He was regarded as "recreating Huang Zhi people" by Empress Dowager Cixi, but he couldn't help signing numerous unequal treaties on behalf of the imperial court. The stunned Qing Dynasty became famous overseas and attracted the attention of the world media.
He is Li Hongzhang, the leader of the Westernization Movement and a famous minister in the late Qing Dynasty.
In the past, we only looked at Li's life from the Chinese point of view. The value brushwork has permeated the feelings of historians to some extent, and inevitably there are some nationalist elements. However, foreigners know little about this historical figure and Hyung-Sang Lee in his works. In the eyes of people who really understand history, Li Hongzhang is often presented with half a face in front of the world.
Finally, in Zhang Shesheng's Old Shadow of Li Hongzhang, we can read so many little-known pictures and historical materials that we can know how vague we were about the foreigner world before. The inner joys and sorrows of this Qing man, the grievances and enmities in cultural conflicts, finally have another lens.
Let's follow Bian Xiao's vision and read the Old Shadow of Li Hongzhang together, crossing the Qing Dynasty a hundred years ago!
Li Hongzhang, a "fan of science and technology"
Li Hongzhang has a personal hobby, that is, he is extremely interested in the "new gadgets" of western industrialization, which, in the words of now, is a "science and technology fan".
American cartoon Li Hongzhang was shocked by the engine. Li Hongzhang saw the engine, the sharp weapon of modern science and technology, for the first time next to Niagara Falls on the US-Canada border.
His obsession with "high technology" is not a whim, but a lifelong hobby. You can sort out his memorial a little, and that's a scientific paper. Li Hongzhang once wrote an article about the memorial of "steam power operation", which was the earliest popular science article in China:
"
All the machines for rotating wood, drilling holes, twisting cymbals and casting shells are immersed in the steam furnace. The furnace is filled with water and charcoal burns. When the water is full of boiling gas, the machine begins to understand from the copper throat to the cylinder. An iron column is wound in the cylinder, which rises and falls with the air, and the iron wheel and the belt of the wheel twist around the shaft and are connected with each other. The wheel turned and turned.
"
In that era of "scientific blindness", such a "popular science" memorial hall is absolutely rare.
September 8 1894, watercolor painting of London News Pictorial (original title: Sino-Japanese War-Li Hongzhang's European heavy artillery is being launched).
There are a lot of stories about Li Hongzhang's hobby of "scientific and technological products", such as:
Li Lao went to England one month and was stunned by a sewing machine in England. Li Lao spared no expense to buy one for the old lady!
Li Lao sat on the newly invented X-ray machine and took photos, becoming the first person to use X-ray equipment in China.
Li Lao stood in a daze for a long time by Niagara Falls for some new engine technology.
One month, Li Lao watched the launch experiment of the French cannon at close range in the anechoic room.
1896, Li Hongzhang visited the Meipen shooting range in Essen, Germany, and fulfilled his long-cherished wish (Li Hongzhang was in a wheelchair).
1887, Hong Kong College of Western Medicine was established, and Li Hongzhang was invited as the "honorary founder". Li Hongzhang accepted it gladly and wrote back in person (the content of the letter was published in Hong Kong's Chen Dexi Newspaper 1887). Thus, the first "on-the-job cadres" medical doctoral thesis in Qing Dynasty was born:
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In my opinion, medicine and chemistry are sister sciences, and we should attach equal importance to them. We should not only know the combination of them, but also know how to analyze them, because otherwise, we can't play an accurate role in diagnosis and treatment. Paying attention to scientific principles for diagnosis at all times can make up for the deficiency of anatomy and chemical theory, and the final result is to make knowledge move from darkness to light. Tianjin Medical Museum is a good example, because they apply advanced western science to medical practice in China.
"
This passage comes from a closed era, from a society where people and wisdom are inseparable, which is really incredible.
Half the world was fascinated by him.
Li Hongzhang is the originator of China's diplomacy. Today, he is a real diplomat.
The scene of Li Hongzhang's arrival in St. Petersburg described by British newspaper painters.
1896 From March to the end of this year, Li Hongzhang began his visit to eight European and American countries. Li Hung Chang is an English translator and has become an established special word in many languages, such as German and French. The smile of "Governor China" can attract the attention of Hollywood stars.
Every day in western newspapers is the news of Li Hongzhang, who is nearly eighty years old. Many times, "Li Hongzhang News" appears in the lower right corner of the second edition of major newspapers, mostly in one sentence:
AP, August 4th 1 1: China Governor Li Hongzhang arrives in London!
London, September 2: Li Hongzhang ordered three warships for Germany.
AP Vancouver September 1 1: Li Hongzhang has left for China.
Newspapers in Britain, a big paper country, speculate on Li Hongzhang almost every day. Li Hongzhang is in St. Petersburg, and the British newspaper said that he made a secret deal with Russia at a port in Liaodong; When Li Hongzhang left Germany, the British laughed at the Germans: they didn't get the big bill for the money; When Li Hongzhang arrived in France, the British complained to the Gauls: "Why do we taxpayers have to pay when he comes?"
Li Hongzhang presented his credentials to German Emperor William II.
Originally, I thought that most of Li Hongzhang's state visits were boring eight-part stories about "Chinese" (Qing) and "English", but this "trip to a foreign country" of 1896 made Li Hongzhang play colorful and ups and downs.
For example, when the ship crossed the English Channel to the port of South Cape Town, England, "Yingyi" followed our example of "seeing the foreign guests" Li Hongzhang. At this time, Li Hongzhang took out his new glasses in his official uniform and walked towards the "red-faced and bright-eyed" and "waving" British masses, looking like a "big leader" and a Hollywood superstar.
For another example, in Paris, the French capital, the 1.83-meter "Lida shelf" stood in a "silent room" specially built by a legal person, with a military telescope and a pipe in its mouth, so that President Faure of the National People's Congress could watch the French field artillery exercise with him, vividly capturing the appearance of the father of a five-star general MacArthur.
Bismarck, the first Prime Minister of the German Empire, greeted Li Hongzhang with the highest courtesy at the door of his private house.
Li Hongzhang's trip to the Eight-Nation countries had little movement at home. Today, most people in China think that this is just a "traitorous show". However, when we look at the dusty materials and old newspapers hidden in the archives of various countries, Li Hongzhang, who is "uniting the West with the East", is eagerly increasing China's customs revenue and learning from the advanced experience of the West.
The truth behind the Xin Chou Treaty
190 1 was an unequal treaty with the largest amount of compensation and the most serious loss of sovereignty in China's modern history, which marked that China had completely become a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, which was written in history textbooks. What story is hidden behind these short words?
1June 900, after the Qing court declared war on Eight-Nation Alliance, the Qing army was defeated repeatedly. In August, Eight-Nation Alliance approached Beijing, and the Qing court formally appointed Li Hongzhang as the plenipotentiary minister to negotiate with the great powers.
Li Hongzhang, who is over 70 years old. Cixi told him to leave Guangzhou for the north several times. Although he answered "going north at once", he did not leave Guangzhou. After the publication of the Declaration of War, Li Hongzhang said: "This is also a mess, and Guangdong does not obey the imperial edict."
1900 On the day before Christmas in the West, ministers from Britain, the United States, France, Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy, Austria, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands handed the outline of the peace talks to Prince Yi Qing. Grain? (3) B？ What's the matter with you? What's the matter with you? /p & gt；
1. China sent the prince's envoy to Germany to apologize for Cleander's murder, and set up an inscription archway at the place where he was killed.
Second, severely punish the culprits, kill towns that insult foreigners and stop scientific research for five years.
Three, China must use the honor code to apologize to the Japanese government for killing Japanese employees.
4. China must erect tombstones in the desecrated graves of people of all countries.
Five, weapons and weapons manufacturing equipment are not allowed to be brought into China.
6. Fair compensation for foreigners' property losses.
Seven, the state stationed troops to guard the embassy and demarcate the embassy area.
Eight, leveling dagu fort.
Nine, the capital to the seaside by the state stationed troops.
Ten, never allow soldiers and civilians to join groups that hate the country.
XI。 Revision of trade and navigation treaties.
12. Reform the reception etiquette of the Prime Minister's yamen and the Foreign Minister.
After reading the terms, Li Hongzhang sighed again and again. He ordered the original telegram to be typed in Xi 'an immediately, and asked the operator to tell the other party that a telegram must be written with a heavy pen and presented to Cixi. The news reached Xi 'an, causing an uproar. Everyone found the conditions extremely harsh and unacceptable.
"Family portrait" at the signing ceremony of "Xin Chou Treaty". Negotiators from eleven countries sat on the left, representatives from Qing countries sat on the right, followed by the entourage of representatives from various countries. At the Spanish embassy. This day is September 7th, 190 1. This is a photo of the signing ceremony of the "Final Protocol" according to the "Peace Outline".
Cixi's problem can't be bypassed. In order to ensure that Cixi was not convicted, Li Hongzhang insisted on stating in the clause that "taking relatives will not aggravate the punishment". At this time, the words "China's national conditions" came into play. Li Hongzhang let the other party know that China people are filial piety-oriented, ruling the country with loyalty, and the Queen Mother is the mother of the country, so we must respect her.
Finally, because the outline did not list Cixi as the culprit and did not ask her to hand over power, Cixi approved the peace outline. Li Hongzhang and Yi? What's the matter with you? What's wrong with me? What's wrong with me? Frog? /p & gt；
In the last days of his life, Li Hongzhang had no energy to talk face to face with foreigners. Lying on his deathbed, Li Hongzhang instructed junior officials to reduce the loss to the lowest point-from the initial proposal of 654.38 billion taels of silver to 450 million taels, which will be paid off in 39 years with an annual interest rate of 4%.
With so many countries to mediate, Li Hongzhang was busy and tired all day, and he couldn't afford to get sick. On the same day two months after the signing of the Treaty of Xin Chou, Li Hongzhang, an important official of Qing Dynasty, ran out of oil and left.
This is the only photo of Li Hongzhang wearing a fur coat. It was taken around 1900. During this period, he was afraid of the cold and often dressed up in summer. I can't help it, the oil lamp is running out.
Liang Qichao said in the biography of Li Hongzhang:
There is no doubt that Hong Zhang must be a figure in the history of China for thousands of years. There is no doubt that Li Hongzhang must be a figure in the world history of19th century.
Liang Qichao said that he "respects Li Hongzhang's talents, cherishes Li Hongzhang's knowledge and grieves Li Hongzhang's encounter".
In this era of drastic changes, few people in China can cope with intractable international disputes. Li Hongzhang is a person who has gradually mastered the ability to change things. He knows that the idea in the palace is not good, and the civil boxer is also nonsense. As for Kong's legacy, it is also inappropriate. The Jianghu spirit and rascal spirit in him, together with the bureaucratic style, meet here, thus forming a unique wisdom. Between conscience and sophistication, he chose another path. Although he can't have both, he managed to cope with a great change. Honor and disgrace, good and evil.
As for the merits and demerits, they are all left to future generations to comment.
Li Hongzhang's Old Shadow
200 historical photos of Zhang Zhengui, historical materials of western newspapers and periodicals a hundred years ago, transposition interpretation from multinational perspectives, and detailed description of Li Hongzhang from head to toe.
brief Introduction of the content
A person is a modern history of China. We can know the important events in the late Qing Dynasty in the past forty years by reading a person's biography. With precious old shadows, transnational vision and vivid narrative style, this book truly restores the stormy late Qing Dynasty.
Over the years, the author has collected more than 1000 old photos and etchings about the late Qing Dynasty from MIT, Cornell University and the Library of Congress. The book is divided into nine chapters from these precious images a hundred years ago, combing historical details and presenting readers with the true faces of historical figures.
Brief introduction of the author
Zhang Shesheng, literary director of Shanghai Wenguang Group from 65438 to 0984, obtained a master's degree in film and computer special effects from the Department of Media Arts of new york Institute of Technology. After that, he worked in TV production and independent film and television production in the United States. 200 1 returned to China for development, cooperated with CCTV for many times, and won many awards at home and abroad. Song of the Forest, directed by him, won the Best Documentary Director Award in the 24th China TV Golden Eagle Award.
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Editor: Cao Yun
Some words and pictures come from Li Hongzhang's old shadow.
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