Chapter 23 Chapter 22 Fu Yunlong——A Traveling Envoy Who Diligently Writes

In the 1880s, among the officials sent by the Qing government to visit Japan, there was Fu Yunlong, an industrious travel envoy, whose "Traveling in Japan Illustrated Classics" played an important role in the history of modern Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges. In June 1887, a unique examination was held in the Prime Minister's Office of International Affairs of the Qing government in Beijing.This time, I will not test the Four Books and Five Classics, nor will I write stereotyped articles, but will only discuss border defense, history, geography, and diplomacy.It turned out that this was the first examination in modern China to select officials who traveled abroad.This incident began in 1884 when the censor Xie Zuyuan asked Emperor Guangxu to send a knight to travel abroad. In 1885, it was approved by the Prime Minister's Yamen, and was recommended by the Imperial Academy and the six ministries, with a total of 75 officials recommended by the ministries. In 1887, Emperor Guangxu ordered the prime minister to preside over the selection examination. On June 12, officials from the three ministries of officials, households, and rites were examined, and the topics were "Theory of Coastal Defense and Frontier Defense" and "Records of Treaty Ports". On the 13th, the officials of the three ministries of military affairs, punishment, and industry were examined. The topics were "On the Railway" and "Recording the Outline of Negotiations with Western Countries Since the Ming Dynasty."As a result of the examination, a total of 28 people were admitted, and Fu Yunlong, a doctor of the Ministry of War, ranked first.These people were first met and interviewed by the Minister of the Prime Minister's Yamen, and then led them to meet the emperor. Finally, Emperor Guangxu personally circled 12 officials including Fu Yunlong and Gu Houkun with a red pen as travel envoys, and sent them to Japan, the United States, Canada, Peru, and Cuba. , Brazil and other countries.At that time, although China already had envoys stationed in Japan and the United States, it was the first time that so many officials were sent to Japan and American countries at the same time.

Among the traveling missions, the most diligent and outstanding achievement is Fu Yunlong, a military doctor who won the first place in the selection examination.Fu Yunlong, courtesy name Maoyuan, was born in Deqing, Zhejiang.In his early years, he traveled to Yunnan, Guizhou, Sichuan, Hubei, Shandong, Jiangsu and other provinces.In the middle age, he served as a small Beijing official in Beijing, living in "Lang's Office for 20 years, doing nothing but doing nothing".He has a wide range of knowledge and records, and is studious and tireless. He especially likes geography and military books. He once participated in the compilation of "Shuntian Fu Zhi".This time, he can go to a foreign country as a tour envoy sent by the imperial court, which is a good opportunity for him to display his talents.Fu Yunlong is not like ordinary officials who travel abroad to visit mountains and rivers, to see flowers on horseback, and to understand some exotic customs for satisfaction.Instead, in-depth investigation and research, on-the-spot investigation of the historical and geographical situation of various countries.Every time he went to a country, he collected information on the country's geography, history, politics, customs, products, etc., and even personally surveyed and inquired, drew various maps and tables, and compiled them into picture scriptures.As Li Shuchang, the Minister in Japan, praised him, he did not regard travel as a general official mission, but "the career of writing books for thousands of years resides in it".During his travels alone, he compiled 30 volumes of "Illustrated Classics of Traveling in Japan", 32 volumes of "Illustrated Classics of Traveling in the United States of America", eight volumes of "Illustrated Classics of Traveling in British Ghana", and four volumes of "Illustrated Classics of Traveling in Peru". , "Traveling Cuban Illustrated Classics" volume two, "Traveling Brazil Illustrated Classics" 10 volumes.In addition, in the process of traveling in various countries, he wrote a detailed travel note, called "You Yu Tu Jing Yu Ji", which also has 15 volumes.All the Tujing and Yuji total a total of 101 volumes.

Fu Yunlong's "Journey to Japan" has a total of 30 volumes, which are divided into astronomy, geography, rivers and canals, national records, customs, food and goods, examinations, military system, officials, diplomacy, political affairs, literature, art and literature, gold and stone, and Wenzheng. There are 15 categories, and there are 183 subheads below.A large amount of content is expressed in the form of diagrams, with specific figures, fine statistics, and clear organization.For example, the astronomical category includes tables of longitude and latitude, Chinese and Japanese new moon tables, Chinese and Japanese time-distance tables, barren, rainy, cold and heat tables, coastal climate tables, windy direction tables, and tidal climate tables.Diplomatic category includes a chronology of Sino-foreign contracted trade, a list of Chinese envoys, a list of foreign envoys to Japan, a list of Japanese envoys to other countries, a list of Chinese exiles, a list of foreign nationals in Japan, a list of Japanese in other countries, and mutual receiving medals table etc table.These charts are clear at a glance and easy to find. It is simply a small encyclopedia that provides a comprehensive introduction to Japan, far better than the vague and general descriptions of Japanese geography and customs written by Chinese in the past.Its historical value is probably second only to Huang Zunxian's 40-volume masterpiece "National History of Japan".Moreover, the book was published in 1889, before the official publication of "Nippon Illustrated Records" in 1895.

Fu Yunlong's "Illustrated Classics of Journeying in Japan" is all-encompassing in terms of content, and strives to fully reflect the appearance of Japan and draw lessons from it.In terms of writing attitude, he pays great attention to seriousness and seeking truth from facts.He emphasized that "do not use the past to decorate the present, but also document the facts" of Japan's country names, place names, noble names, and official names.Seek truth and truth from the facts of Japanese history. As for the "fabled theory", it is better not to accept it than to overcharge it.Analyzing and commenting on Japan, "According to the facts and writings, the public is right and wrong in the world."Fu Yunlong also specifically stated that the coastal maps in the book are all his "actually measured key points, experienced by himself, not just speculation"!

Fu Yunlong and his party took Japan as the first stop of their tour. They arrived in Japan on November 14, 1887, and left Japan on May 29, 1888.After traveling in America, he went to Japan on May 27, 1889, and left Japan on October 19 of the same year to return home.He stayed in Japan twice successively for a total of about one year.Fu Yunlong and his party traveled to Japan and the Americas for two years, with a journey of no less than 30,000 miles.He believes that "among the countries he visited, the United States is the leader of the rich countries, but Japan has to be the hub of China and foreign countries."Fu Yunlong's "Traveling Japan Tujing Yuji" consists of three volumes. The first two volumes and the second volume are the diaries he wrote during his two visits to Japan. They vividly record his travels and investigations in Japan. specific situation.

From the diary written by Fu Yunlong himself, we can see that he travels all over Japan, interacts with people from all walks of life in Japan, visits various institutions, factories, and schools in Japan, attends various banquets, visits places of interest, sings poems and essays, visits and buys anecdotes .He met with then Japanese Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito, Minister of War Oyama Iwah, Minister of the Navy Saigo Conodo, Minister of Agriculture and Commerce Kiyotaka Kuroda and other Japanese political figures.He also visited Mitsubishi Shipyard, Mitsubishi Coal Mine, Senju Textile Factory, Naval Shipyard, Artillery Factory, Sulfuric Acid Factory, Textile Factory, Iron Factory, Winery and other factories and enterprises.He also visited universities, middle schools, elementary schools, normal schools, military schools, hospitals for the blind, museums, barracks, temples, prisons, etc. in Japan.Extensive investigation and research have been carried out, a lot of perceptual knowledge has been obtained, and a large amount of first-hand information has been mastered.In terms of cultural exchanges, he has interacted with many Japanese literati and scholars, and wrote inscriptions, poems and prefaces for them.In Aichi County alone, there were no less than hundreds of Japanese people asking for texts and poems, so that he wrote until dawn, and even leaned on the car to write a few more when he was leaving.On the night before leaving Japan, Japanese people still came to ask for letters.

Although Fu Yunlong's activities in Japan are so busy, his main energy is still on collecting materials and compiling "Tu Jing".During his first visit to Japan, he wrote a narration of Japanese Tujing and sent it back to the Chancellor's Office immediately.During his second visit to Japan, he made it clear that "in the past, travel was the main focus, but now travel is the main focus", and he worked hard to write pictures and scriptures.Due to time constraints and being in a foreign country, there were many difficulties, which made him "distressed".In the narration of Volume 30 of "Traveling Japan's Illustrated Classics", he once talked about various difficulties in compiling and publishing.First of all, in terms of language and characters, there are various pronunciations such as ancient Japanese, kana, vulgar style, and translated Western texts.Secondly, in terms of drawing, typesetting, and printing, maps need to be engraved on copper plates, railway wires must be displayed in various colors, and collation is also time-consuming.In addition, he wrote while traveling, and the time spent on the road often exceeded the time he lived. "The steamboat just berthed, the pen couldn't stop, and the train came back before the paper was finished."Despite encountering so many difficulties, Fu Yunlong still insisted on writing with tenacious perseverance, and often wrote that "the ink is dry and the pen is bald, and the strength is beyond support".Onlookers advised him why he should ask for trouble, and predicted that the book "may not be completed in thirty years."But he made up his mind to "advance and never retreat".In such a short time, Fu Yunlong completed a lot of work such as writing the whole book, drawing charts, drawing, printing, proofreading, etc. It is conceivable how intense and hard it is.For this reason, he often works late into the night, or even through the night.In his diary, there are often such records: "It's four drums at night, and the pen can't stop", "It's the night when the rooster crows, but the grass is still not off", "After the manuscript is off, the rooster crows again!" With great efforts, the final draft of this 30-volume masterpiece was finalized in four months, and it was proofread and printed in Japan.At the same time, 44 newest maps of Japan, including the general map of Japan, were engraved on copper plates.Its speed and efficiency are astonishing.At that time, Li Shuchang, the Minister in Japan who strongly supported his work and was well aware of his ups and downs, described Fu Yunlong's hard work in writing books in the preface of "Journey to Japan". Take your time and write endlessly.He also compared him with Ma Qian from the Taishi Company, "his footprints are farther than Shi Gong, and his knowledge is enough to see by Jingwei." He thinks that if he governs the world with this spirit, what else can't be done!

Fu Yunlong's spirit of writing diligently to enhance mutual understanding between the Chinese and Japanese people and to develop Sino-Japanese cultural exchanges is always worth commemorating and learning from future generations.