Chinese Revolutionaries' Imagination Between Sun Yat-sen and Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

Abstract

Chinese progressives and revolutionaries have drawn parallels between the Chinese Revolution and the Turkish Revolution in the early 20th century by assessing the historical and political contexts and the nations' stances against imperialism. The primary reason for this situation is that the Ottoman Empire and the Qing Dynasty, both formidable empires of their time, began to disintegrate concurrently, experienced semi-colonization by Western powers, and underwent revolutionary processes that occurred nearly simultaneously with analogous aims and objectives. The two states, located at the western and eastern extremities of the continent, were designated by the West as the "sick man of Asia." The revolutionaries in both states sought measures to salvage and rejuvenate the failing state. The Turkish and Chinese revolutions, occurring concurrently, aimed to exchange insights and enhance their movements. Members of the Communist Party of China and Kuominang authored multiple papers highlighting the historical parallels between Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and Sun Yat-sen. This study aims to examine the perceptions of revolutionaries in China on Sun Yat-sen at the onset of the 20th century, as well as the historical connection between him and the Turkish Revolution and Atatürk.