本书由著名历史学者董蔡时教授主编，论述了从辛亥革命到二次革命的历史，深刻地反映了辛亥革命前后中国社会在政治、经济、文化等方面的变迁。作者认为，辛亥革命是20世纪初中国最重要的革命运动，它推翻了清朝的封建统治，亦结束了在中国持续了2000多年的封建专制制度，是中国历史上伟大的转折点。全书资料翔实，逻辑清晰，论述简明扼要，同时注意吸收国内外相关的研究成果，具有很高的学术价值。

董蔡时，the ediroe of this book and famous historian， vcas born in wujin county，Jiangsu Province in 1921.After graduating fromthe Central Political University in 1946，he begana long career of teaching Engtish and history.In1952 he devoted himself entirely to teaching his-tory.In 1958 he began teaching modern Chinesehistory at the History Department of Jiangsu Teachers College，his research focusing on historyof the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and modernChinese Dolitical history.
Dong Caishi has published over eighty trea-tises，including A Critical Biograpby of Zuo Zongtangand The Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in Suzhou.Hc is the chief editor of numerous books onhistorical rescatch materiats，among which are Spe-cial Historical Researcb Materials on the Taiping Heav-enly Kingdom，The Letters of He Guiqmg.and Others，and Selected Historical Research Materials on the TaipingHeapenly Kingdom in Jiangsu，Zhejiang，Henan and An-hui.

Foreword
ChapterⅠ The Development of Chinese Capitalism
1.The Origin and Development of Chinese Capitalism
2.Characteristics of the Chinese Bourgeoisie and Their Political Demands
Chapter II Sun Yat-sen Forms the Xing Zhong Hui（Society for the Revival of China）
1.Sun Yat.Sen;s Activities in the Early Years
2.Forming the Xing Zhong Hui and Leading the Armed Uprising
Chapter III The New Political Situation in Early 20th Century China
1.Revolution Parts Company with Reform
2.The New Awakening of the Chinese People
3.The Empress Dowager's“New Measures
4.The Study Abroad Movement
5.The Dynamic Bourgeois Patriotic Movement
Chapter Ⅳ The Strength of the Bourgeois Revolutionaries Expands
1.From Patriotism to Revolution
2.The Emergence of Revolutionary Groups
3.Agitational Activities of the Bourgeois Revolutionaries
Chapter V Forming the Tong Meng Hui
1.Sun Yat.sen Forms the Tong Meng Hui
2.The Revolutionary Programme of the Tong Meng Hui
3.The Organization and Characteristics of the Tong Meng Hui
Chapter VI Revolutionary Activities Directed by the Tong Meng Hui
1.The Polemic Between the Rev01utionaries and the Reformists
2.The Armed Uprisings Led by the Tong Meng Hui or Waged Under Its Influence
3.Contradictions Within the Tong Meng Hui
Chapter Ⅶ The Failure of the Constitutional Movement and the Subsequent Upsurge in the Revolutionary Situation
1.The Empress Dowager Ci Xi Prepares for Constitutional Government
2.The Constitutional Movement with the Jiangsu.Zhejiang Faction at the Core
3.Yuan Shikai's Seizure of Power and His Expulsion
4.The Emergence of a Cabinet Made Up of Royal Clan Members and the New Tendency of Bureaucrats，Warlords and Constitutionalists
5.The Railway Protection Movement and the High Tide of the Revolutionary Situation
Chapter Ⅷ The Wuchang Uprising and the Response from Various Parts of China
1.The Wen Xue She（Literary Association）and the Gong Jin Hui （Society for Mutual Progress）
2.The Wuchang Uprising
3.The Establishment of the Hubei Military Government and Its Revolutionary Measures
4.Guarding Wuhan Against Qing Attacks
5.China Responds to the Wuchang Uprising
Chapter IX The South-North Peace Talks and the Establishment of the Nanjing Provisional Government
1.The Imperialist Powers' "Neutrality" and Yuan Shikai's Comeback
2.The Political Situation in the Provinces That Had Proclaimed Independence
3.Yuan Shikai's Tactics and the South-North Peace Talks
4.Dr. Sun Yat-sen Organizes the Nanjing Provisional Government
5.The Revolutionary Measures of the Provisional Government
Chapter X Sun Yat-sen Resigns in Favour of Yuan Shikai and the Provisional Government Moves to North China
1.The Predicament and Struggle of the Provisional Government
2.Sun Yat-sen Resigns from the Presidency and Frames a Provisional Constitution
3.The Conflict over the Issue of Going South to Assume the Presidency and the Moving of the Provisional Government to North China
Chapter XI The Twilight of the 1911 Revolution and the Failure of the Second Revolution
1.The Active Industrial and Business Circles of the Early Days of the Republic
2.The Political Parties and Political Situation in the Initial Days of the Republic
3.The Case of Song Jiaoren and the Failure of the Second Revolution
Appendix: Selected Bibliography
Postscript
Index