Comrade Zhao Guiren
Zhao Guiren (1865-1920) was a Jurchen statesman, psychiatrist and political philosopher who served as the co-founder and first chairman of the Jurchen Socialist Party, as well as the first President of the Second Jurchen Republic. He is often referred to as the "father of the revolution" among the Jurchen people due to his instrumental role in the 1916 revolution.
Born to a pig farmer in the Fengtian province, Zhao lived an unremarkable early life, but was sent at the behest of his uncle to study abroad in Preore, where he earned a doctorate in psychology in 1890, though he never referred to himself as "Dr. Zhao". Whilst abroad, he met his future-wife, who he would marry in 1902. In Preore he became influence by progressive ideas, particularly inspired by republican and socialist authors and philosophers, particularly of the Marxist variety. He joined the Preorian Communist Party in 1893, but left it in 1895 when he returned to his home.
However, he found himself increasingly frustrated at the failure of the ruling Jin dynasty to liberalise despite Jin promises to grant elected assemblies power. He joined the Jurchen Modernisation League in 1900, quickly becoming a well known firebrand speaker. However, his increasingly divisive views caused a split within the left and right wings of the League, causing its collapse in 1904. Zhao formed the Jurchen Socialist Party less than a year later, arguing that the liberalisation of the nation, whilst vital, was not enough to secure the liberties of the people. The party gradually grew both in size and influence, and though it had always faced police infiltration and crackdown, it was formally banned in 1910.
In 1912, following a devastating famine, Zhao took part in the failed 1912 revolution against the Jin, and escaped death by fleeing abroad. There, he formally collected a solidified his political theories in his book "The Cause for the Rebirth of the People." From exile he continued to direct and advise liberal and socialist movements, and was invited back into the nation in 1915 when the 1915 revolution toppled the Jin dynasty. He continued to promote socialism during the early years of the First Republic, though initially appeared to give up the revolutionary cause. However, when the President of the republic declared himself the new Jurchen Emperor and crowned himself as the new founder of a new Jurchen dynasty, Zhao lead the 1916 revolution to victory, proclaiming the Second Jurchen Republic.
He served as the Republic's President for the remainder of his life, winning reelection once in 1919 before dying. Upon his death, his successor was ousted from power by the military, leading to the 1921 revolution against the junta and the proclamation of the Jurchen Socialist Commonwealth, founded on Marxist-Zhaoism ideas and a successor to the Second Republic.
Post-Jurchen unification (pre-1620)
The Manchu dynasty (1620-1744)
The Kangxi dynasty (1744-1801)
Interregnum (1801-1805)
The Jin dynasty (1805-1915)
The First Jurchen Republic (1915-1916)
The Gònghéguó Emperor (1916)
The Second Jurchen Republic (1916-1921)
The Jurchen Socialist Commonwealth (1921-present)
