Editing Song Jiaoren (section)

== Early life ==
Song Jiaoren was born and educated in [[Hunan]]. When he was six years old, Song Jiaoren began his education at a private school. When Song was seventeen years old, he graduated and began enrollment at [[Taoyuan County, Hunan|Taoyuan]] Zhangjiang College. The influence of his teachers, [[Huang Shouyi]] and [[Qu Fangmei]], caused Song to make no effort to pursue the civil service examinations, and he was interested mainly in his time's world events and the counterculture. Song received excellent grades in college.

In August 1902, Song Jiaoren went to [[Wuchang District|Wuchang]] to attend the Bishop Boone Memorial School (now the [[Central China Normal University]]), and in Wuchang, he met the revolutionary [[Huang Xing]], and the two quickly became lifelong friends. Huang was soon forced to leave Wuchang due to his revolutionary activities, and returned to his hometown of [[Changsha]]. After Huang left, Song continued his organization of revolutionary groups in Hunan, especially in Changsha and [[Changde]].

Later in 1902, Song was recruited to teach at the Wuchang Normal School, a prestigious private secondary school. Song arrived in Wuchang and began teaching in 1903. In Wuhan, Song became involved with various local revolutionary groups, including the [[Huaxinghui]], a group of which he became vice president. However, the Wuchang Garden Hill Party especially appealed to him. Song often discussed politics and revolution with his students, many of whom were opposed to the idea of revolution.