Full and Nationalism

Author: Wang Chunxia
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-09-01
Features: Regarding the "Extermination of Manchus" issue during the Xinhai Revolution, scholars both within and outside China had significant debates for a long period after the founding of the People's Republic. Since the reform and opening-up, domestic scholars have gained new insights into this issue, but there remains considerable diversity in their views. With the resurgence of nationalist thought on an international scale, people have developed new understandings of nationalism as an ideology. By leveraging new research findings from fields such as international political science and ethnic political science, this paper strives to provide a more comprehensive explanation of the issue using a broader range of historical materials. The paper is divided into five chapters:
Chapter 1 analyzes the theoretical origins of the revolutionary faction's "Extermination of Manchus" ideology. It not only inherits the traditional Chinese concept of the "Distinction between Xia and Yi," absorbs Western modern racial theories, but is also influenced by the theories and realities of single-nation states. This gives the "Extermination of Manchus" ideology a strong racialist and romantic hue.
Chapter 2 introduces how the revolutionary faction re-shaped the history of the Han nation to establish a single Han Chinese state. This includes the origins and founding ancestor of the Han people, the glorious achievements of the Han in ethnic competition, the genealogy of Han national heroes, the history of Han traitors, and the splendid national culture of the Han—"national essence."
Chapter 3 conducts case studies of representative individuals, organizations, and publications that promoted "Extermination of Manchus." By examining the micro-level details, the paper aims to gain a more authentic understanding of the revolutionary faction's mindset and their level of awareness of the current situation and ethnic relations.
Chapter 4 examines the intense debates between the revolutionary faction and their opponents. The main adversaries of the revolutionaries were not only the monarchists but also the ensuing constitutionalists and anarcho-socialists. During these debates, the revolutionaries' understanding of racial revolution evolved, gradually incorporating elements from their opponents and refining the meaning of "Extermination of Manchus."
Chapter 5 examines the role of the revolutionary faction's "Extermination of Manchus" ideology in the Xinhai Revolution from a practical perspective. Due to the backwardness of the masses' ethnic consciousness and the weak awareness of democratic politics, coupled with the revolutionaries' lack of reasonable guidance, the Xinhai Revolution was tinged with the colors of racialist struggle.
The conclusion analyzes the significance and shortcomings of "Extermination of Manchus," pointing out that on one hand, it helped awaken Han national consciousness, and as the dominant ethnic group in China, the Han people's awakening also benefited the rise of the Chinese nation. On the other hand, "Extermination of Manchus" framed domestic ethnic conflicts as the root of all contradictions in China, causing the revolution to deviate from the direction of anti-imperialism and anti-feudalism.