Turbulent Times: A Republic-Era Legend

This story is set in a fictional world that differs from the history of the real Republic of China, yet has a similar feel. In the early years of the Republic, the Xinhai Revolution overthrew the Qing Dynasty, but the land of China did not find the peace and unity people had hoped for. Rival forces vied for power. At home, warlords fought among themselves, each faction building up its own army as battles raged over territory and resources, leaving the people to suffer terribly. Abroad, foreign powers circled, seeking to divide up China’s wealth and manipulate its politics and economy by backing different warlords.

It was an age of fierce clashes between tradition and modernity. Though feudal ethics had come under attack, they still constrained people’s thoughts and behavior in many ways. Western ideas such as democracy and science gradually made their way into the country, awakening a number of enlightened people to resist. Shanghai, the Far East’s largest metropolis, was a crossroads of commerce, culture, and politics. Its ten-mile stretch of foreign concessions was a glittering world of indulgence, but also a front line in the struggle between rival forces, making it the story’s main stage.