Instalment 51 (1912)
Scene 1: In front of a Bao Gong temple; at night
In the evening, Yuan Shikai and Sun Yatsen take their meal in front of a Bao Gong temple, in which the exemplary just judge Bao Qingtian of ancient times is worshipped. Yuan believes that the people should erect more of these temples so that there will be more of these just officials. But Sun Yatsen replies that it is more important to look to the present rather than looking back onto the past; he believes it is better to take measures to make sure there will be more officials like Bao, instead of only praying for it! He holds that the government should serve the people and that sincere officials should be a role model for the people. The fundament for a successful state order is obeying the law. If officials trespass the law, then punishments should be the immediate consequence. (This elaboration may be understood as a warning to Yuan to keep to the constitution).
Scene 2: At the presidential seat
Yuan Shikai is talking with SunYatsen, Zhao Bingjun and Huang Xing. Yuan had initially tried to employ tactics to get revolutionaries to join the cabinet. Now he tells Zhao Bingjun to thank Huang Xing for declining the position of Prime Minister, since he, Yuan, will now appoint him, Zhao, to that office – and thereby the cabinet has fallen into the hands of Yuan’s followers.
Scene 3: The assembly hall in which the Guomindang party congress will be held
SSong Jiaoren is in the middle of preparing the party congress for the founding of the Guomindang (GMD, National People’s Party).
While Yuan Shikai and Sun Yatsen are getting ready for the party congress, Sun explains that he will not candidate for the presidency. He will let Yuan go first and wants to convince the members of the Guomindang to elect Yuan. At the same time, however, he repeats his warning that Yuan should keep to the constitution.
At the founding congress of the Guomindang, Sun Yatsen gives a speech during which he congratulates the five parties which have united to form this new party. For him, it symbolises the coming of a new era. He reminds his audience that many difficult tasks lie ahead of the Party: the party leaders and the people have to be brought closer together and the Republic needs to be thoroughly built. He advocates that Yuan Shikai should take on the responsibility for the government in his function as President. If the people demand it, Sun says, he will candidate in ten years time. Until then, he will work in the background for the construction of the country and by this he will support Yuan. Starting with the parliamentary and presidential elections, the people will have to learn the principles of a representative democracy. Thus there is a long way ahead of the young Republic.
In a speech held at the formal ball following the party founding congress, Yuan Shikai praises Sun Yatsen and officially transfers to him the responsibility for the construction of a national railway network. Huang Xing is to be his assistant in this task. Thus, Yuan hopes to bind both Sun and Huang more closely to himself. At the same time, he emphasises that this is also a farewell celebration since Sun will leave Beijing on the following day. Song Jiaoren, the Party Secretary of the newly founded Guomindang, is handed 500.000 Liang silver from Yuan Shikai. But Song refuses to be bribed and transfers the sum to Sun Yatsen to benefit the organisation of the parliamentary election. Sun sings a Cantonese opera song popular in his home village and thus entertains the entire party.
Liang Qichao gives his teacher Kang Youwei a letter from Yuan Shikai in which Yuan requests them both to return to Beijing to serve their country. While Liang wants to take up the offer, Kang still advocates a constitutional monarchy. In Liang’s opinion a monarchy is now anachronistic and he criticises Kang for his emotional ties to the Court. Liang is convinced that a new era has begun and that even Kang should now rethink his ideas. After these words of critique, Kang dismisses Liang as his student and tells him to now become active as a teacher himself and not to turn to him anymore. Thus, the rupture between the two is complete.
Tian Mo is pondering over the article which she wants to write about Sun Yatsen’s relinquishment of the presidency. But she cannot find the right words. Luo Wen comes to visit her and brings her some dinner. When she talks to him about Sun’s decision, he tells her his own opinions, which she quickly notes down. Luo believes that of the many parties in China, only the GMD might be able to govern the country. Thus, he thinks that a victory of the GMD in the coming elections of parliament is given. But the GMD’s most dangerous enemies, he states, are Yuan Shikai and Zhao Bingjun. At the end of the scene, he reminds Tian of their bet concerning Sun Yatsen’s elections to the presidency: i.e. that they will move together if Sun Yatsen is not made president. He thinks that the time has come to move together, now that Sun has officially announced his retreat.
Yuan Shikai, Song Jiaoren and Zhao Bingjun are visiting the construction site for the future parliament building together with a few engineers while it is raining. The building, which has been designed according to German models, was still commissioned by Cixi. It is due for completion next May. While looking at the blueprints for the building, Song points out two inconsistencies in the plans: The big assembly hall is too small; it can only accommodate the parliament, but no guests. Secondly, there is a small assembly hall, which was also commissioned by Cixi, for which another side building is to be erected. In this small assembly hall, the emperor – in a constitutional monarchy – was supposed to meet with his ministers to make decisions for which the parliament’s consent was not required. The conversation shows that Yuan still believes that such side decisions may be made in the future. He does not take the constitution seriously (and mocks Song calling him a “fan of parliament”). He sees himself in the role of a president whose powers equal those of an emperor.
Yuan Shikai wants to appoint Song Jiaoren to be Prime Minister, on purpose having the present Prime Minister, Zhao Bingjun, witness this. But Song declines to have Yuan appoint him to an office into which one actually ought to be voted by the parliament. He reminds Yuan of the importance of elections and says that he would be willing to take over the post of Prime Minister or whatever post, but only if the people, who are the sovereign of the Republic, wish it. Without the legitimisation by the people, though, Song declines to work together with Yuan. He thus provokes the latter whose strategy to pocket Song has failed. Yuan, stating that the wine he is drinking, is awful, decidedly throws his wine glass at the wall and leaves the room.
Zhao Bingjun and Yang Du are talking about the forthcoming elections and about what just has happened. Zhao believes that his current position as Prime Minister is not democratically legitimised; Yuan Shikai simply proposed him. But he is not sure what Yuan is plotting to do now. Yang tries to explain that the Party, which holds the majority of seats in parliament, will also make the decisions whom to appoint to the government posts. Until now, the Parties were scattered and since they were not able to arrive at a compromise, they simply decided to agree to Yuan’s suggestions. Zhao, Yang explains, thus was the candidate of compromise. Zhao now finally understands the importance of Parties and why the great Guomindang had been founded. He asks why Yang, who has always been a defender of the constitution, never tried to found his own party. Yang, who actually favours a constitutional monarchy, replies that he did not want to interfere in the already chaotic fight between the different Parties. He does not want to get involved in the Republic and therefore also refuses to support Zhao, Yuan or anyone else.
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