China Republic marks 100 years

China When the army of the Qing Dynasty turned its guns on the state on October 10 1911, it signalled the end of 2,000 years of imperial rule in China and the promise of a democratic republican government.

The first shots were fired in Wuchang - part of today’s city of Wuhan - sparking battles between imperial forces and rebel soldiers during which 16 other regions declared independence in what has come to be known as the Xinhai Revolution.

The Wuchang Uprising led to the establishment of the Republic of China by revolutionary Sun Yat-sen’s Nationalist Party, which fought under the banner of nationalism, democracy and the people’s livelihood.

China is marking the centennial of the uprising with the release of “1911”, a big-budget historical movie directed by Jackie Chan, and a new museum in the central metropolis of Wuhan where it began.

AFP