Who are the heroes of the Revolution of 1911?
Tian Shuyang and Tian Jiyang, the twin brothers of the Tian family, are natives of Fucheng Town, Fengyang County, Anhui Province. During the Revolution of 1911, they fought bravely to save the country and the people, one after another.
Tian Shuyang was born in 1884, named Yahao, and was the third eldest child in the family. In 1905, under the influence of his eldest brother Tian Zhongyang, he was admitted to the Nanyang General Bentan School in Nanjing. In 1906, in response to the Pingliu Li Uprising on the border between Hunan and Jiangxi, the Tokyo Tongmenghui headquarters sent some members back to China to instigate a revolution along the Yangtze River. Sun Yujun, Bai Wenwei and others planned to assassinate Duan Fang, the governor of Liangjiang, and staged an uprising. Tian Shuyang worked actively to contact the matter. In December, because the plan was leaked, Tian Shuyang came to Anqing. Soon, Tian Shuyang joined the Anqing New Army and served as the commander of the infantry battalion. In November 1908, Tian Shuyang participated in the Anqing Horse Artillery Battalion Uprising. After the uprising failed, Tian Shuyang avoided Jiangxi and continued his revolutionary activities. After the Wuchang Uprising broke out in October 1911, all provinces responded one after another. Tian Shuyang was ordered by the Tongmenghui to return to Fengyang to organize the Jianghuai Rebel Army. In November, she cooperated with the Huaishang Army who attacked Fengyang and occupied Fengyang. After that, Tian Shuyang served as the battalion commander of the Huaishang Army.
Fengyang is a battleground for military strategists of all ages. After Zhang Xun, the governor of Liangjiang in the Qing Dynasty, heard that Fengyang was occupied, he was afraid that his retreat would be cut off, so he invaded Linhuai Pass in Fengyang on November 14. After Tian Shuyang inquired, he led his troops to fight and fought fiercely with the reinforcements for two days and nights. They completely wiped out the invading enemies and saved Linhuai Pass. In December, the Jiangsu-Zhejiang coalition forces captured Nanjing, and Zhang Xun led the remaining troops to flee north along Jinpu Road. Tian Shuyang led the Huaishang Rebel Army to block the Qing army at Nangang of Linhuaiguan Pass. After a fierce battle, the rebel army ran out of ammunition and food. Tian Shuyang died heroically in the battle at the age of 27.
Tian Jiyang was born in 1890, named Angfu, and ranked fourth. In 1906, Tian Jiyang went to Anqing at the call of his eldest brother Tian Zhongyang and was admitted to the Anhui Army Surveying and Mapping School. Under the recommendation of Tian Zhongyang, he successively joined the Yuewanghui and the Tongmenghui. In September, Tian Jiyang was selected to study at the Cavalry Training Center. In early 1907, Tian Jiyang came to Anqing from Nanjing and soon became the commander of the New Army's Infantry Battalion. In April of the same year, Tian Jiyang was selected to serve as the commander of the New Army's cavalry battalion due to his excellent grades in the graduation examination. After he took office, he often met with Xiong Chengji, Fan Chuanjia and other revolutionaries who were also active in Maying and Paoying to discuss major anti-Qing affairs, and contacted hundreds of people to join the Yuewanghui. In June 1907, after Xu Xilin's uprising failed in Anqing, Tian Jiyang angrily swore: "I will kill myself to be a benevolent person, in order to respect Boxun's ambition!" In November 1908, Tian Jiyang participated in leading the uprising known as "Following the footsteps of Xu Gong, starting from The Anqing Horse Artillery Battalion Uprising was the forerunner of Wuchang.
On November 14 and 15, 1908, Emperor Guangxu and Empress Dowager Cixi died successively. Xiong Chengji, Fan Chuanjia, Tian Jiyang and others believed that this was an excellent opportunity for an uprising. On the afternoon of November 19, Xiong Chengji and more than 10 people held a secret meeting at the Ye Family Hall in Anqing, and finally formulated thirteen secret combat orders. At about nine o'clock that night, Tian Jiyang made arrangements for the uprising. At ten o'clock, the officers and soldiers of the horse camp and artillery camp used the signal to light a fire, and more than 1,000 people attacked Anqing City. However, because the Qing army had already prepared for it, the insurgents inside the city were unable to respond. The insurgents outside the city fought hard all day and night, unable to attack the city, and were besieged by the Qing army. The rebel army had to retreat towards Luzhou. After Tian Jiyang broke through the encirclement, he returned to Fengyang. After the Qing army learned about it, they went to Fengyang to arrest him. On November 27, Tian Jiyang was arrested and soon died heroically at the age of 18.
In order to commend the Tian brothers, in 1912, Anhui Governor Bai Wenwei petitioned President Sun Yat-sen for approval, posthumously conferring Tian Jiyang the rank of Army General and Tian Shuyang the rank of Army Lieutenant General, and established the Tian Temple in Fengyang City. The Shuanglie Temple and the Dahan Zhonglie Temple. The epitaph reads: "The soul of China, the blood of martyrs, the Huaishan Mountains and the Huaihe River are brighter, and the plains are filled with your blood." In 1984, with the approval of the Anhui Provincial People's Government, the tombs of Tian's twin martyrs were moved to Fengyang Revolutionary Martyrs Cemetery for future generations to pay their respects.