Yat-sen Sun

Born in Guangdong in 1866, Sun Yat-sen studied medicine in Hong Kong before giving himself fully to politics. He spent years organizing anti-Qing groups, raising support overseas, and pushing for republican change at a time when challenging the dynasty was dangerous and often meant exile.

He is best known for his role in the revolution of 1911, which helped bring down the Qing dynasty and led to the founding of the Republic of China. Sun served as the republic's provisional first president, but his larger importance came from his long campaign to imagine a new political future for China and to build movements strong enough to pursue it.

Sun also became associated with the "Three Principles of the People," a political vision centered on nationalism, democracy, and people's livelihood. He died in 1925, but his reputation endured across political divides, and he is still widely remembered as a founding figure of modern China.