Wen | Jinsheng
Chen Jiongming's political advocacy of joint provincial autonomy was inconsistent with Sun Yat-sen's political program of centralizing power and seeking to unify China at all costs of force, resulting in escalating friction between the two men. On June 16, 1922, Chen Jiongming's subordinate Ye Ju besieged the Presidential Palace, shelled Sun Yat-sen's apartment, and created the "June 16 Mutiny", behind which was the general outbreak of huge differences between Sun and Chen on the concept of "how to unify China and how to govern China". After the incident, the image of "revolutionary traitor and sinner of the Republic of China" portrayed in the "History of Chen Jiongming's Treason" published by Sun Yat-sen's supporters almost became the conclusion of his coffin.
Chen Jiongming was born in 1878 in Haifeng County, Guangdong Province. In 1908, he graduated from the Guangdong Law and Politics School with the "best student", and the following year returned to his hometown to found the "Haifeng Autonomous Newspaper", making himself the chief writer, advocating that "autonomy" is the only way to save China. In the same year, he was elected to the Guangdong Consultative Council and joined the League, officially beginning his political career. During the Xinhai Revolution, he followed Sun Yat-sen in his southern conquest of the Northern War, and made many meritorious achievements in the subsequent struggles of "second revolution" and "begging Yuan" and "protecting the law", and served as the commander-in-chief of the Aid Fujian and Guangdong Armies.
At the beginning of the 20th century, those who sang "joint provincial autonomy" with Chen Jiongming had different motives. Warlords and politicians who depend on them, flaunting "inter-provincial autonomy", are actually using this to preserve their existing strength and territory, consolidate their personal power, and then seek to expand their power in order to gain a wider range of ruling power. Some scholars believe that Chen's lack of strength to win the Central Plains, thinking of the king for the sake of the emperor's failure, according to the "united provincial autonomy" to divide Guangdong is his strategy. Of course, this reasoning is also reasonable, but as far as the existing historical data are concerned, Chen Jiongming seems to have a special love for the concept of "joint provincial autonomy". In December 1918, after he led the Fujian-Guangdong army into Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, he twice telegraphed the appointment of the governor of Fujian Province given by the military government of Guangzhou, insisting on "governing Fujian with Fujian" and saying: "As far as the governor is concerned, Jiong advocates ruling the people with the people, not only today's declaration, but also the purpose of life." The foolishness of the districts does not dare to use Fujian as a capital for dividing up territory, and especially dares not use the governor as a reward for mediocrity. Moreover, "Jiong advocates ruling Fujian with Fujian, ruling the people with the people, covering the foundation of local division and rule, and unifying the law of the country. ”
Chen Jiongming has been in the southern Fujian region for more than two years, "refreshing politics" and experimenting with local autonomy. In a report sent to Washington on August 31, 1920, U.S. Consul in Xiamen Kellyton highly praised Chen Jiongming's achievements in Zhangzhou, calling it a "model little China" and saying, "Chen ... He carried out all kinds of municipal reforms, and the means he used were almost revolutionary; but the results were so effective that the people were satisfied. In just two years, Zhangzhou has been rejuvenated under the governance of Chen Jiongming, and a German newspaper has described Chen Jiongming as "a star in the East, shining."
In August 1920, Chen Jiongming returned to Guangdong on the orders of Sun Yat-sen, expelled the Gui army occupying Guangdong, and captured Guangzhou on October 28. In November, Chen Jiongming was appointed governor of Guangdong Province and commander-in-chief of the Guangdong Army. After Sun Yat-sen became president in April 1921, he appointed Chen Jiongming as Minister of War and Minister of the Interior. After Chen Jiongming came to power, he vigorously promoted the "joint provincial autonomy" he advocated in Guangdong. In November 1920, Chen Jiongming issued the "Letter to Fathers and Brothers in Guangdong", declaring that "from today onwards, the people of Guangdong Province will share it, the people of Guangdong will rule it together, and the people of Guangdong will share it." By 1921, 92 counties in the province had elected county chiefs and councillors. On December 19, the Guangdong Provincial Assembly adopted the Draft Constitution of Guangdong Province, which has distinct autonomy overtones, stating that "all people are equal in law" and stipulating that the provincial government has the right of veto and non-recognition of the legislation and administration of the central government. In 1921, Chen Jiongming also founded Guangzhou, China's first organized city. In May 1922, Chen Jiongming published an article entitled "The Movement of Autonomous Provinces", which systematically and completely put forward the political programs of "autonomy", "united provinces" and "federation".
Under Chen Jiongming's Guangdong New Deal, the people felt refreshed. In terms of economy, Chen Jiongming encouraged the establishment of industries and vigorously supported private-funded enterprises, and Guangdong became the best economic development area in the country at that time. In terms of education, Chen Jiongming has a vision that other politicians cannot match: he has hired Chen Duxiu, the leader of the new cultural movement, to preside over public education in Guangdong, while vigorously developing private education.
In the early years, Chen Jiongming followed and supported Sun Yat-sen, but as the revolution progressed, the two gradually became bitter. When Sun Yat-sen stipulated that members of the Chinese Revolutionary Party must swear allegiance to the leader, absolute obedience, and fingerprints, Chen thought that it was detrimental to his personality and refused to carry it out. In April 1921, more than 200 deputies convened an extraordinary congress, and under Sun Yat-sen's insistence on implementing the requirement of a registered vote, they voted to adopt the "Organizational Outline of the Government of the Republic of China", which stipulated the election and authority of the President, but did not have a term of office. All administrative affairs, military affairs, cabinet appointments and removals were decided by the president alone, and Sun Yat-sen was elected as the very large president. The move was opposed by Chen Jiongming. Chen believes that according to the presidential election law, the president should be jointly elected by both chambers, and at least 2/3 of the total number of members present, that is, 580 people, can hold a presidential election; at this time, there were only more than 200 members of the old National Assembly in Guangzhou, which was not enough for half of the original House of Representatives, and a registered vote was implemented. Chen Jiongming opposed Sun Yat-sen's appointment and refused to attend the inauguration. Since then, the political differences between the two have begun to become clear.
The contradictions between Sun Yat-sen and Chen Jiongming finally broke out over the question of whether to insist on or oppose the Northern Expedition. After Sun Yat-sen's death in 1925, Chen Jiongming personally drew up a pair of tributes: "Only a hero can kill people alive, and the merits and crimes are right and wrong, and there are thousands of years of history; and the old friends have fought again and again, public hatred and private friendship, all by an inch of pure knowledge." Bang Lianzhong said that what led to his and Sun Yat-sen's re-war was a "public vendetta", not a personal grudge. On August 22, 1933, Chen Jiongming died of illness, and it is said that before his death, he asked for a pen and called "republic" and other words in his mouth.