Why Sun Yat-Sen Was An American Thinker: The man who ended more than 2,000 years of imperial rule in China was more heavily influenced by American principles than most people realize.

American Thinker ^ | 04/12/2022 | Laura Lam

[SeekAndFind]

In modern Chinese history, Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925) holds a unique place. He led the revolution that overthrew the Qing dynasty in 1911; devoted his life to championing an independent and democratic China; and was a revolutionary leader and a man of vision. Sun remains the only political leader honored by both mainland China and Taiwan. What’s fascinating about Sun, but little known in America, is that his birthplace, formal education, medical training, religious faith, and political values made him a true American.

Sun’s elder brother concealed the fact that Yat-sen was an American. His family would claim that he was born in China because a Chinese identity was crucial to his mission for China’s future but contemporaneous records show that he was an American citizen by birth.

The National Archives at San Francisco verified on April 29, 1904, that Sun had US citizenship. The American Institute in Taiwan also confirms that Sun Yat-sen was born in Hawaii.

When Sun was 4 years old, his parents took him back with them to China. Then at age 12, he sailed on a British steamship back to Hawaii, to live with his elder brother. Sun received his secondary education at the ʻIolani School under the supervision of the Church of Hawai’i.

At 18, Sun wanted to convert to Christianity. He was baptized in Hong Kong by Rev. C. R. Hager, an American missionary. He began studying Western medicine at the Hong Kong College of Medicine for Chinese. At 22, he joined a group of revolutionary thinkers called the Four Bandits. They founded the Furen Literary Society, which emphasized discipline, purifying the character, and learning from the West. In 1892 Sun graduated with a medical doctorate degree from the University of Hong Kong, a globally respected educational establishment

[SeekAndFind]

Symbolizing America’s support, the U.S. Post Office Department twice depicted Sun Yat-sen on postage stamps.

In 1904, Sun sailed to New York from Hawaii. While in New York, the San Francisco Chinese community funded and promoted a pamphlet he wrote, entitled “The True Solution of the Chinese Problem.” American influence on Sun was growing because he saw America as a model of success. Sun admired the political philosophy of President Lincoln for a democratic government. He called this the “Three Principles of The People” and developed his own version for China: minzu (national feelings of the people,) minquan (rights of the people,) and minsheng (the people’s livelihood.)

[Steely Tom]

ping for later

[Kevmo]

Sun’s elder brother concealed the fact that Yat-sen was an American. His family would claim that he was born in China because a Chinese identity was crucial to his mission for China’s future but contemporaneous records show that he was an American citizen by birth.
***So he was a Chinese Reverse Birther

[PGR88]

China might have have much more stability in the first half of the 20th century if it had been able to work-out a constitutional monarchy. Probably a very difficult proposition given the absolutist control held by the Imperial system.

[shadowlands1960]

He lived briefly in Marysville CA while he was in exile. We had a large Chinese community here in those days...

[Chode]

i still have ~dozen SY-S silver dollars dad brought home from the war

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Bookmark

[ckilmer]

yeah. no kidding.

[Reno89519]

And his and his family corruption is American as well?

[Reno89519]

And maybe my question is about the later leaders, not Sun Yat-Sen. Such as Chiang Kai-shek.

[GreenLanternCorps]

Wikipedia has him listed as being born in 1866 in China.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun_Yat-sen

If he was actually born in the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1866, his citizenship would be complicated by Hawaiian citizenship law and the US annexation of the Republic of Hawaii in 1898 (and terms in which Hawaiians became Americans).

[Rumplemeyer]

BUMP

[Wuli]

A lot of good history. Thanks for the post. Now a permanent bookmark in my research folder.

[Lurkinanloomin]

He has an Hawaiian birth certificate, too.

[PeterPrinciple]

which emphasized discipline, purifying the character, and learning from the West.

---

Looks more like some from column a, column b and c.

[Reily]

More direct evidence he’s a citizen the Obama!

[sauropod]

.

[Clemenza]

But was he as corrupt as Cash my check, er, Chang Kai Shek?

[SeekAndFind]

Sun Yat Sen was not a power hungry man and in fact, ceded his presidency to a warlord named Yuan Shi Kai in order to avoid civil war.

Unfortunately, Sun died too early to implement his policies. Taiwan eventually implemented his policies ( called San Min Chu Yi or the 3 Principles of the Peoplez) after the Kuomintang fled to the island in the aftermath of the Communist takeover of the Mainland.

[If You Want It Fixed - Fix It]

What a crap article. He was president for two periods like jesus was around for two periods...before the resurrection and after. Not a word that he changed from china to tawain, that the evil commies took control of the mainland! WTF. More fake crap from American Thinker. Believe No One, not our side or any other, but Christ. Especially not either this pope.