/kloc-From the middle of the 0/7th century to the Second World War, with the emergence and development of capitalism, the rise of western powers embarked on the road of colonial expansion, plundering other countries' resources and occupying the world market. No matter the wars of aggression launched by western powers against Asian, African and Latin American countries before19th century, or the two world wars in the first half of 20th century, the aim is to compete for overseas colonies, plunder overseas resources and occupy overseas markets. From the Opium War in 1840 to 100 before the founding of New China in 1949, China also became a semi-feudal and semi-colonial country.
Li Hongzhang, 1823, from Hefei, Anhui. His family has been farming and studying for generations. When he was a great-grandfather, he became a family through hard work and thrift, owning two hectares of land. At the age of 20, Li Hongzhang was ordered by his father to go to Beijing to catch the exam. On the way, I wrote Ten Songs of Beijing, hoping to "make friends with domestic celebrities and visit Beijing." With his own ability and loyalty to the Qing court, Li Hongzhang led the army to suppress the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the Nian Army Uprising, made numerous military achievements, and climbed to the top with the blood of the rebel army. Finally, he worshipped the governor of Zhili and the minister of Beiyang and ruled for 25 years.
Li Hongzhang thinks that China is weak and weak, and "rich first and then strong". He vigorously advocated Westernization and established the first railway, the first steel plant, the first machine factory, the first modern military academy and the first modern navy in China. He was the first person in China to open to the outside world and the first person in China's diplomacy. It is said that foreigners at that time only knew Li Hongzhang, not the Qing court.
But among the traitorous treaties signed by China, Li Hongzhang signed the most. For many years, Li Hongzhang has been regarded as a representative of capitulationism and a synonym for traitors.
But according to unofficial history, Li Hongzhang shed tears at least three times.
For the first time, after Beiyang Navy fell in the Sino-Japanese War of 1895, Li had no choice but to go to Japan to make peace, sign the Treaty of Shimonoseki, cede Liaodong Peninsula, Taiwan Province Province, Penghu Islands and their affiliated islands, pay 200 million silver dollars, open Chongqing, Shashi and Suzhou and Hangzhou as trading ports, open up new inland routes, and allow Japan to set up factories at trading ports.
Li Hongzhang doesn't know what kind of public outrage such a COP will cause. Therefore, after being assassinated in Japan, he asked his entourage to keep the bloody clothes, hoping that "the bloody clothes can serve the country." After returning home, Li Hongzhang was unanimously condemned by the people of the whole country, saying that "China people can be killed". The court accused him of incompetence, and people accused him of taking bribes, accepting Japanese money and selling the country's territory.
Li Hongzhang was removed from the post of Governor of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang. All the military ministers handed the book to the emperor and said, "China's failure was entirely due to its failure to westernize, which was not Zhang Hong's fault." Li Hongzhang's eyes filled with tears when he heard the news.
The Beiyang navy, which has worked hard for 20 years, is no worse than Japan. Why can't the same armored vehicles and cannons beat others? It's not that soldiers refuse to use their lives, but that the court is corrupt and incompetent. Li Hongzhang could say nothing but tears and self-pity.
1896, Li Hongzhang, who lives in Xianliang Temple outside Dong 'anmen, Beijing, was ordered to attend the accession ceremony of the czar of Russia. At the age of 73, Li Hongzhang decided to go to Europe and America to see the outside world. The trip lasted 190 days and covered 90,000 miles.
When Li Hongzhang arrived in new york, he visited the tomb of his old friend Grant. Grant served as president of the United States from 1868 to 1876. After leaving office, he traveled around the world with his wife Julia. 1879 arrived in China, from Hongkong to Guangzhou, and then arrived in Tianjin via Shanghai. Li Hongzhang left tanggu port by boat as a minister of Beiyang and was greeted by a military salute. Grant was the commander-in-chief of the Union Army during the American Civil War, while Li Hongzhang repeatedly made meritorious military service in the Soviet Union.
Seven years later, Grant was buried in the loess. Li Hongzhang can only pay tribute to Grant Cemetery on Manhattan Island. Li Hongzhang burst into tears when he thought that the Sri Lankan people had embarked on their own bumpy road. "The main hall to the magnificent sleeping garden, where there is grass, for the old sorrow. Take the flowers to participate in it, respect the tomb door and do western rituals. " In desperation, Li Hong asked the Qing court's envoy to the United States to plant a ginkgo tree and a red plum tree for him in Grant Cemetery, "to enjoy the scenery with ambition".
Grant's Tomb is located on the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan Island. This is a tall stone building. Grant and his wife sleep side by side. Behind the mausoleum is a green forest. When the autumn wind blows, the leaves become colorful, like a hundred flowers blooming. Behind the mausoleum, there are two trees planted by Li Hongzhang. One is Ginkgo biloba, which is regarded as a paleontological fossil, and the other is Hongmei, which enjoys a high reputation in China. Two trees are surrounded by an iron fence. Ginkgo biloba grows tall and big, reaching the sky. However, Hongmei may not have adapted yet. I've been there many times, but I've never seen it grow green leaves or smelled it.
Li Hongzhang shed tears for the third time at the end of his life.
1900, Eight-Nation Alliance captured Beijing. Empress Dowager Cixi packed her bags, threw Princess Zhen into a well and fled Beijing with Emperor Guangxu. Seymour Eight-Nation Alliance invaded the Forbidden City, and the blazing fire ignited Beijing.
On the day when the city was destroyed, foreigners had no choice but to kill people and the bodies in the streets were buried. British records: "Beijing has become a real cemetery." There are dead people everywhere. Nobody buried it for wild dogs. "Tongzhi queen's father, Chongqing's wife and daughter, Chongqing's retainer, was held in the Temple of Heaven, gang-raped by dozens of people in Eight-Nation Alliance. After returning home, the whole family committed suicide and committed suicide by taking poison.
The treasures of the Palace Museum and the Summer Palace, which have been treasured for many years, were looted. The gold-plated copper pot containing water in front of the Hall of Harmony was also scraped off by the bayonet of the invading army, with scratches. Yongle Grand Ceremony and Siku Quanshu are in trouble. All the celestial bodies, instruments, horizons, instruments and soldiers of the ancient observatory were transported to Berlin.
In order to clean up the mess, Cixi once again awarded Li Hongzhang the title of Governor of Zhili and Minister of Beiyang, and ordered him to go north. His subordinates and relatives advised him to take Maguan as a warning and not to write letters to avoid becoming a scapegoat again. Li Hongzhang postponed the wait-and-see on the grounds of physical discomfort. However, the court repeatedly urged by electricity. A month later, Li Hongzhang arrived in Beijing and made peace with Eight-Nation Alliance.
190 1 On September 7th, Li Hongzhang, on behalf of the Qing Empire, signed the New Week Treaty, a famous unequal treaty in China's modern history, with an indemnity of 450 million pounds.
After signing the contract, Li Hongzhang vomited blood. Before he stopped breathing, Li Hongzhang, well-dressed and unable to speak, turned a blind eye all day. At the last moment, a few cloudy tears rolled down his cheeks. 165438+1On October 7th, Li Hongzhang's eyes were still in a daze. People around him told him, "unfinished business can be done for my generation." Please rest assured! "The 78-year-old Li Hongzhang heard that it was really an eye-opener. Different from Li Hongzhang's political views, Liang Qichao respected Li Hongzhang's talent, cherished his knowledge and mourned Li Hongzhang's experience.
Li Hongzhang's three tears are both personal sorrow and national misfortune. He has been fighting for the rise of the country all his life, but the country seems to be terminally ill and getting worse. On his deathbed, he wrote a final thank-you letter to the imperial court, in which he wrote: The external repair has been completed, and the internal map is progressing smoothly, or there may be a turn for the better.