Research On Yang Du's Idea Of Constitutionalism

Yang Du who was born in Xiangtan Hunan followed the master of Jing-knowledge Wang Kaiyun to do research and practiced The Art of Assisting Monarch, learned west politics system after studying aboard in Japan and became an exponential of constitutional monarchy in late Qing Dynasty and early Republic. His idea of constitutionalism has a very intense relationship with skill of Assisting Monarch and Jing-knowledge. This article analysis his constitutional monarchy through three periods which has been called the form, the development and the diversification according to the history.In juvenile, it's the monarchy idea time. Yang Du studied the classic Confucianism and major in The Art of Assisting Monarchy during this time which was effected strongly by geography factor and his tutor's traditional feudalism idea what made him has a legal system focus on the monarchy. This is the time of prime form of Yang's idea theory.In his middle age, it's the constitutional monarchy idea time. Yang Du has contacted with west science in Japan and became an inheritor and exponential of constitutionalism after the illumination of Meiji Restoration, the intercourse with Liang Chi-Chao, Kang You-Wei and other progressives. But under the influence of his own experience, his constitutional monarchy based on peaceful evolution way. This is the time of Yang Du formed his constitutional monarchy ideal.In his old age, it's the development and diversification time of constitutional monarchy. After composing the report about other country's constitution for the five ministers, Yang originated The Chinese New Report to pronounce his Gold-Iron Theory and to expand his activity about constitution in domestic. Yang spared no pains to propagandize his idea about constitutional monarchy by publishing Constitution-monarchy Salvation and organizing Chou-An Club. Yang did not only participate in the late Qing government's preparatory constitutional but also in the assisting the accession to the throne of Yuan Shikai. Under the repeatedly frustration of peaceful evolution, Yang's ideal had been inclined to violence revolution gradually. The upgrade of inherent conflict both in domestic and overseas made Chinese politics changed into a whole new situation. Although Yang had concealed himself into Buddhism, he obeyed his promise to assist Mr. Sun Yat-sen by joining Kuomintang to support the violent revolution for constitutional. Even in the later time, Yang also focused his eyes on the Marxist to re-cognize the new circumstance of China. This is the climax time of Yang's constitutional monarchy idea.In the third part of this article, it's the core of Yang's constitutionalism which included the Gold-Iron Theory and the Congressional Reconstruction. Gold-Iron Theory says starting with building a responsible government, China must reform into a worldwide economical country which means rich as full of gold and military country which means powerful as iron to contend with other capitalism countries. Congressional Reconstruction says found party and evokes the vox populi to convoke the congress by the party's power; use congress to reconstruct a responsible government and to achieve the final constitutionalism. These two elementary theories are the kernel value and fabric of Yang's very special constitutional monarchy.Yang's constitutional monarchy is very profound. Yang had not only introduced the west constitutional monarchy into China evoked the attention of the relationships of imperial power and civil rights but also reconstruct that to adapt Chinese local circumstance. The very important value is Yang's idea under the background of international condition is quite different from Liang Chi-Chao and Kang You-Wei's ideals.Notwithstanding, the bankruptcy of Yang's constitutional monarchy idea means it has inherent localization. On the one hand, the reasons are flaccidity of late Qing's government and other politicians and warlords' selfish desire. On the other hand, the reasons also include Yang's overrule trust on the constitutional monarchy and his fetishism of elitism.