The success of Xinhai Revolution in 1911 terminated the feudal imperial system executed in China for more than 2000 years. On January 1, 1912, in Nanjing, Sun Yat-sen assumed the temporary president of Republic of China, but shortly he gave it up to Yuan Shikai. In April, 1912, the temporary Senate of Republic of China decided to choose Beijing as the capital and called it Jingshi, and set up Shuntian prefecture governing the region around it, including 24 counties. On October 4, 1914, Shuntian prefecture is changed to Jingzhao Region. After the collapse of Yuan Shikai to restore the imperial system, China was plunged into free fights between warlords of Zhili, Fengtian, and Anhui cliques. From 1912 to 1928, there were 12 presidents and 50 cabinets one after another in Beijing administration. On April 18, 1927, Chiang Kai-shek established the National Government. On June 28, 1928, the Jingzhao Region was abolished and Beijingwas renamed to Beiping Municipality. In 1937, after the Lugou Bridge Incident occurred on July 7, Beijingfell into the hands of Japanese invaders. In 1945, after the War of Resistance against Japan, Beiping was made into a municipality directly under the Executive Yuan of Republic of China. At the beginning of Republic of China, the city walls and streets in Beijing experienced enormous changes. In 1923, the walls of the imperial city in the east, north, and west were pulled down, while the wall in the south was also mostly destroyed. Four new traffic arteries were constructed, with two lines running from south to north: the one to the east of the Forbidden City linking up Nanchizi and Beichizi, the one to the west of the Forbidden City connecting Nanchangjie and Beichangjie. The two lines running from east to west are: the one to the south of the Forbidden City (the central part of Chang’an Avenue now), and the one to the north of theForbidden City called Jingshan Qianjie. In 1924, a new gate was cut into the city wall between Zhengyang Gate and Xuanwu Gate, calling Xinghua Gate, but later was changed to Heping Gate. In 1937, onChang’an Avenue where it met the city wall two gates were again cut, Qiming Gate in the east and Chang’an Gate, but later they were renamed to Jianguo Gate and Fuxing Gate respectively.
In 1914, a display hall for ancient relics was built, which is the earliest history museum in Beijing. 1924, general Feng Yuxiang staged the Beijing coup to drive the last emperor of Qing dynasty out of the Forbidden City. In October, 1925, an opening ceremony was organized to officially open the Forbidden City to the public, and the Imperial Palace Museum was founded. From 1914 to 1929, the imperial temples and gardens opened successively are: the Imperial Ancestral Temple, renamed to Hefeng Park, then acted as branch of the Imperial Palace Museum, but now the Working People’s Cultural Palace; the Altar of Land and Grain, changed to the Central Park in 1914, but renamed again to Zhongshan Park in 1928; the Altar of Agricultural God, changed into Chengnan Park in 1916, then transformed as Xiannongtan Stadium in 1930s; Temple of Heaven, changed into Tiantan Park in 1915; Temple of Earth, changed into Jingzhao Park, then to Citizens’ Park, and now Ditan Park; Jingshan Garden, changed into Jingshan Park; Beihai Garden, changed into Beihai Park, even Zhonghai and Nanhai are restrictively open; the Summer Palace, opened in 1914, and changed into a park in 1924.
After the establishment of Republic of China, more and more buildings in western and Chinese ancient style appeared, such as Beijing Hotel, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing Library, Yanjing University, Fu Jen University, etc. During the Second World War, more than 200 factories were founded inBeijing, including flour grinding, paper making, cloth weaving, leather making, and glass producing. 1915, Shuang He Sheng Five Star Beer Factory was set up, the first beer brewery in China. Handicraft industry also got rapid development increasing to thousands of firms with employment of more than 100,000 people. Carpet, cloisonné, porcelain carving, lacquer carving, etc. got first prize on international exposition held respectively in 1903, 1914, 1915. After the Mukden Incident in 1931, under the situations of resisting Japanese products and supporting the Chinese goods, the national industries in Beijing, including coal, electricity, building material, machinery, wool spinning, knitting, etc. all witnessed considerable progress. During those days, Beijing was the largest consumer city in China; its commerce was quite prosperous. The largest market was Dong’an Market, while Wangfujing Street gradually grew into a bustling commerce street. Qianmen Street still boasted many famous stores whose history were more than a hundred years, and Dashelan was the busiest business area. In Tianqiao market, paddlers and folk artists would assemble to make a living. The traffic condition also advanced. In 1916, a railway circling the city was constructed with the total distance of 15 kilometers. On December 18, 1924, trolleybus was put into operation, and public bus company was founded in 1935.
In the first years of Republic of China, Beijing had 5 universities, but in 1925, the number of universities established by the state or private companies reached 17, accounting for 36% of the 47 universities all over the country. From 1920s, the cultural center of the country began to move southward. In 1948, the number of universities in Beijing was 13, ranking the fifth in the country. In 1912, there were 20 middle schools in Beijing, which rose up to 78 in 1925, while in 1911 it had 150 elementary schools, the number grew to 311 in 1917.
Beijing is the cradle for many patriotic and revolutionary movements. In 1915, the progressive magazine New Youth started its publication with Chen Duxiu being the chief editor. The editorial department of New Youth moved from Shanghai to Beijing. Many famous scholars, such as Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao, Lu Xun, and Hu Shi, wrote articles to promote new literature against old culture, to propose vernacular articles against classical writing. In this period, Beijing became the source for New Culture Movement. In 1919, the May Fourth Movement broke out in Beijing, which developed into a national patriotic campaign against the imperialism. After the 9.18 incident, students in Beijingorganized the December Ninth Movement to save China against the Japanese invasion. On May 20, 1947, the students in Beijing staged a large scaled demonstration with the slogans of opposing starvation, opposing civil war, opposing persecution. At the end of 1948, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army waged the Pingjin Campaign. General Fu Zuoyi accepted the eight items of peace negotiation raised by the Chinese Communist Party, as a result, Beijing was liberated through peaceful means on January 31, 1949. On October 1, 1949, the People’s Republic of China was founded, andBeijing was selected to be the national capital.