3rd time as Principal of Tokyo Teacher Training college (Tokyo Koto Shihan Gakko, 東京高等師範学校) , now University of Tsukuba（東京教育大学を経た現在の筑波大学）September of 1893, he was appointed to the position of Principal at the Tokyo Teacher's Training College, which would later become a part of Tokyo University. This was quite a prestigious position for someone only thirty-three years old. It was also a position Kano would hold for another twenty-seven years, until 1920.

筑波大学, http://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/about/kano/index.html

http://www.tsukuba.ac.jp/about/kano/keireki.html

Note: ^ 治五郎が東京高等師範学校附属中学校（現・筑波大学附属中学校・高等学校）の校長を務めたのは、1893年（明治27年） - 1897年（明治30年）の4年間、1898年（明治31年）に半年間、1901年（明治34年） -　1920年（大正9年）の20年間と通算では25年間近い。同校の歴代校長の在任期間としては最長。

1899-1909 - The Kobun Gakuin(东京弘文学院) was founded as preparing schools for Chinese students in Japanese education. Approximately 8,000 students would visit this school and learn under the teachers Dr. Kano, the principal, selected. Dr. Kano was approached specifically for this. This shows how well Dr. Kano was respected in China and the rest of the world at this time. The Chinese students studied in the college included some of the famous personalities in modern China, including:

1. Lu Xun(魯迅,1881-1936）, founder of modern Chinese literature ,
2. Huang Xing(黄興,1874-1916),Chinese revolutionary leader, militarist, and statesman, was the first army commander-in-chief of the Republic of China. As one of the founders of the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Republic of China, his position was next to Sun Yat-sen.
3. Yang Duo(楊度,1875-1931）,politician
4. Qiu Jin(秋瑾,1875-1907）,Chinese anti-Qing Empire revolutionary, feminist and writer. She was executed after a failed uprising and today is considered a hero in China.
5. Chen Duxiu(陳独秀,1879-1942）, he was a leading figure in the anti-imperial Xinhai Revolution and the May Fourth Movement for Science and Democracy. Along with Li Dazhao, Chen was a co-founder of the Chinese Communist Party in 1921. He was its first General Secretary. Chen was an educator, philosopher, and politician.
6.Fan Yuanlian( 范源濂, 1876-1927), he was educationalist, Republic of China Minister of Education, Principal of Beijing Normal University

In 1902 Dr. Kano traveled to Peking, China. He went to share his ideas about solving the problem of education in China and visit Mr. Choshido . Unfortunately, the school was shut down in July of 1909; the year Dr. Kano became a member of the International Olympic Committee.

1909 July- Closed the Kobun Gakuin due to a decline in the number of students from China
Fall- Appointed as a member of the International Olympic Committee. Became the first Japanese member of the International Olympic Committee.

Kano is often called the father of Japanese Physical-education. He was in education sector of 26 years.

1909-1938 As Olympic Committee

1911 April- Established a judo teacher training school in the Kodokan; July- Established the Japan Sports Association and was appointed president

1912 July- Japan's first participation in the Olympic Games at the 5th Olympiad in Stockholm

1920 January- Retired as principal of Tokyo Higher Normal School

1921 March- Retired as president of the Japan Sports Association and became honorary president

1922 January- Established the Kodokan Culture Association . Elected to the House of Peers.

1922- He was elected to the Upper House of Aristocrats (Ki-zoku-In 貴族議員) in 1922 when Kano had turned sixty two. The House of Peers of Japan (貴族院, Kizokuin ) was the upper house of the Imperial Diet, as mandated under the Constitution of the Empire of Japan (in effect from 11 February 1889 to 3 May 1947). The House of Councillors(参議院 Sangiin) is the successor to the pre-war House of Peers.

During March 1922, Kanō brought all this to fruition through the introduction of the Kodokan Bunkakai, or Kodokan Cultural Association. This organization held its first meeting at Tokyo's Seiyoken Hotel on 5 April 1922, and held its first public lecture three days later at the YMCA hall in Kanda.

1924 March- Appointed honorary professor of Tokyo Higher Normal School((東京師範学校 Tōkyō Shihan Gakkō)

1927- Founding of Nada Middle School(灘中学). Now the school is known as Nada High School(灘高等学校),and Nada Junior High School(灘中学校)which is the affiliate school of Nada High School. The school was found by the sake producers of Nada Ku region(灘区). 嘉納治郎右衛門（菊正宗, now Kiku-Masamune Sake Brewing Co.,Ltd.(菊正宗酒造株式会社), 嘉納治兵衛（白鶴宗, now Hakutsuru Sake Brewing Company Limited (白鶴酒造株式会社), and 山邑太左衛門(櫻正宗, now Sakuramasamune Company, Limited (櫻正宗株式会社).

1928 Attended the Olympic Games in Amsterdam as a member of the International Olympic Comittee. He was giving a speech to first batch students at Nada Middle School(灘中学第一回入学式で訓辞)

1933- The aged expert was Sir Jigoro Kano, life-member of the Japanese House of Peers and Founder/President of Kodo-Kwan school, arrived by Hakosaki Meru on his way to Japan, after European tour. He demonstrated to crowd of 300 at Seaview Hotel, Singapore(The Straits Times, 5 November 1933, Page 1)

1934- In 1934, Kanō quit giving public exhibitions. He was giving speech at the first graduation of Nada Middle School(灘中学第一回卒業式で訓辞)

1936 July- Attended the IOC Session in Berlin where Tokyo succeeded in its bid to host the 12th Olympic Games (1940). In the vote conducted at the Berlin IOC Session in July 1936, Tokyo beat off the challenge of Helsinki by 36 votes to 27. Kano said the following at this session: "My 27 years of Olympic activity since becoming an IOC member have finally borne fruit. Now, the Tokyo Olympics must be an example to the world and the Olympics must use this opportunity to become a part of global culture." the first games held outside Europe and the USA. Japan was the first country in the Far East to be given a Games.

1938- In March, the IOC held its 38th Session in Cairo. Despite all rumors to the contrary, Japan declared that it did indeed intend to stage the Games irrespective of the persistence of war with China. Klingeberg (Techinical Advisor to Tokyo Olympic appointed 1-4-1937), present in Cairo to report on Tokyo's progress, lent verbal support to Japan's resolve. Many IOC members, however, harbored severe reservations about the Games remaining in Japan. In the face of an offer from Finland to stage both Summer and Winter Games if Japan could not, the members voted to give the IOC Executive Committee full authority to transfer the Games accordingly if the need arose.

Kano sought to have the 1940 Olympics held in Tokyo. "Sportsmanship is above war," he told one press conference. He succeeded, amazingly, at a time when Japan was seen as suspect and ruthless in its colonization of its neighbors. That Kano was successful can only be attributed to the great respect he had from the world, and also, undoubtedly, respect at his courage for seeking the games, to bring the spotlight of the world on Japan. America and England, both resolutely opposed to Japanese policies in the Far East, ultimately supported Kano's controversial bid.

Kano Jigoro(嘉納治五郎) died on 4-5-1938. Kanō died at sea, while on board the NYK Line motor vessel MV Hikawa Maru, while returning from Cairo. Jigoro did not return to Japan immediately after Tokyo won its hosting bid in Cairo. Instead, he attended the memorial service being held for Baron de Coubertin in Athens. He then traveled to the United States via Italy and France. In the United States, he met with the other IOC (International Olympic Committee) members and thanked them for their cooperation in Japan's bid to host the Olympics, and requested their help in ensuring that as many athletes as possible participate. This was very much in keeping with Jigoro's Judo creed of "beginning and ending with respect (a bow)". Having completed this duty, Jigoro boarded a ship for Japan, and died en route, never to set foot in his homeland again. His advanced age, combined with fatigue from the journey, had brought on pneumonia.

Within a few weeks of Kano's death, the government of Japan cancelled the games.

At 28th meeting of the organizing committee on 16-7-1938, the Minister of Public Welfare, Marquis Kido informed Japan’s decision of cancellation of Tokyo Olympic and Sapparo Winter Olympic.( Pg 121 – Pg 123, 1940 Tokyo Olympic Organizers Report)

Prince Iyesato Tokugawa, President of Organizing Committee, informed IOC on the development after cencellation of Tokyo Olympic(pg 174 –pg 175, 1940 Tokyo Olympic Organizers Report)

The Japanese government, faced with the possibility of two more years of conflict in China and shortage of funds and materials, has abandoned its support of plans to hold the 1940 games in Tokyo.

The Japanese army’s opposition to the game as an influence for internationalism, considered hostile to the orthodox military creed of Japan, also was a powerful factor in the decision to give up the Olympic.(source: The evening idependence , St. Petersburg, Florida 13-7-1938)

Within a few months, invaded China from Manchuria. The prime minister Prince Konoe Fumimaro(近衞文麿,b1891-d 1945) and his cohorts were all avid proponents of Budo (武道). Not to be confused with militarism, budo is a process of training throughout one's life to attain mastery of self.

May be he was extremely worried about the possibility of Tokyo Olympic before he died, and sad about the development of Japanese militarism ?....

Suggested reading/articles

1. Judo Memoirs of Jigoro Kano, by Brian N. Watson, Trafford Publishing, 2008
2. Pg 121 – Pg 123, pg 174 –pg 175 1940 Tokyo Olympic Organizers Report
3. Adolf Hitler, Carl Diem, Werner Klingeberg, and the Thousand Year Reich: Nazi Germany and Its Envisioned Post-War Olympic World, by Garth Paton and Robert K. Barney
4. The Olympic Movement and Kano Jigoro http://www.joc.or.jp/english/historyjapan/kano_jigoro.html
5. Chen Duxiu's early years: The importance of personal connections in the social and intellectual transformation of China 1895—1920, by Anne Shen Chao, Rice University, ProQuest, 2009
6. 弘文學院退學風潮, 辛亥革命网 2010年11月11日来源：辛亥革命網, 作者：王瑞慶http://big5.xhgmw.org/archive-50012.shtml
7.A Short History of Tokyo University of Education, http://members.jcom.home.ne.jp/lionsboy/shousi.htm(in Japanese)

Saitō Takao (斎藤隆夫) - Anti Military Speech

2011-08-30T15:08:00.008+08:00

Saitō Takao (斎藤隆夫, さいとうたかお, September 13, 1870 - October 7, 1949)

Saitō Takao (斎藤隆夫, September 13, 1870 - October 7, 1949) was a Japanese politician and longtime member of the Imperial Diet from Hyōgo Prefecture. He was a member of the Rikken Minseito party(立憲民政党).

Speech on Army Purge(粛軍演説,しゅくぐんえんぜつ

The speech by Saito Takao on army purge or military cleansing(粛軍演説,しゅくぐんえんぜつ）on 7-5-1936. He blamed the army for the Feb 26th Rebellion.

The February 26 incident (二・二六事件 Ni-niroku jiken, or “2-2-6 incident”) was an attempted coup d'état in Japan, from February 26 to 29, 1936 carried out by 1,483 troops of the Imperial Japanese Army. Several leading politicians were killed and the center of Tokyo was briefly occupied by the rebelling troops. At that time, the incident was called the deplorable incident in the capital (帝都不祥事件 Teito Fushyō Jiken).

粛軍演説（しゅくぐんえんぜつ）は1936年（昭和11年）5月7日に帝国議会の衆議院で斎藤隆夫が行った演説。「粛軍に関する質問演説」ともいう。

Anti-military Speech(反軍演説,（はんぐんえんぜつ)

On February 2, 1940,the Minseitō representative Saitō Takao made a speech in which he sharply questioned the prosecution and justification of Japan's "holy war" in China. During the seventy-fifth session of the Diet, Saitō Takao launched into a devastating critique of the government's position on China. He denounced the official slogans of “holy war”.

The Holy War mentioned was Second Sino-Japanese War(中国抗日战争,日中戦争（にっちゅうせんそう)or支那事変, July 7, 1937 – September 9, 1945, where Marco Polo Bridge Incident of 1937, started the beginning of total war between the two countries. The war developed into The Pacific War, part of World War Two.

At the plenary session of the House of Representatives on 2 February 1940 (Showa 15), during a question-and-answer session between party representatives, SAITO Takao of the Minseito lashed out at Prime Minister YONAI Mitsumasa for his mishandling of the Sino-Japanese War. He harshly criticized the policies designed to resolve the matter, announced at the end of 1938 (Showa 13) by then Prime Minister KONOE Fumimaro, pronouncing them fraudulent, and also expressed doubts over the governing ability of the WANG Chao-ming (WANG Jingwei) Administration that the Japanese Government was maneuvering to install in the Japanese conquered territory of China. In his harangue, he went on say that it was a mistake to have laid out a grand plan for the long-range future of the nation holding up such chiming concepts as international justice, moral diplomacy, coexistence and co-prosperity, while at the same time needlessly neglecting the sacrifices of the people by using the a beautiful expression, "holy war".

The Army naturally responded to his comments with indignation, so Chairman KOYAMA Matsutoshi of the House of Representatives exercised his prerogative and ordered the last half of SAITO's speech excised from the Diet's stenographic records. SAITO was summarily referred to the Disciplinary Committee, having been admonished by his colleagues to voluntarily resign from his seat as Diet member. But he refused, saying that he could "not be true to the people of the nation" quitting simply for having had part of his speech excised from the stenographic record, given that it was supposed to be a "legislature where the freedom of speech is guaranteed by the Constitution," adding that his critics had distorted his arguments.

Nonetheless, a plenary session of the House of Representatives voted on 7 March 1940 (Showa 15) to expel SAITO.

•Support(賛成) 296 : 浅沼稲次郎・河上丈太郎・河野密・三輪寿壮・三宅正一・三木武夫・星島二郎・松野鶴平など

• Spoiled/Empty Votes( 空票): 144

• Abstain(棄権) 121 : 尾崎行雄]・鳩山一郎・水谷長三郎・西尾末広・犬養健・若宮貞夫・安達謙蔵など

* Absent/Walk Out(欠席) 23 : 安部磯雄・片山哲・鈴木文治（以上社会大衆党）など

• Oppose(反対) 7: 牧野良三・名川侃市・芦田均・宮脇長吉・丸山弁三郎（以上政友会久原派）・岡崎久次郎（民政党）・北浦圭太郎（第一議員倶楽部）

Saito Takao was expelled from the Diet on March 7, 1940.

His speech also led to the creation of the League of Diet Members Believing the Objectives of the Holy War by Fumimaro Konoe(近衞文麿).

In 1940, all political parties were forced to merge into the Taisei Yokusankai, a pro-military political organization headed by former prime minister Nobuyuki Abe.Taisei Yokusankai is known as Imperial Rule Assistance Association or Imperial Aid Association((大政翼賛会).

The 21st General Election of Japan, 1942

Takao was re-elected to the Diet in 1942. He ran as independent, in the election of 1942, the Home Ministry try to make him withdraw his candidacy, and when he refused, the police confiscated all his campaign materials. Nevertheless, he was reelected.

The 21st General Election of Japan of the House of Representatives took place in Japan on April 30, 1942. It was the only election in wartime Japan. At this time, the lower house no longer had any significant executive and legislative power, and power went to the military since 1936. The prime minister was not elected from the lower house since 1932, and was also appointed by the military.

As communist groups, left-wing groups, and anti-war groups were illegal since 1940, they were unable to name a candidate in the election. Communists, left-wing politicians and radical anti-military politicians were arrested and not even allowed to run as independents. Besides, anti-war politician Saito Takao(斎藤隆夫) who was expelled from the diet in 1941 was re-elected again.

The Taisei Yokusankai won 381 seats out of the total 466. In some districts, the Taisei Yokusankai candidates won uncontested. However, while the Imperial Army had gained a victory in almost every battle as of the election, public support for the war was still quite high, which was the main reason for the landslide victory of the Taisei Yokusankai. Turnout in the election was 83.16%.

After the War

After the surrender of Japan in 1945, he enjoyed some attention as one of the few really clean politicians for the Allied Occupation's efforts to democratize Japan.

Saito Takao see the wrongs of Japanese militarism, unlike many Japanese during the war period blinded by the propaganda and brainwashing of patriotism and nationalism. He stand up, and not only that, he was able to voice out from his sincere heart.

At the time he stand up to speak, he may be treated as the traitor of the nation, traitor of Japanese people...he was humiliated by speaking the truth... he was expelled from the Diet to silence his voice....his heart was painful for the nation, for the people, and personally.....

Today, the truth proved that he is right, his speech may saved Japan from the atomic bombing at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, if members of Diet listen to him, and stop the war.

He is a hero, not for Japan, but for the people of the world who see evils of the war today....

Remember you, Saito Takao(斎藤隆夫), a brave man who talk out of his heart.....