Double Ten National Day

10 October

The National Day of the Republic of China is assigned to the date of the Wu-ch’ang Uprising. The Uprising occurred on 19 August (Chinese Agricultural Calendar) in the 3rd year of the Hsüan-t’ung reign, the equivalent of 10 October 1911 of the Gregorian Calendar. After the founding of the Republic of China on 1 January in the 1st year of the Republic (1912), Dr. Sun Yat-sen (國父孫中山先生) announced on the following day that the Republic of China would adopt the Gregorian Calendar. Consequently the National Day of the Republic of China is settled on 10 October, commonly referred as the Double Ten National Day.

In the 3rd year of the Hsüan-t’ung reign, the revolutionaries affiliated with the New Army in Hupeh Province originally planned to hold the uprising on 16 October. However on 9 October, one of the bombs the revolutionaries was making in the Russian Concession in Han-k’ou accidentally exploded. The Ch’ing government was alerted and obtained the register of the revolutionaries. A number of them were arrested and executed in the morning of the 10th. The revolutionaries were perturbed, they hastily launched the Uprising in the evening of the 10th and attacked the office of the Viceroy of Hupeh and Hunan Provinces. On the following day, they had taken control of Wu-ch’ang. On 12 they formed the Hupeh Military Governor’s Office of the Republic of China. Li Yüan-hung (黎元洪) was the commander-in-chief of the New Army, he became governor, and changed the name of the country to the Republic of China. There followed forty one days of chaotic fightings between the revolutionary army and the Ch’ing army. During this time, many provinces consecutively declared independence, including Hunan, Shensi, Kiangsi, Shansi, Yunnan, Chekiang, Kweichow, Kiangsu, Anhwei, Kwangsi, Fukien, Kwangtung, Szechwan, etc. On 2 December, the revolutionary army of Kiangsu and Chekiang Provinces took Nanking. On 12, representatives of the fourteen independent provinces convened in Nanking. On 17, Li Yüan-hung was elected grand-marshal, and Huang Hsing (黃興) deputy-marshal. On 29, Dr. Sun Yat-sen was elected provisional president of the Republic of China. On 1 January in the following year, the Republic of China was founded, and Dr. Sun was inaugurated provisional president.

Double Ten National Day of the 108th Year of the Republic of China

At 2 pm Thursday on 10 October in the 108th year of the Republic of China, the Allegiance to the National Flag Committee of Sung Tao Society held the “Devotion to Flag and Country Celebration” at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to commemorate the 108th year of the founding of the Republic. The programme of the Celebration consisted:

(1) Singing the National Anthem.
(2) Honouring Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
(3) Speeches by special guests.
(4) Performances by drum and bugle corps, honour guard team, choir and cheerleading team.
(5) Concert by various artists.

Han Küo-yu (韓國瑜), the mayor of Kao-hsiung, filmed a speech that was screened at the Celebration. Mrs. Han Küo-yu also travelled from Kao-hsiung to attend.

Double Ten National Day of the 107th Year of the Republic of China

At 2 pm Wednesday on 10 October in the 107th year of the Republic of China, the Allegiance to the National Flag Committee of Sung Tao Society held the “Devotion to Flag and Country Celebration” at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to commemorate the 107th year of the founding of the Republic. The programme of the Celebration consisted: 

(1) Singing the National Anthem.
(2) Honouring Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
(3) Speeches by special guests.
(4) Performances by drum and bugle corps, honour guard team, choir and cheerleading team.
(5) Concert by various artists.

The headline of the United Daily News next morning was: “National Day Celebration of Kuomintang Camp Demonstrated Great Unity”. Although there was a drizzle throughout the National Day, it did not dampen the immense public enthusiasm.

Double Ten National Day of the 106th Year of the Republic of China

At 2 pm Tuesday on 10 October in the 106th year of the Republic of China, the Allegiance to the National Flag Committee of Sung Tao Society held the “Devotion to Flag and Country Celebration” at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to commemorate the 106th year of the founding of the Republic. The programme of the Celebration consisted: 

(1) Singing the National Anthem.
(2) Honouring Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
(3) Speeches by special guests.
(4) Military parade by veterans.
(5) Concert by various artists.

An unexpected episode happened around 7 am on 10 October at the performance stage. An extremist follower of the Democratic Progressive Party by the surname Chou rushed onto the stage to pour paint onto the statue of President Chiang Kai-shek on horseback. The culprit’s action was recorded by cameras and he was eventually arrested by the police. Sung Tao Society took legal action and in February the following year the culprit was fined in court.

Double Ten National Day of the 105th Year of the Republic of China

At 2pm Monday on 10 October in the 105th year of the Republic of China, the Allegiance to the National Flag Committee of Sung Tao Society held the “Devotion to Flag Carnival” at the National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall to commemorate the 105th year of the founding of the Republic and the 151st Birth Anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The programme of the Carnival consisted: 

(1) Singing the National Anthem.
(2) Honouring Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
(3) Speeches by special guests.
(4) Drinking well water from Taiping Island.
(5) Military parade by veterans
(6) Concert by various artists.

Representatives from the 180 Chinese civic organizations around the world who participated in the Commemoration Ceremony of the 151st Birth Anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-sen on 5 June in Nanking were also invited to join this Carnival. Special glasses were used at the stall designed for drinking well water from Taiping Island, they were then given to guests as souvenirs after drinking. The well water from Taiping Island was transported to Taipei in September, and was delivered to a government certified agency for tests to ensure it met water quality standards. Approximately two thousand people lined up at the stall to drink the well water from Taiping Island. Guests were also given key ring souvenirs that encased speckles of sand from Taiping Island. Well water and sand from Taiping Island are means to remind the public that the Republic of China claims sovereignty over the Taiping Island, that it is as an integral part of her national territory.