Translated by Marie Foley
After Dr. Sun Yat-sen established the Hsing-Chung Hui in Honolulu in 1894, patriots from around the world joined the revolution. Without hesitation, they shed their blood and sacrificed their livelihoods to win international moral and material support for the revolution. On October 10, 1911, despite 10 failed uprisings, revolutionaries won a fierce but decisive victory and recovered the city of Wuchang. The Wuchang Uprising set off revolts in 22 provinces controlled by the Ching Dynasty. Within two months of the Wuchang Uprising, revolutionaries had restored 17 provinces. The Hsinhai Revolution ushered in a democratic movement that overthrew 5,000 years of deep-rooted feudalism.
國父孫中山先生1894年在檀香山創立興中會以來，海內外志士響應革命理念，不惜犧牲鮮血，眾多華僑慷慨解囊，為革命爭取國際奧援。歷經十次起義失敗後，時逢辛亥的1911年10月10日，革命黨人在武昌起義，經過激烈戰鬥後，一舉成功光復武昌，熊熊的革命烈火也在清朝天下22省燃燒，起義爆發兩個月後，就有17省被革命黨人光復，辛亥革命的民主浪潮，就這樣推倒根深蒂固的5000年封建專制政體。
On December 25, 1911, Dr. Sun returned to Shanghai and stepped on soil that was now the first democratic republic in Asia - the Republic of China.
1911年12月25日，孫中山先生回到上海，創建成為亞洲第一個民主共和國「中華民國」。
The newly formed republic faced many challenges. When Dr. Sun became the Provisional President of the interim government, he made nation-building the priority and developed his political philosophy, the Three Principles of the People, to reform China. Alas, the country encountered trials and hardships, including the North-South Conference, the Constitutional Protection Movement, the Northern Expedition, the War of Resistance, and the relocation of the government to Taiwan. Yet the Republic of China did not fall. Instead, just like the national flower, the plum blossom, it weathered the storms and grew even stronger. Over the past 62 years, the Republic of China in Taiwan has thrived in almost every arena, be it politics, economics, science and technology, or culture. It has developed into a democratic country ruled according to Dr. Sun's philosophy - "of the people, by the people, for the people."
而民國新成，國事如麻，孫中山先生在就任中華民國臨時政府臨時大總統時提到「革命之事破壞難，建設尤難」，為此特別擬訂「三民主義」，重新改革中華。但辛亥革命所肇建的中華民國，遭遇到顛沛的風雨歷程，在經歷南北議和、討袁護法、北伐統一、抗戰爆發、播遷來台等磨難，中華民國非但沒有成為歷史，卻像國花「梅花」一般，堅忍中越見茁壯，在台灣的62年來，全民共同努力建設，中華民國在政治、經濟、科技與文化各方面，都有長足的進步與發展，真正落實國父「民有、民治、民享」精神，成為真正的民主國家。
As this year marked the R.O.C. centennial, the OCAC invited the descendents of revolutionary heroes to come to Taiwan in October to attend centennial and National Day celebrations. Among those invited were Dr. Sun's granddaughter Lily Sun and his great-grandson Leland Sun, Lu Hao-tung's granddaughter Lu Shu-jen, Chiu Chin's granddaughter Wang Yanhua, Sun Mei's great-grandson Sun Pi-hsing, Chu Cheng's daughter Chu Mi, and Toyama Mitsuru's grandson Toyama Okisuke. Their presence increased the significance of events designed to commemorate the forefathers who helped establish the country.
今年適逢中華民國建國100年，僑委會特地在十月慶典期間，邀請革命志士僑胞後代包括國父孫女孫穗芳及曾孫孫國雄、陸皓東孫女陸淑貞、秋瑾外孫女王焱華、孫眉曾孫孫必興、居正女兒居蜜與資助國父革命的日人頭山滿孫子頭山興助等人，來台一同參與中華民國建國100年的雙十國慶，緬懷先賢們與國父共同創建中華民國的努力。
This year, the OCAC also organized the Centennial Torch Relay as a way to promote Dr. Sun? democratic ideals. The torch shined like a beacon around the world, claiming the Republic of China's rightful place on the international stage, and reminding people that it is in the R.O.C. that the Three Principles of the People have flourished. It was the perfect gift to offer our Founding Father on the 145th anniversary of his birth.
今年僑委會特別規畫「百齡薪傳聖火傳遞」活動，讓國父民主理念火炬傳承世界，由海內外國人一同見證中華民國不容忽視的存在與落實三民主義的發展，正是獻給國父孫中山先生145周年誕辰的最佳生日禮物。
The OCAC has published "Stories of the Republic of China," a captivating two-volume history of Asia's first democratic republic. In order to read the two-volume set in its entirety, please visit the E-learning Huayu of Taiwan website at http://media.huayuworld.org/stories_of_roc/.
僑委會出版「中華民國的故事」二冊，精彩呈現中華民國創建歷程，完整內容請參閱「全球華文網」，網址http://media.huayuworld.org/stories_of_roc/。
