Charlie’s House, Shanghai. Charlie Soong, a Chinese revolutionary, is hosting a gala in his home, ostensibly to raise money to build a church, but actually to gather funds for his colleague and leader of the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance, Sun Yat-sen. His wife, Ni Gui-zhen, takes him aside and expresses her worry about Char­lie’s illegal activities. Moments later, Sun Yat-sen arrives. From the second he enters the room, Sun becomes the focus of attention. His wife Lu Mu­zhen follows him at a much slower pace. She is a traditional countrywoman with bound feet. Charlie and guests feel sorry for Sun Yat-sen. Just as the guests begin to rally around the cause, a mes­senger arrives and hands Charlie a note: a reward has been placed on Sun’s head.

Scene 1. Umeya’s Residence, Japan. Fleeing to Japan where he is in exile, Sun Yat-sen takes up residence with his friend Umeya and continues his revolutionary activities with his new aide, Charlie Soong’s daughter Ching-ling. She is attracted to his revolutionary ideals, he to her vivacity. They fall in love.

Scene 2. Sun and Ching-ling’s wedding, Umeya’s Residence, Japan. At the wedding, Charlie enters, furious. Not only has Charlie not given his consent to the marriage, but Sun still remains married to a woman in China. To everyone’s surprise, Charlie brings in Sun’s first wife, Lu Mu-zhen, in the hope that she can ruin the wedding. With a touching aria, Mu-zhen instead sings about her misfortune and sacrifice. She, to everyone’s surprise, finally gives Sun her signed divorce paper, setting him free to marry Ching­ling. Outraged, Charlie walks out of the wedding, renouncing both Ching-ling and Sun, and his as­sociation with the Chinese Revolutionary Alliance.

Scene 1. China. Back in China, Sun tries to overthrow the last em­peror of the Qing Dynasty with the help of Yuan Shi-kai. Under Sun’s leadership the regime of the Qing Dynasty is overthrown and he is named pro­visional president of the new republic. The new government’s hold is weak and Yuan Shi-kai, an ambitious general in the revolution, betrays Sun and becomes president, a step in achieving his final goal of naming himself the new emperor of a new dynasty. Sun Yat-sen, accompanied by his newlywed wife Ching-ling, is giving speeches in various locations in China, gathering support to overthrow Yuan Shi-kai’s rule. One night, Sun’s house is under attacks by Yuan’s assassins. Dur­ing their escape, Ching-ling miscarries their baby. In the midst of all this tragedy, a messenger appears to tell Sun that Charlie is on his deathbed and wanting to see both him and Ching-ling.

Scene 2. Charlie’s House, Shanghai. Charlie is ill and dying. Ching-ling arrives at his home alone, and assures her father that she is truly in love with Sun Yat-sen. Charlie, ashamed, confesses that he had all but given up his revolu­tionary dreams, but Sun’s indomitable determina­tion and idealism has renewed his confidence. His final speech, a blessing to Sun and Ching-ling and a meditation on the true meaning of what it is to be a revolutionary, is overlaid with a speech of Sun’s. The two men share this spiritual reunion, revolutionaries to the end.

The opera ends as a large statue of Sun Yat-sen is revealed. A crowd honors the timeless man.