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The Unfinished Revolution: Sun Yat-Sen and the Struggle for Modern China
The Unfinished Revolution is a superb new biography of Sun Yat-sen, whose life, like the confusion of his time, is not easy to interpret. His political career was marked mostly by setbacks, yet he became a cult figure in China after his death. Today he is the only 20th-century Chinese leader to be widely revered on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. In contrast, many Western historians see little in his ideas or deeds to warrant such high esteem. This book presents the most balanced account of Sun to date, one that situates him within the historical events and intellectual climate of his time. Born in the shadow of the Opium War, the young Sun saw China repeatedly humiliated in clashes with foreign powers, resulting in the loss of territory and sovereignty. When his efforts to petition the decrepit Manchu court to institute reforms failed, Sun took to revolution. Sun traversed the globe to canvass support for his cause. A notable feature of the book is its coverage of the overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia and their contributions to his uprisings on the mainland, which set the stage for the overthrow of two millennia of imperial rule in 1911. But Sun’s vision of China was not to be. Within a few years the republic was hijacked and plunged into chaos. This fascinating and immensely readable work illuminates the man and his achievements, his strengths and his weaknesses, revealing how he came to spearhead the revolution that would transform his country and yet, at his death in 1925 and still today, remain agonizingly unfinished."I've read at least 30 or 40 biographies of Sun Yat Sen in my life, so I was intrigued to find out what Kayloe had to say that's new. I was fascinated. He really tells the story afresh. Through a lively series of chapters that capture different phases of Sun's life and career, Kayloe tries to understand and to convey to us what made this remarkable man tick. A very readable book... I strongly recommend it." ― Prof Wang Gungwu, Founding Chairman?, Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, and University Professor, National University of Singapore
432 pages, Hardcover
Published June 7, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
August 9, 2022
The Unfinished Revolution was a splendid biography of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Although Kayloe seems to be something of a partisan of Dr. Sun's, he absolutely justifies his admiration for the 國父, the "Father of the Nation." Between Sun's fierce honesty, his seemingly monomaniacal persistence (even after some 6 failed attempts at revolution), and his universally appreciable Three Principles of the People, it is easy to see why Sun is beloved on both sides of the Taiwan Strait nearly 100 years after his death.
Like any good biography, Kayloe's spends a great deal of time exploring the context in which Sun lived. Encroaching Western (and Japanese) imperialism, anti-Manchu nationalism, Qing attempts at reform, the rise of the Beiyang army, and the importance of the huaqiao, overseas Chinese, to Sun's career are all covered in satisfying detail. The activities of Sun himself are followed from Guangzhou to Hawaii, from London to Yokohama. All the uprisings, all the fundraising, all the failures, all the political intrigues. It cannot be doubted that Dr. Sun's life was an extraordinary one.
Many in the West have a hard time understanding why the Chinese state acts as it does. The Unfinished Revolution offers an implicit explanation. During China's "century of humiliation," during which Sun lived, many of China's greatest cities were handed over to the Great Powers as "concessions" and "treaty ports," euphemisms for "colonies." Extraterritoriality allowed all foreign citizens to be immune to Chinese laws, resulting in brazen abuses by Westerners. Forever looming over late Qing China was the prospect of being formally carved up among the Great Powers. This last worry informs the CCP's objective of re-unification with Taiwan. One could make a convincing argument that China isn't fully unified only because of continued imperialism by Western powers.
What ashamed me personally was the absolutely infuriating behavior of American diplomats towards Sun and his entourage. Sun regarded the US as the most respectable of the Great Powers, especially when compared to Britain and Japan. In spite of America's purported "anti-imperialist" stance, in spite of the Constitution stating that "all men are created equal," America's policies towards Sun were only marginally better than Britain's or Japan's. Sun was an ideological ally of America, and even at a time of strong Wilsonian idealism in the country, the US did nothing for Sun. The countries that ended up doing the most for Nationalist China? Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany. Seriously, I'm not kidding.
I had only two minor disappointments with this book. The first was the dizzying number of names to remember. Kayloe includes a glossary at the beginning, but referring back to it is a little tedious. I don't think this concern should dissuade one from reading this book; seeing so many unfamiliar names simply indicates that there's so much more to learn. My second disappointment regarded a figure who might've only been mentioned once in the book: Hong Xiuquan. I recall reading elsewhere that Sun, in many ways, saw himself as continuing the work of the Heavenly King. Kayloe includes some quotes from Sun on his deathbed, and it was clear to me that Sun was thinking of Hong Xiuquan as he lay dying. I had wished that Kayloe perhaps explored this theme more, but he might have found it insignificant and accordingly omitted the discussion.
Overall, Kayloe's biography of Sun is an excellent introduction to the man and his times. Sun's tragic but inspiring story has earned him the moniker "the kindest of all revolutionaries." He envisioned a world order based on cooperation rather than competition. Kayloe helps us see the world through Sun's eyes, both in 1922 and in 2022. We can see that the bipolar world we live in wasn't one bit inevitable. The past always has a way of catching up with us.
Like any good biography, Kayloe's spends a great deal of time exploring the context in which Sun lived. Encroaching Western (and Japanese) imperialism, anti-Manchu nationalism, Qing attempts at reform, the rise of the Beiyang army, and the importance of the huaqiao, overseas Chinese, to Sun's career are all covered in satisfying detail. The activities of Sun himself are followed from Guangzhou to Hawaii, from London to Yokohama. All the uprisings, all the fundraising, all the failures, all the political intrigues. It cannot be doubted that Dr. Sun's life was an extraordinary one.
Many in the West have a hard time understanding why the Chinese state acts as it does. The Unfinished Revolution offers an implicit explanation. During China's "century of humiliation," during which Sun lived, many of China's greatest cities were handed over to the Great Powers as "concessions" and "treaty ports," euphemisms for "colonies." Extraterritoriality allowed all foreign citizens to be immune to Chinese laws, resulting in brazen abuses by Westerners. Forever looming over late Qing China was the prospect of being formally carved up among the Great Powers. This last worry informs the CCP's objective of re-unification with Taiwan. One could make a convincing argument that China isn't fully unified only because of continued imperialism by Western powers.
What ashamed me personally was the absolutely infuriating behavior of American diplomats towards Sun and his entourage. Sun regarded the US as the most respectable of the Great Powers, especially when compared to Britain and Japan. In spite of America's purported "anti-imperialist" stance, in spite of the Constitution stating that "all men are created equal," America's policies towards Sun were only marginally better than Britain's or Japan's. Sun was an ideological ally of America, and even at a time of strong Wilsonian idealism in the country, the US did nothing for Sun. The countries that ended up doing the most for Nationalist China? Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany. Seriously, I'm not kidding.
I had only two minor disappointments with this book. The first was the dizzying number of names to remember. Kayloe includes a glossary at the beginning, but referring back to it is a little tedious. I don't think this concern should dissuade one from reading this book; seeing so many unfamiliar names simply indicates that there's so much more to learn. My second disappointment regarded a figure who might've only been mentioned once in the book: Hong Xiuquan. I recall reading elsewhere that Sun, in many ways, saw himself as continuing the work of the Heavenly King. Kayloe includes some quotes from Sun on his deathbed, and it was clear to me that Sun was thinking of Hong Xiuquan as he lay dying. I had wished that Kayloe perhaps explored this theme more, but he might have found it insignificant and accordingly omitted the discussion.
Overall, Kayloe's biography of Sun is an excellent introduction to the man and his times. Sun's tragic but inspiring story has earned him the moniker "the kindest of all revolutionaries." He envisioned a world order based on cooperation rather than competition. Kayloe helps us see the world through Sun's eyes, both in 1922 and in 2022. We can see that the bipolar world we live in wasn't one bit inevitable. The past always has a way of catching up with us.
January 21, 2019
By the end of this book, the reader will find Sun Yat-Sen slightly demystified and a little less enigmatic. Tjio gives an extensive account of Sun's background and his footsteps as he traveled the globe attempting to gain support for a revolution meant to overthrow the ailing Qing dynasty in favor of a modern republic. Tjio's addition to scholarship on Sun--and it is indeed valuable--is to go over Sun's activities in Southeast Asia, his outreach to the diffuse network of overseas Chinese communities, and attempts, sometimes successful, sometimes not, to secure funding for revolutionary insurgencies in Southern China. Through this, we see Sun's tirelessness and ambition, though we the reader wil be less clear on where Sun saw himself in the post-Qing order.
I think Tjio loses a star in his conclusion. To the extent that biographies have spoilers, there are a few that follow here. For all of the complexities that Tjio ascribes to Sun, I felt that his conclusion on how Sun would have felt about the state of modern China is a little reductive. Tjio states that Sun would have been unhappy at the ongoing split between the People's Republic (on the Chinese mainland), and the Republic of China (the government in control of Taiwan). Sun may have viewed that as an unfortunate outcome, but the Sun that Tjio portrays seems like he may have a more ambiguous view of the situation, especially given that the mainland might not afford him the freedom of religion that he so cherished (he was, to the end, a self-professed Christian), or his views that Taiwan, though a democracy, sees itself as less and less "Chinese", despite the lingering presence there of his own Kuomintang. Given that Sun spent so much time in Singapore, how would Sun have thought about SIngapore's position, as a country that is majority ethnic Chinese? Tjio also misses an opportunity to speculate on how Sun would have viewed the relationship between the Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia and the government in (mainland) China.
Regardless of the speculation at the end, Tjio's volume would be a strong addition for anyone interested in the wrenching transition that China made out of the Imperial era.
I think Tjio loses a star in his conclusion. To the extent that biographies have spoilers, there are a few that follow here. For all of the complexities that Tjio ascribes to Sun, I felt that his conclusion on how Sun would have felt about the state of modern China is a little reductive. Tjio states that Sun would have been unhappy at the ongoing split between the People's Republic (on the Chinese mainland), and the Republic of China (the government in control of Taiwan). Sun may have viewed that as an unfortunate outcome, but the Sun that Tjio portrays seems like he may have a more ambiguous view of the situation, especially given that the mainland might not afford him the freedom of religion that he so cherished (he was, to the end, a self-professed Christian), or his views that Taiwan, though a democracy, sees itself as less and less "Chinese", despite the lingering presence there of his own Kuomintang. Given that Sun spent so much time in Singapore, how would Sun have thought about SIngapore's position, as a country that is majority ethnic Chinese? Tjio also misses an opportunity to speculate on how Sun would have viewed the relationship between the Chinese diaspora in Southeast Asia and the government in (mainland) China.
Regardless of the speculation at the end, Tjio's volume would be a strong addition for anyone interested in the wrenching transition that China made out of the Imperial era.
July 10, 2021
An unconventional “great man of history”, Sun Yat Sen continues to hold a pre-eminent place in the collective mind of Han Chinese people around the globe. The book’s rhythm is pleasant, which makes the read a satisfying experience. It doesn’t comprimise rigor for intelligibility, managing to strike a good balance.
As the Father of Modern China, all contemporary observers of politics should have some basic understanding of Sun’s life. This book is a great place for that.
As a Malaysian, I found the author’s description of Sun’s exploits in “Nanyang” - British Malaya in particular - enlightening, revealing quite a bit about the relationship between my ethnically Chinese countrymen and what they consider “the old Country”.
As the Father of Modern China, all contemporary observers of politics should have some basic understanding of Sun’s life. This book is a great place for that.
As a Malaysian, I found the author’s description of Sun’s exploits in “Nanyang” - British Malaya in particular - enlightening, revealing quite a bit about the relationship between my ethnically Chinese countrymen and what they consider “the old Country”.
June 24, 2021
This book took me a long time to finish, while reading this book I even paid a visit to the museum in Hong Kong to better understand this man. As an ethnic Chinese, I feel a sense of responsibility to understand this man and his ideals. How much a strong resolve with great integrity can bring a man this far and future looking.
His ideals were really too early for his time, but a necessary long term plan that can only see its results in the centuries to come.
His ideals were really too early for his time, but a necessary long term plan that can only see its results in the centuries to come.
August 24, 2022
Though Tjio occasionally goes on tangents that seem unrelated, he always brings it back to the main story. This is an incredibly detailed biography that would be useful to anyone wanting to understand China's revolution and Sun Yat-Sen's role in it.
November 21, 2018
Remarkable story of a remarkable man whose idealism created a modern nation... eventually
November 20, 2023
I wondered why there were so few books on the life of the father of modern China, but it turns that's because it's not quite as eventful as his legacy would lead you to believe. Despite a trying tendency to detail the microbiographies of all that crossed Sun's path, the book sucessfully and often engrossingly tells the story of a life at once both somewhat disappointing and essential to those interested in Republican China. To further nitpick, the author puzzlingly avoids mention of Sun's personal life and relationships, which feels like one of the more salient elements of his reputation today. Also of note is the books final chapter, a succinct and effective, if somewhat out of place, history of the Republic of China and Taiwan following Sun's death. What is perhaps more interesting than the life of Sun Yat-Sen is how those that came after him exploited his reputation to justify their rule. If someone wants to understand his influence on the states that followed him, I would perhaps first recommend Sun's political manifesto, 三民主義 (The Three Principles of the People), which was purportedly co-opted into the ROC's national doctrine, over a biography of Sun himself.
December 18, 2020
This book provided a lot of closure for me as I always struggled with Sun Yat-sens role in China's modern history. It is a fair and, to my understanding, unbiased assessment of one of the most important characters in China's- but also world history. A clear recommendation for anyone interested in either or both.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews