Sun Yatsen (Sun Zhongshan, Sun Wen)
In China Sun Yatsen (1866-1925) is regarded the „Father of the Republic“ (國父). He is depicted favourably in PRC historiography and is seen as the necessary link tying together historical and political developments in the course leading up to communist, that is, socialist society, and the strive to overcome feudalism. In this development, Sun’s Three People’s Principles are decisive: nationalism, democracy and prosperity.
The actor playing Sun, Ma Shaohua, calls his portrayal of Sun in the series the portrayal of a grand personality. Yet, at the same time, he remains a common man. Sun always considers himself an average citizen who does not claim nor wishes to claim more privileges than are accorded to the average citizen. He suffers many defeats during his battle for the Republic and yet he continues to fight for his goals, visions and the common good: he masterminds one uprising after another and even puts aside his personal aspirations to benefit the political goals – a fact which is highlighted by his decision to offer the presidency to Yuan Shikai under the condition that the Provisional Constitution is upheld.
According to the historian Ma Yong of the Chinese Academy for Social Sciences’ Department of Modern History, the series’ audience has rightly understood Sun’s demystification. As Ma Shaohua already noted, Sun is portrayed as an average human being, not as the grand national hero. Both his positive as well as negative characteristics are illustrated; for example, his ability to argue very coherently and persuasively at times, as well as his occasional confusion, his untidy hair and his intermittent outbursts of anger.
Sun’s depiction ranges from the youthful, hot-blooded, slightly insecure and inexperienced revolutionary (such as in instalment 9, in which he enters Kang Youwei’s school and attempts to persuade him to join the revolutionary cause) to the experienced and scheming politician (such as in instalment 46, in which he, knowing Yuan Shikai’s character, strives to bind him to the Provisional Constitution, which he has majorly influenced, prior to the handover of the presidency).
Historians such as Lei Yi criticise the series for being partially inaccurate. In the series, Sun meets with Li Hongzhang to talk of the revolution. However, historical evidence only shows that Sun sent a manifesto to Li presenting suggestions for the country’s improvement. Moreover, in the series Sun chops off his queue in public during a revolutionary speech and is consequently beaten by imperial guards. This again is an incorrect historical account: Sun chopped his queue while in Japan. Sun’s portrayal in the series suggests he was a man who always did as he pleased, who was very spontaneous, and not someone who acted rationally.
The series’ emphasis on his constant lack of funds and his idealist attempts to collect donations from overseas Chinese in the US, should also be noted. He is shown to be repeatedly ridiculed by them. Moreover, without qualms he urges his brother support him to the extent that it almost leads to the financial demise of the family. All this does not shed favourable light on the “Father of the Republic”. It is precisely this idealistic trait which is highlighted by the evaluation of his person by contrasting him with Huang Xing, with whom he often debates the revolutionary methods and politics, as well as with his political opponent Yuan Shikai. Sun appears to be solely ideologically motivated and it seems that his ideas cannot be translated into realpolitics.
Former president Jiang Zemin criticised the series for picturing Sun as a superficial and arrogant clown. According to commentator Li Yong, this led to the series being banned.
| Back to keyfigures | back up |