BEIJING -- China held a grand ceremony to commemorate the centennial anniversary of the 1911 Revolution, which terminated 2,000 years of imperial rule, on Sunday morning at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
The 1911 Revolution, or Xinhai Revolution, which began on Oct. 10, 1911 with an armed uprising, ended one of the longest autocratic rule in the world established by Emperor Qinshihuang in B.C.221 by toppling the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and resulting in a republican government, the first in Asia.
Chinese president Hu Jintao, former Chinese President Jiang Zemin and other leaders attended the ceremony. Hu gave a keynote speech.
Hu spoke highly of 1911 Revolution in his speech, saying the revolution "a thoroughly modern, national and democratic revolution" which had shook the world and ushered in unprecedented social changes in China.
Hu eulogized Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the leader of the revolution, as "a great national hero, a great patriot and a great leader of the Chinese democratic revolution".
Hu said the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation must be achieved by adhering to socialism with Chinese characteristics, with patriotism, and by upholding peace, development and cooperation.
Further, Hu urged the mainland and Taiwan to work together for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and called for the peaceful reunification of China.
The 1911 Revolution not only rid Chinese men of humiliating ponytails and women of the excruciatingly painful foot-binding, but also removed the people's blind faith in the emperor, as well as the fear of foreign powers. The event has since been emancipating people's minds from thousands of years of oppression and self-enclosure.
Since then, the country began to march on the road to become an empowered modern nation.
