Towards the Republic (走向共和) is a 60-episode Chinese television series produced by CCTV and subsequently banned by the Chinese government for portraying certain characters (i.e. Yuan Shikai, Empress Dowager Cixi, Li Hongzhang etc.) contrary to what was previously taught in textbooks. It deals with the collapse of the Qing Dynasty and the foundation and creation of the Republic of China. CCTV can stand for: China Central Television Closed-circuit television This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... Yuan Shikai (Traditional: 袁世凱; Simplified: 袁世凯; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Yüan Shih-kai) (September 16, 1859 – June 6, 1916) was a Chinese military official and politician during the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. ... Empress Dowager Cixi Empress Dowager Cixi (Chinese: 慈禧太后; Wade-Giles: Tzu-hsi) (November 29, 1835–November 15, 1908), popularly known in China as the Western Empress Dowager (西太后), and officially known posthumously as Empress Xiaoqin Xian (孝欽顯皇后), was a powerful and charismatic figure who was the de facto ruler... Li Hongzhang (Chinese: 李鴻章; pinyin: Lǐ Hóngzhāng, Wade-Giles: Li Hung-chang) (February 15, 1823 - November 7, 1901) was a general who ended several major rebellions, and a leading statesman of the late Chinese Qing Empire. ... The Qing Dynasty (Manchu: daicing gurun; Chinese: 清朝; pinyin: qÄ«ng cháo; Wade-Giles: ching chao), sometimes known as the Manchu Dynasty, was founded by the Manchu clan Aisin Gioro, in what is today northeast China expanded into China proper and the surrounding territories of Inner Asia, establishing... The Republic of China (Traditional Chinese: 中華民國; Simplified Chinese: 中华民国; Wade-Giles: Chung-hua Min-kuo, Tongyong Pinyin: JhongHuá MínGuó, Hanyu Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó, Taiwanese POJ: Tiong-hoâ Bîn-kok) is a multiparty democratic state that is effectively composed of the island groups of Taiwan, the Pescadores, Quemoy...

Controversy

The Communist government in China has alledged that the series portrayed the founding father Sun Yat-sen incorrectly, as a so-called "clown". After the show's cancellation and complete ban in April 2003, many have speculated the actual reasons for the series ban was deeply political.

Cast & Crew

• Wang Bing as Li Hongzhang
• Lu Zhong as Empress Dowager Cixi
• Ma Shaohua as Sun Yat-sen
• Sun Chun as Yuan Shikai
• Sun Ning as Kang Youwei
• Li Guangjie as the Guangxu Emperor
• Xu Min as the Prince Qing Yikuang

• Produced by Gao Jianmin
• Directed by Zhang Li

Li Hongzhang (Chinese: 李鴻章; pinyin: Lǐ Hóngzhāng, Wade-Giles: Li Hung-chang) (February 15, 1823 - November 7, 1901) was a general who ended several major rebellions, and a leading statesman of the late Chinese Qing Empire. ... Empress Dowager Cixi Empress Dowager Cixi (Chinese: 慈禧太后; Wade-Giles: Tzu-hsi) (November 29, 1835–November 15, 1908), popularly known in China as the Western Empress Dowager (西太后), and officially known posthumously as Empress Xiaoqin Xian (孝欽顯皇后), was a powerful and charismatic figure who was the de facto ruler... Sun Yat-sen (November 12, 1866 – March 12, 1925) was a Chinese revolutionary leader and statesman who is considered by many to be the Father of Modern China. He had a significant influence in the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and establishment of the Republic of China. ... Yuan Shikai (Traditional: 袁世凱; Simplified: 袁世凯; pinyin: ; Wade-Giles: Yüan Shih-kai) (September 16, 1859 – June 6, 1916) was a Chinese military official and politician during the late Qing Dynasty and the early Republic of China. ... Kang Youwei (March 19, 1858 - March 31, 1927) was a Chinese scholar and political reformist. ... The Guangxu Emperor (August 14, 1871–November 14, 1908), born Zaitian(載湉), was the tenth emperor of the Manchu Qing dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1875 to 1908. ... Yikuang, the Prince Qing, in Imperial Robes Yikuang, the Prince Qing (Simplified Chinese:庆亲王奕劻, Wade-Giles:Prince Ching, February 1836 - January 1918) was a Manchu noble of the late Qing Dynasty. ...

External Links

• New York Chinese commentary on "Towards the Republic" (Chinese)
• "Towards the Republic" being banned (Chinese)
• Overview of Episodes (Chinese)