Wuchang Uprising

Wuchang Uprising
Part of the 1911 Revolution

Establishment of the Republic of China
Date10 October – 1 December 1911
Location
Result Tongmenghui victory
Belligerents
 Qing dynasty Tongmenghui
Hubei Military Government
Commanders and leaders
Strength
10,000 troops 2,000 troops
Casualties and losses
~4,000 killed ~1,000 killed
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese武昌起義
Simplified Chinese武昌起义
Hanyu PinyinWǔchāng qǐyì
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinWǔchāng qǐyì
IPA[ù.ʈʂʰáŋ tɕʰì.î]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationMóuh chēung héi yih
JyutpingMou5 coeng1 hei2 ji6

The Wuchang Uprising was an armed rebellion against the ruling Qing dynasty that took place in Wuchang (now Wuchang District of Wuhan) in the Chinese province of Hubei on 10 October 1911, beginning the Xinhai Revolution that successfully overthrew China's last imperial dynasty. It was led by elements of the New Army, influenced by revolutionary ideas from Tongmenghui.[1] The uprising and the eventual revolution directly led to the downfall of the Qing dynasty with almost three centuries of imperial rule, and the establishment of the Republic of China (ROC), which commemorates the anniversary of the uprising's outbreak on 10 October as the National Day of the Republic of China.

The uprising originated from popular unrest about a railway crisis, and the planning process took advantage of the situation.[2] On 10 October 1911, the New Army stationed in Wuchang launched an assault on the residence of the Viceroy of Huguang. The viceroy Ruicheng quickly fled from the residence, and the revolutionaries soon took control of the entire city.[3]

  1. ^ Esherick & Wei 2013, p. 122.
  2. ^ Esherick & Wei 2013, p. 89.
  3. ^ Esherick & Wei 2013, pp. 140–141.