Song Jiaoren facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Song Jiaoren
宋敎仁 |
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| Acting President of Kuomintang | |
| In office 25 August 1912 – 22 March 1913 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Sun Yat-sen |
| Vice President of Huaxinghui | |
| In office 15 February 1904 – 30 July 1905 |
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| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 April 1882 Taoyuan, Hunan, Qing dynasty |
| Died | 22 March 1913 (aged 30) Shanghai, Jiangsu, Republic of China |
| Cause of death | Assassination |
| Political party | Kuomintang (1912–1913) |
| Other political affiliations |
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Song Jiaoren (Chinese: 宋敎仁; Chinese: 宋教仁; pinyin: Sòng Jiàorén; Wade–Giles: Sung Chiao-jen, [sʊ̂ŋ tɕi̯âu̯ɻə̌n]; Given name at birth: Liàn 鍊; Courtesy name: Dùnchū 鈍初) (April 5, 1882 – March 22, 1913) was a key figure in China's move towards a republic. He was a revolutionary and political leader. Song Jiaoren helped create the Kuomintang (KMT), a major political party. He led the KMT to win China's very first democratic election. Sadly, he was assassinated in 1913. Many historians believe the provisional president, Yuan Shikai, was behind his death.
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Early Life and Education
Song Jiaoren was born and grew up in Hunan, China. He started school at a private institution when he was six years old. At age seventeen, he finished his studies and went to Taoyuan Zhangjiang College. His teachers, Huang Shouyi and Qu Fangmei, inspired him. Song became very interested in world events and new ideas of his time. He did not focus on traditional government exams.
In 1902, Song Jiaoren moved to Wuchang. He attended the Bishop Boone Memorial School there. In Wuchang, he met Huang Xing, another revolutionary. They quickly became close friends for life. Huang Xing soon had to leave Wuchang because of his revolutionary work. Song continued to organize revolutionary groups in Hunan. He focused on cities like Changsha and Changde.
Later in 1902, Song was asked to teach at the Wuchang Normal School. This was a respected private high school. Song started teaching there in 1903. In Wuhan, he joined several local revolutionary groups. One of these was the Huaxinghui, where he became vice president. He often talked about politics and revolution with his students.
Joining the Kuomintang
Because of his revolutionary actions, Song had to leave China in 1904. He went to Japan, where he studied Western political ideas. He also met other Chinese students living abroad and Japanese thinkers. During this time, Song was good friends with the Japanese nationalist Ikki Kita.
In 1905, Song helped Sun Yat-sen create the Tongmenghui. This group wanted to overthrow the Qing dynasty and form a republic. Song was a very active member. He returned to China in 1910 after the Xinhai Revolution. The next year, he went to Hong Kong to help plan the Second Guangzhou Uprising.
After the Republic of China was declared in 1912, Song helped change the Tongmenghui into the Kuomintang. This party is also known as the KMT or the Chinese Nationalist Party. Song spoke out against China's provisional president, Yuan Shikai. He was worried that Yuan wanted to bring back a monarchy and become emperor. On January 1, 1912, the Republic of China was officially started in Nanjing. Song was chosen to improve China's legal system. He wrote an important temporary constitution for the new government.
China's First Election
Song Jiaoren was only 30 years old when he took on a big task. Sun Yat-sen asked him to organize the Kuomintang for China's first democratic election in 1912. Song was a natural at organizing political campaigns. However, he was also very confident, which sometimes pushed away potential supporters.
Only about 10 percent of adult men could vote in this election. This was about 40 million people. These voters were mostly wealthy landowners and middle-class business owners. They formed the main support for the new party. After the election, the Kuomintang won many seats. They got 269 out of 596 seats in the House of Representatives. They also won 123 out of 274 seats in the Senate. Many other smaller parties also competed. After this victory, Song was seen as the top choice for prime minister.
Song's main goal was to make sure China's elected assemblies were strong. He wanted them to be independent from the president's power. This goal clashed with the interests of President Yuan Shikai. By mid-1912, it was clear Yuan wanted to have too much power. Song traveled around China in 1912. He openly said he wanted to limit the president's power. His words often seemed to criticize Yuan's ambitions. When the 1913 election results showed the Kuomintang had won clearly, Song seemed ready to play a big role. He could choose the prime minister and cabinet. The party could also push for a future president to be elected by the parliament.
His Assassination
On March 20, 1913, Song Jiaoren was at the Shanghai Railway Station. He was traveling with friends to the Parliament in Beijing. A gunman named Wu Shiying shot him twice at close range. Wu Shiying had been hired by Ying Guixin. Ying was a criminal figure in Shanghai with ties to Yuan Shikai's government. Song died two days later in the hospital.
The investigation led to high-ranking officials in Yuan Shikai's government. These included the secretary of the cabinet and the provisional premier, Zhao Bingjun. Many people at the time believed Yuan Shikai was behind the assassination. However, the main people investigated were themselves killed or disappeared. Because of this, Yuan was never officially proven guilty. Ying Guixin tried to escape north, where Yuan could protect him. But he was killed by two men on a train. Zhao Bingjun was poisoned in 1914.
His Legacy
After Song Jiaoren's assassination, China's political situation got worse. This eventually led to the failed Second Revolution. Yuan Shikai removed the Kuomintang from China's elected assemblies in 1913. He dissolved parliament in 1914. Then, in 1915, he declared himself emperor. He died in 1916. China's first attempt at a democratic system failed to create a stable government. The country then entered a period of chaos, with different warlords fighting for power for over ten years.
See also
| New title | President of the Kuomintang 1912–1913 |
Next: Sun Yat-sen as Premier of the KMT |
