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Sun Yat-sen: The Doctor Who Chose Revolution (Part 2)

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Sun Yat-sen: The Doctor Who Chose Revolution (Part 2)

一yī八bā九jiǔ四sì年nián,中国zhōng guó在zài战争zhàn zhēng中zhōng被bèi日本rì běn打败dǎ bài,全国quán guó震惊zhèn jīng。

In 1894, China was defeated by Japan in a war, and the whole nation was shocked.

孙中山sūn zhōng shān放下fàng xià了le医生yī shēng的de工作gōng zuò,做了zuò le一个yī ge改变gǎi biàn一生yī shēng的de决定jué dìng。

Sun Yat-sen set aside his work as a doctor and made a decision that would change his life.

他tā对duì朋友péng you说shuō:“医生yī shēng只能zhǐ néng救jiù几jǐ个人gè rén;要yào救jiù整个zhěng gè国家guó jiā,就jiù必须bì xū革命gé mìng。”

He told his friends: "A doctor can only save a few people; to save the whole country, there must be a revolution."

那nà一yī年nián,他tā在zài檀香山tán xiāng shān成立chéng lì了le兴中会xīng zhōng huì——他的tā de第一dì yī个gè革命gé mìng组织zǔ zhī。

That year, in Honolulu, he founded the Revive China Society — his first revolutionary organization.

会员huì yuán们men举起jǔ qǐ右手yòu shǒu宣誓xuān shì:推翻tuī fān清朝qīng cháo,建立jiàn lì一个人yī gè rén人rén平等píng děng的de新xīn中国zhōng guó。

The members raised their right hands and swore an oath: overthrow the Qing dynasty and build a new China where everyone is equal.

第二dì èr年nián,他们tā men在zài广州guǎng zhōu发动fā dòng了le第一次dì yī cì起义qǐ yì,可是kě shì失败shī bài了le。

The next year they launched their first uprising in Guangzhou, but it failed.

清朝qīng cháo政府zhèng fǔ到处dào chù抓他zhuā tā,他tā只好zhǐ hǎo剪掉jiǎn diào辫子biàn zi,换huàn上shàng西装xī zhuāng,逃táo到了dào liǎo国外guó wài。

The Qing government hunted him everywhere, so he cut off his queue, put on a Western suit, and fled abroad.

一yī八bā九jiǔ六liù年nián,他tā在zài伦敦lún dūn被bèi清朝qīng cháo使馆shǐ guǎn的de人rén绑架bǎng jià了le。

In 1896, in London, he was kidnapped by men from the Qing legation.

他tā被bèi关guān在zài使馆shǐ guǎn里lǐ,随时suí shí可能kě néng被bèi秘密mì mì送sòng回huí中国zhōng guó处死chǔ sǐ。

He was locked inside the legation, and at any moment he might be secretly shipped back to China and executed.

幸好xìng hǎo,他的tā de老师lǎo shī知道了zhī dào le这件zhè jiàn事shì,马上mǎ shàng告诉gào sù了le英国yīng guó的de报纸bào zhǐ。

Luckily, his old teacher learned what had happened and immediately told the British newspapers.

全quán伦敦lún dūn都dōu在zài讨论tǎo lùn这件zhè jiàn事shì,使馆shǐ guǎn只好zhǐ hǎo把bǎ他tā放了fàng le。

All of London was talking about the affair, and the legation had no choice but to let him go.

这次zhè cì事件shì jiàn让ràng孙中山sūn zhōng shān一下子yī xià zi出chū了le名míng,全世界quán shì jiè都dōu知道了zhī dào le这位zhè wèi中国zhōng guó革命家gé mìng jiā。

The incident made Sun Yat-sen famous overnight — the whole world now knew this Chinese revolutionary.

在zài那nà之后zhī hòu的de十几shí jǐ年nián里lǐ,他tā走zǒu遍biàn世界各地shì jiè gè dì,向xiàng华侨huá qiáo演讲yǎn jiǎng、募捐mù juān。

Over the next dozen years, he traveled all over the world, giving speeches to overseas Chinese and raising funds.

他tā常说cháng shuō:“华侨huá qiáo是shì革命gé mìng之zhī母mǔ。”

He often said: "Overseas Chinese are the mother of the revolution."

一yī九jiǔ零líng五wǔ年nián,他tā在zài日本rì běn成立chéng lì了le同盟会tóng méng huì,提出tí chū了le三民主义sān mín zhǔ yì:民族mín zú、民权mín quán、民生mín shēng。

In 1905, in Japan, he founded the Tongmenghui and put forward the Three Principles of the People: nationalism, democracy, and the people's livelihood.

同盟会tóng méng huì一次yī cì又一次yòu yī cì地de发动fā dòng起义qǐ yì,又一次yòu yī cì又一次yòu yī cì地de失败shī bài。

Again and again the Tongmenghui launched uprisings, and again and again they failed.

有人yǒu rén劝他quàn tā放弃fàng qì,他tā回答huí dá:“失败shī bài了le十shí次cì,第dì十shí一次yī cì就jiù会huì成功chéng gōng。”

Some urged him to give up. He replied: "We have failed ten times — the eleventh time, we will succeed."

Hover a word for its pinyin & meaning; click to pin it.

Vocabulary 147 words

ChinesePinyinEnglish
一 yīone
八 bāeight
九 jiǔnine; 9
四 sìfour
年 niányear
中国 zhōng guóChina
在 zàito be (located); at; in
战争 zhàn zhēngwar; conflict
中 zhōngmiddle; center
被 bèiindicates passive voice; by
日本 rì běnJapan
打败 dǎ bàito defeat; to beat
全国 quán guónationwide; the whole country
震惊 zhèn jīngto shock; to astonish
孙中山 sūn zhōng shānDr Sun Yat-sen (1866-1925), first president of the Republic of China and co-founder of the Guomintang 國民黨|国民党;…
放下 fàng xiàto put down; to let go
了 le(particle indicating completed action or change of state)
医生 yī shēngdoctor
的 depossessive particle
工作 gōng zuòto work; job
做了 zuò ledid; have done
一个 yī gea; an; one; the whole (afternoon, summer vacation etc)
改变 gǎi biànto change; to transform
一生 yī shēngone’s whole life
决定 jué dìngto decide; decision
他 tāhe; him
对 duìright; correct
朋友 péng youfriend
说 shuōto speak; to say
只能 zhǐ néngcan only; must
救 jiùto save; to rescue
几 jǐhow many; several; a few
个人 gè rénindividual; personal
要 yàoto want; will
整个 zhěng gèwhole; entire; total
国家 guó jiācountry
就 jiùthen; just; precisely
必须 bì xūmust; have to
革命 gé mìngrevolution; to overthrow
那 nàthat; those
檀香山 tán xiāng shānHonolulu, capital of Hawaii; also transliterated as 火奴魯魯|火奴鲁鲁
成立 chéng lìto establish; to set up
兴中会 xīng zhōng huìRevive China Society, founded by Dr Sun Yat-sen 孫中山|孙中山 in 1894 in Honolulu
他的 tā deHis
第一 dì yīfirst; number one; primary
个 gègeneral measure word
组织 zǔ zhīto organize; organization
会员 huì yuánmember
们 menplural marker for pronouns
举起 jǔ qǐto heave; to lift; to raise up; to uphold
右手 yòu shǒuright hand; right-hand side
宣誓 xuān shìto swear an oath (of office); to make a vow
推翻 tuī fānto overthrow
清朝 qīng cháoQing dynasty (1644-1911)
建立 jiàn lìto establish; to set up
一个人 yī gè rénby oneself (without assistance); alone (without company)
人 rénperson; people
平等 píng děngequal; equality
新 xīnnew
第二 dì èrsecond; number two; next; secondary
他们 tā menthey
广州 guǎng zhōuGuangzhou, sub-provincial city and capital of Guangdong Province 廣東省|广东省[Guang3dong1 Sheng3] (same as 广州市/廣州市)
发动 fā dòngto start (a machine) or mobilize
第一次 dì yī cìthe first time; first; number one
起义 qǐ yìuprising; insurrection; revolt
可是 kě shìbut; however
失败 shī bàito fail; failure; to be defeated
政府 zhèng fǔgovernment
到处 dào chùeverywhere
抓他 zhuā tācatch him
只好 zhǐ hǎoto have no alternative but to; must
剪掉 jiǎn diàoto cut off; to cut away; to trim
辫子 biàn zibraid; plait; (colloquially) a vulnerability that can be exploited
换 huànto exchange; to change
上 shàngup; on
西装 xī zhuāngsuit; Western-style clothes
逃 táoto flee; to run away
到了 dào liǎoat last; finally; in the end
国外 guó wàiabroad
六 liùsix; 6
伦敦 lún dūnLondon, capital of United Kingdom
使馆 shǐ guǎnconsulate; diplomatic mission
绑架 bǎng jiàto kidnap or abduct
关 guānto close; to turn off
里 lǐinside; interior; within
随时 suí shíat any time; whenever
可能 kě néngpossible; might; perhaps
秘密 mì mìsecret; confidential
送 sòngto give (as a gift); to send; to deliver; to escort or see off
回 huíto go back; to answer; to return
处死 chǔ sǐan execution; to put sb to death
幸好 xìng hǎofortunately
老师 lǎo shīteacher
知道了 zhī dào leOK!; Got it!
这件 zhè jiànthis item; these items
事 shìmatter; thing
马上 mǎ shàngright away; immediately
告诉 gào sùto tell
英国 yīng guóUnited Kingdom 聯合王國|联合王国[Lian2 he2 wang2 guo2]; United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
报纸 bào zhǐnewspaper
全 quánall; entire
都 dōuall; both
讨论 tǎo lùnto discuss; discussion
把 bǎto hold; (structural particle indicating the object before the verb)
放了 fàng leput; placed; set (completed action)
这次 zhè cìthis time
事件 shì jiànevent; incident
让 ràngto let; to allow; to cause (someone) to feel something
一下子 yī xià ziall at once; suddenly; in one go
出 chūto go out
名 míngname; to be famous
全世界 quán shì jièworldwide; the entire world
这位 zhè wèithis (person)
革命家 gé mìng jiāa revolutionary
之后 zhī hòuafter; afterwards
十几 shí jǐmore than ten; a dozen or more
走 zǒuto walk; to go
遍 biàntime (once through, from start to finish); all over; everywhere
世界各地 shì jiè gè dìall over the world; everywhere; in all parts of the world
向 xiàngtoward; to
华侨 huá qiáooverseas Chinese
演讲 yǎn jiǎngto give a speech; a lecture; to deliver an address
募捐 mù juānto collect donations; to solicit contributions
常说 cháng shuōto say often; to mention frequently
是 shìto be; correct
之 zhī(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的); him; her; it
母 mǔmother; (of animals) female
零 língzero
五 wǔfive
同盟会 tóng méng huìTongmenghui, Sun Yat-sen's alliance for democracy, founded 1905, became the Guomindang 國民黨|国民党 in 1912
提出 tí chūto propose; to suggest
三民主义 sān mín zhǔ yìDr Sun Yat-sen's 孫中山|孙中山 Three Principles of the People (late 1890s)
民族 mín zúethnic group
民权 mín quánMinquan county in Shangqiu 商丘[Shang1 qiu1], Henan
民生 mín shēngpeople's livelihood; people's welfare
一次 yī cìfirst; first time; once; (math.) linear (of degree one)
又一次 yòu yī cìyet again; once again; once more
地 de-ly (adverb particle)
有人 yǒu rénsomeone; there is someone
劝他 quàn tāto persuade him
放弃 fàng qìto give up; to abandon
回答 huí dáto reply; to answer
十 shíten
次 cìtime (occurrence)
第 dìprefix for ordinal numbers
会 huìcan; to know how to; meeting
成功 chéng gōngto succeed; success