<P> This movement, generously supported by overseas Chinese funds, also gained political support with regional military officers and some of the reformers who had fled China after the Hundred Days' Reform . Sun's political philosophy was conceptualized in 1897, first enunciated in Tokyo in 1905 and modified through the early 1920s . It centered on the Three Principles of the People: "nationalism, democracy, and people's livelihood". </P> <P> The principle of nationalism called for overthrowing the Manchus and ending foreign hegemony over China . The second principle, democracy, was used to describe Sun's goal of a popularly elected republican form of government . People's livelihood, often referred to as socialism, was aimed at helping the common people through regulation of the ownership of the means of production and land . </P> <P> The Republican Era of China began with the outbreak of revolution on 10 October 1911, in Wuchang, the capital of Hubei Province, among discontented modernized army units whose anti-Qing plot had been uncovered . This would be known as the Wuchang Uprising, which is celebrated as Double Tenth Day in Taiwan . It had been preceded by numerous abortive uprisings and organized protests inside China . The revolt quickly spread to neighboring cities, and Tongmenghui members throughout the country rose in support of the Wuchang revolutionary forces . On October 12 the Revolutionaries succeeded in capturing Hankou and Hanyang . However, the euphoria engendered by this victory was short - lived . On October 27, Yuan Shikai was reappointed by the Qing Court to lead the New Army, and loyalist forces under Feng Guozhang and Duan Qirui moved south to retake Wuhan . After heavy fighting in November, the out - manned and out - gunned Revolutionary Army was driven out of Hankou and Hanyang, and retreated to Wuchang south of the Yangtze . During the 41 - day Battle of Yangxia, however, 15 of the 24 provinces had declared their independence from the Qing empire . Yuan Shikai halted his army's advance on Wuchang and began to negotiate with the revolutionaries . A month later, Sun Yat - sen returned to China from the United States, where he had been raising funds among Chinese and American sympathizers . </P> <P> On 1 January 1912, delegates from the independent provinces elected Sun Yat - sen as the first Provisional President of the Republic of China . Yuan Shikai agreed to accept the Republic and forced the last emperor of China, Puyi, to abdicate on February 12 . Empress Dowager Longyu signed the abdication papers . Puyi was allowed to continue living in the Forbidden City, however . The Republic of China officially succeeded the Qing Dynasty . </P>

Who became the president of china after the qing dynasty fell