To understand him [Wang Jingwei] as a person, as well as his political thinking and aspirations, it is necessary to consult his poetry and essays, especially “Determination for Revolution” and the poem “A Recount of My Vision and Sentiments,” which are essential reading for those who wish to explore Wang Jingwei – the person and his deeds.Ho Mang Hang
Following our video presentation of Ho Mang Hang’s Cantonese recitation and explanation of “A Recount of My Vision and Sentiments,” we now present “Determination for Revolution” in a new video, using the great scholar Long Yusheng’s (1902-1966) calligraphy of Wang Jingwei’s 1910 essay. We have added subtitles and visual aids to guide the viewer through the work, which we have divided into three parts: 1) Compassion; 2) Wealth, Poverty and Might; 3) Courage Arising from Righteousness. This we believe will be of great help to understanding Wang’s political thinking and aspirations.
“Determination for Revolution” was written by Wang prior to his assassination attempt on the Prince Regent; the text can be found in its entirety on pages 50-53 in Wang Jingwei’s Political Discourse: Selected Essays and Speeches. Other books in the series, such as Wang Jingwei: His Life, Ideas and Beliefs, Wang Jingwei Poetry – A New Edition and Wang Jingwei Nanshe Poetry, also feature the essay “Determination for Revolution.”
When Long Yusheng transcribed the essay in prison, he included an assessment of his good friend at the beginning of the long scroll (See Prison Writings by Members of the Wang Jingwei Regime, pp. 2-3). He wrote that Wang’s outlook was informed by the teachings of Wang Yangming and Mencius, which remained the same through the four or five decades of Wang’s life. Despite many obstacles, Wang died with this firm belief.