Original subtitles

Since 1894, in late Qing Dynasty

China was defeated in Sino-Japanese War

Revolutions broke out

in everywhere

The war indemnity intensified...

the economic crisis of Qing Dynasty

This caused the government to reform

There were two parties

One was the Empress Dowager's party

formed by conservatives with power

Another was the Emperor Guangxu's party

formed by a group of inexperienced youth

reformers who held no power

On 11th June, 1898

Guangxu ordered to reform

He called on the reform ministers

And issued an imperial edict

This meeting took place at Maoqin Hall

to commemorate the pioneers of reform

Yongzheng, Jiaqing and Qianlong

considered Peter the Great of Russia

and Emperor Meiji as role models

They hung up their portraits in the hall

Empress Dowager lived in Summer Palace

On the surface, she lived leisurely

It seemed she had handed her administration

Actually, external aggression was strained

And internal crisis was deepening

As the advocate of reform was arose

she had to bear and waited her own chance

Your Highness, we knelt down for almost a day

Stand away, what are you doing?

Yes

You won't get up?

If you don't promise us, Your Highness

we won't ever get up again

You take turns everyday

Beg of me and weep in front of me

What do you want?

We just show our loyalty to you

I told you I won't care the administration

Your Highness

Since Kang Youwei was called in

He'd promoted the officials who accept him

from 7th rank to 4th rank

They gather together

And talk about reform and transformation

The bureaucracy is all fouled up

It is bad

Empire is not an empire; Court not a court

How can you ignore that, Your Highness?

The reform decree was issued on 23rd April

You let him go

Alright, it's nothing but a dream

The civil service examination was terminated

This is ancestor's rule. But you didn't mind

Fine

The traditional rules...

have all been abandoned for reform

What reform?

They just get rid of your trusted followers

It's too bad!

It is a rebellion

Let Yuan Shikai come in and listen to him

Your Highness, when Kang stayed in Guangdong

and he set up a study society

Sun Yatsen established Revive China Society

And he established his own

He set up a Society to Protect the State

Why doesn't it protect the Qing Dynasty

instead of the state?

He protects China, but not the Qing Empire