Zou Rong

Zou Rong (鄒容, 1885-1905) was a Chinese revolutionary, thinker, and martyr of the late Qing dynasty. He is best known for his anti-Manchu and pro-democracy revolutionary tract, Revolutionary Army (革命軍), which advocated for the overthrow of the Qing government and the establishment of a republican China.

Born in Chongqing, Sichuan Province, Zou received a traditional Confucian education but was influenced by Western political thought and reformist ideas. He traveled to Japan to study in 1902, where he became involved in revolutionary activities and was inspired by the writings of other Chinese revolutionaries, including Sun Yat-sen.

Upon returning to China, Zou wrote Revolutionary Army in 1903. The book quickly gained widespread popularity among Chinese intellectuals, students, and revolutionaries, becoming a key text of the anti-Manchu revolutionary movement. Its powerful language and call for racial and political liberation resonated deeply with those seeking change. The book advocated for a Han Chinese republic, emphasizing equality, liberty, and the expulsion of the Manchus. It also promoted Western-style democracy and constitutionalism.

Due to the book's seditious content, Zou was arrested by the Qing authorities in Shanghai in 1903, along with fellow revolutionary Zhang Binglin. He was sentenced to prison, where he died in 1905 at the young age of 20, likely due to illness exacerbated by the harsh prison conditions.

Despite his early death, Zou Rong's Revolutionary Army played a significant role in galvanizing support for the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which ultimately led to the overthrow of the Qing dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China. He is remembered as a national hero and a martyr of the Chinese revolution. His work continues to be studied for its insights into the revolutionary fervor and political ideals of early 20th-century China.