Declaration for a Military Government 军政府宣言 20 August, 1905 壹玖零伍年捌月贰拾日 Dr. Sun Yat-sen Translated by Christopher C. Heselton 孙中山 译•史峥
After China’s a series of military defeat at the hands of Japan in 1894, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, like many Chinese of his generation, blamed the Qing government’s corruption and incompetence for the failure, and came to believe that the violent overthrow of Manchu dominated Qing dynasty as the only solution to realizing a viable Chinese nation-state. Sun soon thereafter went to the Republic of Hawaii (still an independent country at the time) and gathered with other like-minded members of the Chinese community in Honolulu to form the Revive China Society (兴中会) in November 24th, 1894. In 1895, Sun went to Hong Kong where he plotted an uprising in Guangzhou with another revolutionary group called the Furen Literary Society (辅仁文社). The plot failed, and Sun was forced into exile. Over this period Sun made a few more attempts to overthrow the Qing government while he was in exile in Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, and United States.
Sun, however, was not the only revolutionary group active in China. Many other young Chinese nationalist actively sought the Qing’s overthrow. In February 1904, Huang Xing(黄兴) along with Song Jiaoren(宋教仁) and a dozen other young nationalist met in Hunan and formed the Revive China Association(华兴会). Also in 1904, Cai Yuanpei(蔡元培) formed the Restoration Society(光复会) in Shanghai, and Huang Fu(黄郛) and Yan Xishan(阎锡 山) formed the Men’s Group (丈夫团) for Chinese military cadets studying in Japan.
In July 1905, the Kokuryukai(黑龍會), a major Japanese ultranationalist paramilitary society, helped organize a meeting between these Chinese revolutionary groups to form a coalition. In August 1905, these groups met in Tokyo at the Kokuryukai headquarters to lay out a broader coalition for the revolutionaries. By August 20th, an umbrella coalition called the United Chinese Revolutionary League (中华革命同盟会) or the Tongmenghui (United League) was formed and published a series of documents that outlined the principles and guidelines of any future revolution. Among these documents was the Declaration for a Military Government – purportedly authored by Sun Yat-sen – which laid out the general principles of the revolution and how they imagined it would be organized. The four articles of the declaration also became the basis of the oath that all members of the United League had to swear when joining: “Expel the Tartars, restore China, establish a republic, and equal land distribution” (驱除鞑虏，恢复中华，建立民国，平均地权).
2 Declaration for a Military Government Dr. Sun Yat-sen
It is the will of heaven that in the years, months and days following, the commanders of the citizen’s army of China shall obey the orders of a military government, and the military government will follow these principles and conditions. Let it be known to the citizens.
天运岁次年月日，中华国民军军都督奉军政府命，以军政府之宗旨及条理，布告国民。
Presently, the citizen’s army is being formed to establish a military government, cleanse two-hundred and sixty years of barbaric rule1, restore the four thousand year rule of the land of our ancestors, and see to the happiness and prosperity of the four-hundred million.2 This is not only the duty of the military government; this should be upheld as the responsibility of all citizens. Since the beginning of our China, Chinese have governed China. Although at times other races have stolen and occupied [our land], our ancestors and our forefathers have always managed to expel [the other races] and recover [the land] to bequeath to their descendants. Today the Han people are leading a just war to eradicate the savages.3 This is a task laid for us by our forefathers – the righteousness of which all of the Han people should be perfectly clear. Revolutions in the past, such as the Ming or the Heavenly Kingdom of Peace,4 sought only to expel [the Manchus] and restore [the land] as their mission, but there was no other change [that they sought]. We today, unlike the previous generations, besides merely expelling the Tartars and restoring China,5 our hope for the integrity of the nation and livelihood of the people should transform the people. Though there are many ways to do so, the essence is consistent: freedom, equality, and compassion. Just as previous generations were revolutionary heroes, today we are revolutionary citizens. These revolutionary citizens believe in the essence that all people of the nation are entitled to freedom, equality, and compassion, and they bear the responsibility of the revolution, and the military government is merely a special part of that [revolution]. From hence forth, the responsibilities of citizens are the responsibilities of the military government; the deeds of the military government are the deeds of the citizens; the military government’s beliefs and efforts are one with the people until our task is complete. With clear earnestness we proclaim to the realm these principles of our revolution and future governance of the nation: 今者国民军起，立军政府，涤二百六十年之膻腥，复四千年之祖国，谋四万万人之福 祉，此不独军政府责无旁贷，凡我国民皆当引为己责者也。维我中国开国以来，以中国人治中
1 shānxīng(膻腥), which here is translated as “barbaric rule.” Shānxīng is a derogatory word to refer to the governance of northern pastoral peoples. In this case it is referring to the Qing dynasty founded by the Manchus. The word shānxīng originally referred to seafood, particularly fish as a category of food, but later came to refer to the “fishy” customs of northern pastoralist and then later their “fishy” rule. 2 Four-hundred million refers to the approximate population of China at the beginning of the twentieth century, but the actual wording is sìwànwàn(四万万), “forty-thousand ten-thousands,” which in the beginning of the twentieth century was term synonymous with “the people of China.” 3 tiǎnchú húlǔ(殄除胡虏), which here is translated as “eradicate the savages.” The term “eradicate” (tiǎnchú) in Chinese has very violent connotations; the character tiǎn in particular refers to massacring and death while the character chú can mean to wipe out from existence. The word “savage”( húlǔ) is a derogatory term that refers in this context to the Manchus; the character hú is a relatively benign character that refers generally to northern pastoralist, but the character lǔ is a derogatory term that refers to northern peoples, but the etymology of the word derives from “slave” and “captive,” which later came to mean “enemy” or “traitor” by the Song dynasty, and was often used to refer to the Khitans and Jurchens, to whom the Manchus claim descent. The character lǔ in this text, and many other text created by the United League, is frequently used in conjunction with other characters to refer to the Manchus. 4 The Heavenly Kingdom of Peace, taìpíng tīanguó(太平天国), refers to an uprising that began in 1850 led by Hong Xiuquan, who believed himself to be the younger brother of Jesus Christ and established a state called the Heavenly Kingdom of Peace with its capital Nanjing, and embroiled China in a 14 year civil war. One of the stated goals of Hong’s Heavenly Kingdom was to “expunge the demons from the world” – the demons they referred to were the Manchus, which was a message many of the founders of the United League sympathized. Later in the Republic, the Taipings were lauded as patriots fighting against Manchu oppression. 5 dálǔ(鞑虏) , which here is translated as “Tartars,” is yet another derogatory term referring to the Manchus. The word originally was a pejorative term for the Turkic-Mongol Tartar ethnic group, but later became a derogatory term for northern pastoralist in the late Qing – most likely from Western influences who used the English word “Tartars” to often refer to the Manchus despite having no close ethnic links (though some). 3 Declaration for a Military Government Dr. Sun Yat-sen 国，虽间有异族篡据，我祖我宗常能驱除光复，以贻后人。今汉人倡率义师，殄除胡虏，此为 上继先人遗烈，大义所在，凡我汉人当无不晓然。惟前代革 命如有明及太平天国，只以驱除 光复自任，此外无所转移。我等今日与前代殊，于驱除鞑虏、恢复中华之外，国体民生尚当与 民变革，虽纬经万端，要其一贯之精神，则为自由、平等、博爱。故前代为英雄革命，今日为 国民革命。所谓国民革命者，一国之人皆有自由、平等、博爱之精神，即皆负革命之责任，军 政府特为其枢机而已。自今以往，国民之责任即军政府之责任，军政府之功即国民之功，军政 府与国民同心戮力，以尽责任。用特披露腹心，以今日革命之经纶暨将来治国之大本，布告天 下：
I To expel the Tartars to Manchuria along with all other barbarians to beyond our borders.6 In the past Ming dynasty, they have repeatedly invaded our borders. Later, they took advantage of the many ill- circumstances in China to push beyond the pass, destroy our China, occupy our government, force the Han people into slavery, and slaughtered a hundred-million people who refused to obey.7 Our Han people have been a people of a destroyed nation for two-hundred and sixty years.8 The Manchu government is evil and vicious, yet today many see this as beneficial.9 Our righteous army seeks to restore our government and return sovereignty. Those Han in the Manchurian army and others, if they see the err in their ways and surrender, will be pardoned; those that dare to resist will be killed with no remorse.10 Han that serve the Manchus are slaves and are traitors to the Han race, and will be dealt with similarly. 一 驱除鞑虏今之满洲，本塞外东胡。昔在明朝，屡为边患。后乘中国多事，长驱入关， 灭我中国，据我政府，迫我汉人为其奴隶，有不从者，杀戮亿万。我汉人为亡国之民者二百六 十年于斯。满政府穷凶极恶，今已贯盈。义师所指，覆彼政府，还我主权。其满洲汉军人等， 如悔悟来降者，免其罪；敢有抵抗，杀无赦！汉人有为满奴以作汉奸者，亦如之。
II To restore China to the Chinese - a China for the Chinese; the governance of China should be borne by the Chinese. Upon the expulsion of the Tartars, we shall restore the country of our race. Any that dare act as Shi Jingtang or Wu Sangui, shall be attacked by all in the realm!11
6 dōnghú(东胡) , which here is translated as “barbarians” is a general term for non-Han pastoralist from central Asia and the Mongolian steppelands. In this case it is most likely referring to Mongols, Dahurs, Sibos, Buriats, and perhaps Uighurs and Tibetans. 7 Rùguān(入关), which is here translated as “push beyond the pass,” refers to the mountain pass of Shānhaĭguān(山海关), which was a heavily fortified fortress at the terminus of the great wall where it meets the sea at present day Qinhuangdao, Hebei Province on the border with Liaoning Province. It has been taken as the border between China proper and Manchuria since the late Ming. 8 wángguó zhī mín(亡国之民), here translated as “people of a destroyed nation,” was a way of saying a people without a state of their own and subjugated by another. In the late-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Indians –particularly Sikhs - often served as police officers in the British concessions across China. They were frequently referred to derogatorily as wángguónú (亡国奴) in reference to their subjugation to the British Empire. Indians at this time often served as warning to Chinese of their own possible future at the hands of Western imperialism, but in this case, the United League is saying that Han Chinese are already a “people of a destroyed nation” at the hands of the Manchus. 9 guànyíng (贯盈), here translated as “see this as beneficial,” more literally means “to see something evil or criminal as fulfilling or beneficial.” 10 By “Han in the Manchu Army” (mănzhōu hànjūn 满洲汉军) they are referring to Han soldiers that served in the Eight Banners(bāqíjūn 八旗军) and the Green Standard Army (lùyíngbīng 绿营兵). 11 Shi Jingtang (石敬瑭, 892-942) was the founder of the short-lived Later Jin Dynasty during the Tang-Song interregnum period. In the context of this work, Shi’s name is brought up as a condemnation, because Shi has often been viewed as a puppet of the Khitan-Liao state and a traitor to the Han people (his assumption is a little off considering that Shi Jintang was not Han, but in fact, Shato-Turkish in ethnicity; this was not, however, widely known at the time this was written). Wu Sangui(吴三桂, 1612-1678) was a Ming general stationed at Shanhaiguan Pass when the Ming dynasty fell to the rebel Li Zicheng. Upon learning of the Fall of the Ming emperor, Wu joined ranks with the Manchus led by Dorgon. After the defeat of the Ming, the Qing 4 Declaration for a Military Government Dr. Sun Yat-sen 二 恢复中华中国者，中国人之中国；中国之政治，中国人任之。驱除鞑虏之后，光复我 民族的国家。敢有为石敬瑭、吴三桂之所为者，天下共击之！
III To establish a government of citizens led by citizens through civilian revolution, where all citizens will have equal rights to participate in politics. The president will be publically chosen by the citizenry. An assembly will be comprised of members chosen by the citizenry to establish a Chinese constitution that will be abided by all. Any that dare to establish a monarchy shall be attacked by all in the realm! 三 建立民国今者由平民革命以建国民政府，凡为国民皆平等以有参政权。大总统由国民 公举。议会以国民公举之议员构成之，制定中华民国宪法，人人共守。敢有帝制自为者，天下 共击之！
IV To establish equality of citizens to enjoy the happiness and prosperity of a civilization with equal property rights. In the process of improving the economic organization of society, [the government?] will determine the value of property across the realm. The current pricing of property will still be recognized for current property holders. As prices increase after the revolution as society improves and progresses, land will revert to state control for all citizens to partake. In order to establish a national society, all must be allowed to live in plenty and that none within the four seas are unable to obtain what is needed. Any that dare to monopolize [the economy] to control the lives of the citizenry shall be expelled by the masses. 四 平均地权文明之福祉，国民平等以享之。当改良社会经济组织，核定天下地价。其现 有之地价，仍属原主所有；其革命后社会改良进步之增价，则归于国家，为国民所共享。肇造 社会的国家，俾家给人足，四海之内无一夫不获其所。敢有垄断以制国民之生命者，与众弃之！
The aforementioned four principles will be carried out in order over the following four stages: The first stage will be governed by military law. When our just war begins, as each place returns to the right path and the people of the land newly doff the shackles of Manchuria, and they come to share a bitter hatred in the face of the enemy, unite with their race, and defend [the nation] from foes abroad, the military and the people will be equally subjected to military law. The army will be united in their efforts to defeat the enemy for the people; the people shall the army with their needs and will not hinder their peace. The local government, whether actively fighting the enemy or not, shall be controlled by the military government in order to remove all [old?] evils. Political vices, such as government oppression, official corruption, extortion by government agents,12 cruel
court awarded Wu the title of “The King that Pacifies the West” and his own vassal kingdom in Yunnan, a rare precedent in Chinese History. In 1673, however, he rebelled against the Qing along with two other vassal kingdoms, and declared himself the Emperor of the Zhou dynasty. He would die in 1678, and his dynasty later fell to Qing forces in 1681. Wu is generally remembered, as he is in this passage, as one of China’s greatest traitors. Not only did he allow the Manchus, alien nomads, to enter beyond the passes, and serve their emperor, but he would also later betray the Manchus as well. The significance of this line is that the authors are warning against traitors, particularly those that would betray China to alien outsiders and foreigners. 12 chāiyì zhi lè suǒ(差役之勒索), here translated as “extortion by government agents,” refers to the actions of a certain class of government agents – the chāiyì – often referred to in English as yamen runners. Yamen runners were a class of sub-bureaucratic clerks, constables, and marshals that operated the local government. They were not officially part of the imperial government, but instead were a permanent quasi-official staff to the local Magistrate or Prefect that were simply accepted by the imperial government as a necessary evil. 5 Declaration for a Military Government Dr. Sun Yat-sen punishment, excessive taxation, and the humiliation of the queue, shall be eliminated at the same time as the power of Manchuria. Customary evils, such as the keeping of slaves,13 the cruelty of foot binding, the poisonous trade of opium, and the hindrance of geomancy,14 will all be banned. We shall, furthermore, develop systems for education, maintaining roads, establishing a police force, maintaining sanitation in order to allow the root of agriculture, industry, and commerce to prosper. Each county will have three years; those that are able to improve within three years will have military law lifted and shall be ruled by a provisional constitution. 上四纲，其措施之次序则分三期：第一期为军法之治。义师既起，各地反正，土地人 民新脱满洲之羁绊，其临敌者宜同仇敌忾，内辑族人，外御寇仇，军队与人民 同受治于军法 之下。军队为人民戮力破敌，人民供军队之需要及不妨其安宁。既破敌者及未破敌者，地方行 政，军政府总摄之，以次扫除积弊。政治之害，如政府之压制、官吏之贪婪、差役之勒索、刑 罚之残酷、抽捐之横暴、辫发之屈辱，与满洲势力同时斩绝。风俗之害，如奴婢之畜养、缠足 之残忍、鸦片之流毒、风水之阻 害，亦一切禁止。并施教育，修道路，设警察、卫生之制， 兴起农工商实业之利源。每一县以三年为限，其未及三年已有成效者，皆解军法，布约法。
The second stage will be governed by a provisional constitution. Each county, upon the lifting of military law, will have their local autonomy restored to the local people by the military government. Members of local assemblies and local administrators shall be chosen by the people. The rights and responsibilities of the entire military government in regard to the people as well as the rights and responsibilities of the people in regard to the military government shall be clearly delineated in the provisional constitution; the military government, local assemblies, and the people will all be bound to abide by it. Violators [of the provisional constitution] shall bear the responsibility. Within six years after the realm has been pacified, the provisional constitution shall be annulled and a constitution will be promulgated. 第二期为约法 之治。每一县既解军法之后，军政府以地方自治权归之其地之人民，地 方议会议员及地方行政官皆由人民选举。凡军政府对于人民之权利义务，及人民对于军政府之 权利义务，悉规定于约法，军政府与地方议会及人民各循守之，有违法者，负其责任。以天下 平定后六年为限，始解约法，布宪法。
The third stage will be governed by a constitution. After six years the implementation of a provisional constitution, a constitution shall be drafted, military and administrative authority of the military government shall be dissolved, and the people will chose a president and assembly men to organize a national assembly. Political matters of the state shall be carried out in accordance with the constitution. These three stages – the first stage being a period in which the citizens are led by the military government to eliminate the old pollution, the second stage being a period in which the military government assist the people in taking local autonomy and generally sees to the matters of state, and the third stage being a period in which the military government is dissolved and the organs of state shall independently manage national affairs according to the constitution – shall allow our citizens to progress in proper order and cultivate the qualifications of freedom and equality. It is in this where in lays the roots that shall borne the Republic of China.
Yamen runners were generally poorly paid, and thus, often extracted bribes and miscellaneous fees from the populace to supplement their income in exchange for government services. Consequently, yamen runners in Chinese culture have for centuries been depicted as corrupt, incompetent, and capricious law enforcers that often turn to extorting the local populace. 13 This reference to slavery is a bit odd considering that slavery had been abolished entirely under the Yongzheng Emperor (1722-1735), which by his time was largely perfunctory as slavery was not widely practiced except in cases of domestic servants. After slavery was abolished, however, domestic servants still remained people of socially low status and had few legal protections. This may be why slavery was placed under the category of “customary evils.” 14 fēngshuǐ zhi zǔ(风水之阻) is translated here as “hindrance of geomancy.” Geomancy, also often called Fengshui in English, is the belief that one’s physical surroundings, environment, and arrangement of buildings and objects can affect one’s fate, fortune, and well-being, as well as bring bad luck. This claim about the “hindrance of geomancy” is most likely a reference to Qing officials rejecting the construction of new railroads claiming that railroads would negatively affect geomantic properties. 6 Declaration for a Military Government Dr. Sun Yat-sen 第三期为宪法之治。全国行约法 六年后，制定宪法，军政府解兵权、行政权，国民公 举大总统及公举议员以组织国会。一国之政事，依于宪法以行之。此三期，第一期为军政府督 率国民扫除旧污之 时代；第二期为军政府授地方自治权于人民，而自总揽国事之时代；第三 期为军政府解除权柄，宪法上国家机关分掌国事之时代。俾我国民循序以进，养成自由平等 之资格，中华民国之根本胥于是乎在焉。
There are four principles previously mentioned with three stages. The military government will maintain faith and swear loyalty to work for the nation, and will ultimately never change [its principles].We particularly have faith that our citizens shall remain persistent and united in accomplishing this great cause. The soul of the Han people shall forever burn bright across the four seas regardless of any hardship the nation may encounter or the many difficulties experienced. Today is an era of restoration where all people can show their glory. We, the Han people, are all the descendants of Xuanyuan.15 We all know the people of the nation. We are all brothers and sisters with equality, without distinctions between superior and inferior or rich and poor. We stand united in triumph and grief to help each other when in danger. With the same heart and same mind, we take protecting the nation and saving the race as our solemn duty. Unless our warriors do not obey their orders and the people do not lend their support, then our revolution shall succeed and a government of the people shall come to fruition. We wish that our four-hundred million unite and strive for it! 以上为纲有四，其序有三，军政府为国戮力，矢信矢忠，始终不渝。尤深信我国民必 能踔厉坚忍，共成大业。汉族神灵，久焜耀 于四海，比遭邦家多难，困苦百折，今际光复时 代，其人人各发扬其精色。我汉人同为轩辕之子孙，国人相视，皆伯叔兄弟诸姑姊妹，一切平 等，无有贵贱之差、贫 富之别；休戚与共，患难相救，同心同德，以卫国保种自任。战士不 爱其命，闾阎不惜其力，则革命可成，民政可立。愿我四万万人共勉之！
15 xuān yuán(轩辕) is supposedly the personal name of the legendary Yellow Emperor (黄帝), who is considered one of several mythical kings and lords that forged the Chinese nation.