论爱国潮侨许雪秋在辛亥革命前后的若干问题

Some Issues on the Chaoshan Overseas Patriot Xu Xueqiu Around Xinhai Revolution

许雪秋出身于新加坡华侨富商家庭,他放弃优裕生活,立志“逐满兴华”。自1905年起,先后发动了潮州起义、饶平黄冈起义、汕尾接械之役。这些起义虽然失败,却发挥了重要的历史作用。因此许雪秋反清斗争的突出贡献和辛亥革命功勋的重要地位必须充分肯定。汕尾接械失败有多方原因,然而胡汉民为推卸责任,却将错误全归于许,在同盟会中极力排斥许雪秋。许本是“醉心革命”之人,在万分失落的情况下,转向光复会,以求有所作为,亦是被迫无奈之举,不能视为对孙中山和革命的背叛。辛亥革命后的潮汕,民军林立,派系纷争。省督陈炯明则利用动乱,翦除异己,在汕头纵容前清降将吴祥达捕杀许雪秋。论者曾以许带兵抄抢商会会长赖礼园为罪,然此说无确实依据。故许雪秋被害,亦有莫大冤屈。

Xu Xueqiu was born to a family of a rich overseas Chinese businessman in Singapore. He gave up comfortable life, and was devoted to the cause of 'banishing the Manchu and prosper the Chinese.'After 1905, he launched a series of revolts, including Chaozhou Revolt, Huanggang Revolt in Raoping, and Jiexie Revolt in Shanwei. These revolts failed, but they played important historical roles. Therefore, Xu Xueqiu's remarkable contributions to anti-Qing Dynasty and his distinguished status as a pioneer of Xinhai Revolution must be confirmed. There are various causes leading to the failure of Shanwei Revolt, but Hu Hanmin shifted the blame for this failure to Xu, and spared no efforts to expel Xu Xueqiu from Tongmeng Association. Xu had no way but to turn to Guangfu Assciation in order to make some achievements. His decision was made when he was in desperate situation, so it cannot be taken as betraying Sun Yat-sen or Revolution. Chaoshan Area, after Xinhai Revolution, had diverse bands and branches opposing each other. In order to uproot the adverse rivals, Provincial Governor, Chen Jiongmin, connived with Wu Xiangda, former Qing Dynasty general, to catch and kill Xu Xueqiu by a groundless accusation.