Chapter 8 Chapter 7 Public Bus Letters and National and Breed Protection

The upsurge of political reform in China after the First Sino-Japanese War.As mentioned in the previous article, there are two schools of rapid progress and slow progress.The Slow Progress School launched by Kang Youwei was two years earlier than the Radical Progress School launched by Yang Quyun and Sun Yat-sen—when Sun Yat-sen practiced medicine in Guangzhou in 1893, he was also a Slow Progress School.In order to admire the Kang family, he once entrusted friendship to make friends.Unexpectedly, Kang's self-importance said, "If Sun wants to make friends, he should first have a "disciple post" to be a teacher." He refused to see Sun.Zhong Shanyuan is also a person who "gives me nothing", so how can he ask Kang Youwei to be his teacher?As a result, the two met each other (see Feng Ziyou's "Revolutionary History").When Sun wrote to Li Hongzhang the following year, he met an old bureaucrat who was even more conceited, and wiped his nose.In a fit of anger, Zhongshan turned to Hawaii and formed his own "Xingzhong Association", and made friends with Yang Chong and Qu Yun to join the rebellion.Unexpectedly, Yang Quyun is also a person who only respects me (see "Memoirs of Xie Luotai").There was no room for two donkeys in one trough, and Zhongshan later became a radical solo household.

Kang Youwei was originally a solo household seeking political reform.When he was depressed after repeated setbacks in the traditional imperial examination system, he thought of the imperial examination system.Even all the traditional official systems and social customs are unreasonable.Coupled with what he saw and heard in the concessions in Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Tianjin, his confidence in demanding reform and opening up was further increased.In the autumn of 1888 (the 14th year of Guangxu), at the age of 31, Kang Youwei, an old scholar who failed in the provincial examination in Beijing again, felt the poverty of his life experience and the craziness of thinking about national affairs, and he couldn't help it. He decided that the three high-ranking officials, Weng Tonghe, Pan Zuyin, and Xu Tong, who were in power and powerful in the court at that time and had lost their reputation, were the targets, and wrote a letter on the state affairs.Advocating reform and reform—this is the beginning of his actual actions to reform the law and reform the system.

It is an old tradition of poor intellectuals in ancient my country to write open letters to the ministers in power in the court, discuss state affairs, comment on current affairs, and describe their life experience and education, complaining about their underappreciated talents.In that autocratic era when there were no newspapers and magazines that allowed you to contribute articles, and there was no democracy wall where you could post "big-character posters".This is the only way for poor intellectuals to express their political opinions and sell themselves in the talent market. "There is Bole in the world, and then there is a thousand-mile horse. There is always a thousand-mile horse, but there is not always a thousand-mile horse." Our Han Wen Gong Han Yu, who "went down eight generations of literature" and described himself as a "thousand-mile horse" with four legs, used this method in The talent market has made an appearance.Similarly, our "Hundred Poems on Fighting Wine", Li Bai, the greatest poet in ancient and modern times, also sold himself at a price in this free market.As mentioned before, didn't our Sun Guofu also read books?

Those "buyers" (buyers) like the three dignitaries in the court mentioned above, for the sake of "loving talent", for "being moved", or maybe just for "charging for fame" to engage in "nothing left behind" stuff, often also " Li Xian Corporal "something.So labor and capital benefit.Mutual publicity is enough to make three feet small, and a scholar can become famous all over the world, and his ancestors will be honored.Under this tradition, after Kang Youwei wrote letters to the three dignitaries, he was quite favored.Among the three, Weng Tonghe held him in high esteem.

Weng Tonghe was an out-and-out "teacher of the emperor" at that time.He was the teacher of two young emperors, Tongzhi and Guangxu, and was banned from entering and leaving the palace for more than 30 years.Before the Hundred Days Restoration, he had to go to Yuqing Palace to lecture for Guangxu every day.The little emperor grew up day by day.When the old queen of the curtain was preparing to "return to the government", Tonghe was the "prime minister" of the current dynasty-the "co-organizer" of the prince and Shaowei;He and Li Hongzhang, who was in power at the time, almost divided the government equally.People at the time teased the two of them and said: "The prime minister is thin in Hefei, and the world is barren in Changshu, the prime minister." His power can also be imagined.In addition, Tonghe is also the "No. 1 Scholar", who is the so-called "father and son, prime minister, uncle and nephew No. 1 scholar" of the Weng family. He is really a unparalleled scholar.

With such a good "relationship" and a big "back door" cited, Kang Buyi's popularity in Beijing's cultural circles and official circles has also increased day by day.There are many high-ranking officials who are condescending and condescending in the Taiwan Pavilion, and the scribes in Hanyuan are even more proud of making friends with each other.In this way, Kang Jun would write directly to the emperor if he didn't do anything. It is also an old tradition in our country that ordinary people, especially those who are pretentious and wise, write directly to the emperor on national affairs.Since Boyi and Shuqi in the era of King Wu of Zhou Dynasty, thousands of people have followed suit.However, it is a major risk to engage in the "Book of the Emperor".If you do well, you are blessed by God; if you do not do well, you will be enraged by Long Yan, and you will often be beheaded and ransacked by the "Xia Ting Wei" and "Xia Can Shi".

Kang Youwei's first "Book to the Emperor" was in 1888 (the 14th year of Guangxu), that is, the year he became more important than Weng Tonghe.At this time, a disaster of "a landslide of more than a thousand feet" happened just near the emperor's ancestral tomb.In traditional superstition, this is called the great cause of state ownership, and God's will warns.Kang exaggerated this providence, and wrote a letter asking the emperor to "reform and reform";But the emperor did not have a communication office, so he had to find Weng Tonghe to deliver it.Knowing that Weng's reading is timid, he typed back the ticket.

Although Kangshang Emperor's book cannot be published, it is a major event that has caused a sensation in the government and the public.The evil is naturally also a painstaking work of a great Confucianist in modern literature; a well-known political article that has spread all over the country.As the tide rises, all boats rise, and you will become famous in literature.Therefore, this year he returned to his hometown after being defeated and started the "Wanmu Thatched Cottage". Not only did Liang Qichao, a new imperial examiner, come here admiringly;The inspiration for Sun Yat-sen's letter to Li Hongzhang in 1894 may have come from Kang Youwei.

Youwei taught in the thatched cottage for three years, but unexpectedly, in 1893 (the 19th year of Guangxu), the thirty-six-year-old Tongsheng passed the "juren" in the Guangzhou provincial examination.With the qualification of "juren", Kang Shengren can go to Beijing to participate in the "examination" together with Liang Qichao, a talented student who is fifteen years younger than him, and strive for the degree of "Jinshi" and become a "student of the Son of Heaven". Master Kang and Liang entered Beijing twice in 1894 (Jiawu) and 1895 (Yiwei).At this time, the "Battle of Jiawu" between China and Japan was in full swing.Our army and army were defeated like a mountain; the whole country was shaken and people were panicked.The courtiers either decided to move the capital to the war of resistance, or decided to make a peace agreement, and they could not agree.At that time, the young Emperor Guangxu and his teacher Weng Tonghe, who knew nothing about soldiers, belonged to the main combat faction; while the Li Hongzhang group, which knew the enemy and confidant, and was scheming, persuaded the old Queen Mother, who was afraid of foreigners, to negotiate an agreement. A series of national humiliation events such as "Hiroshima's refusal of envoy" and "Shimonoseki Treaty" also occurred. ——The two parties of the emperor and the empress were also vaguely formed in the court and in the middle, secretly opposing each other.

In this year when the nation is in peril, Beijing is a bustling city.First, in 1894, Empress Dowager Cixi (1835-1908) was sixty years old.This powerful but ignorant female dictator who has been in the country for thirty-five years and loves luxury, embezzled the navy funds and the Beijing government road funds, plus various contributions from the inner government and other provinces, spent a total of tens of millions of taels of silver, Overhaul its "Summer Palace" and the tomb of Dongling.Skillful and obscene.Craftsmen and artists, densely gathered in Beijing, flourished for a while.Second, this year is also the year of the "examination" in the imperial examination system.Thousands of people from various provinces "juren" gathered in Beijing to participate in the examination.

Unexpectedly, in this hustle and bustle of false prosperity, Yuyang suddenly came agitating, the king's division was defeated, and bad news spread frequently.In the early spring of 1895, when the Yiwei Division Jinshi was about to be published, the bad news of the cession of Taiwan and Liaodong and the 20 million taels of indemnity in the "Treaty of Shimonoseki" also arrived at the right time.There was a lot of enthusiasm for a while.Thousands of people in the new imperial examinations launched a student movement, Fu Que wrote a letter, and vowed to fight against Japan to the death.Among them, the weeping tears of young people from Taiwan are the most touching.At this time when the public was passionate, Kang had his old foundation of "writing to the emperor"; Liang was a provocative writer who "always has emotion in his pen".So when the student movement is together, his master and apprentice will lead the group. On April 22, 1895 (March 28 in the lunar calendar), Kang and Liang masters and apprentices worked hard for a day and two nights to write three chapters of the Emperor's "Wan Yan Shu", calling for "refusal of peace." ", "Move the capital", "Reform".Eighteen provinces held a rally in Beijing to respond.There were more than 1,200 co-signers at one time.On May 2nd (the eighth day of the fourth month of the lunar calendar), Kang and Liang masters and apprentices led the team, leading thousands of candidates from 18 provinces and citizens, gathered in front of the "Ducha Yuan" and handed over the request to perform on behalf of them. ——This mass gathering can also be said to be the first student movement in modern Chinese history.This is the "bus letter" that will go down in history. Kang Liang didn't even have a "rickshaw" in his petition this time.The so-called "bus" was known to everyone a hundred years ago; no one will know it a hundred years later.It turns out that in the Han Dynasty two thousand years ago, many government officials held seats at the local level.When these people who were lifted arrived in the capital, they were picked up by "buses" sent by the imperial court as usual.What a glamorous thing it is to take a "bus".Since then, "bus" and "juren" have been inseparable.The bus is Juren; Juren is the bus. So the student movement led by Kang and Liang this time is really a group action of "raising people to rebel".It took three years for a scholar to rebel and fail: the rebellion of people will wait.Just when the rebellion failed, threats and lures from the imperial court came all at once.On the one hand, it stated that it would strictly deal with gathering cases and provoking troubles, and on the other hand, it posted a yellow list, Kang Youwei, the commander-in-chief of the student movement, and the eighth Jinshi in high school.This time, he was "named on the gold list", and the decadence of despondency disappeared.Immediately take off the green shirt and wear the red robe, and face the saints in the Palace of Preserving Harmony.What is the student movement going on?Those busses outside the list who have lost their names in Sun Shan have to go back to their hometowns, pay off their debts, repay their debts, and go to the autumn wind.Taiwan was ceded to Japan, let Tang Jingsong and Hu Shi's father go and suffer the aftermath!After they cried bitterly, they couldn't control it for the time being.Everyone dispersed, the incompetent Qing government did not send a single tank to the streets, and the university tide in Tiananmen disappeared. As far as the heart is concerned, there is no such thing as a student wave in the world!Kang and Liang masters and apprentices, for reforming the law and reforming the system, although they later became fugitive death row prisoners, history is fair after all.The recent "People's Daily" did not come on a whim, and made a supplementary review of Kang, Liang, Wang Anshi and others.Since Kang and Liang who led the elementary school tide are praiseworthy figures in history, then insisting that Wei Jingsheng, Wang Dan, Bao Zunxin, Wang Juntao, etc. are "rioters" who should be imprisoned and killed, is it open-eyed and lying? Life is short, and it is a moment of brilliance, but after all, it is a fleeting moment, a fleeting cloud.The future looks at the present, and the present looks at the past.We do wish the leader long live.At that time, the princes of the dynasty gave birth to old age.In another hundred years, look back at the process of the "Xiaoping Reform"; look at how future historians will write about them. The little farce of "Book on the Bus" finally produced any immediate results.The land is still cut; the money is also accompanied.However, the commotion of raising people to rebel has created a trend of common people asking about politics.Caring about state affairs has become a fad for a while.The way to care is to gather like-minded people, organize associations, and serve the country.The literati and bureaucrats have far-sighted vision and full of knowledge, so they must organize their "Strengthen the Society" and "Protect the National Assembly"; Boxers" came to "support the Qing Dynasty and destroy foreigners"; Overseas Chinese youths, domestic educated youths and secret societies should also organize their "Furen Cultural Society", "Xingzhong Society", "Huaxing Society" and "Recovery Society" to "recover the Qing Dynasty" Drive out the Tartars and restore China."For a while, there were many organizations, and hundreds of associations sprung up.According to statistics made by Liang Qichao, from Jiawu (1894) to 1911 (1911), there were more than 160 open associations with constitutions that could be tested. ——Its purpose is to save a small number of revolutionaries and rebels, and it is also set up to preserve the species and strengthen the country, and to help the Qing Dynasty and destroy the foreign countries. "Helping the Qing and destroying the foreigners" may be the ancestor of the CCP's "prosperity (proletariat) and reduction of capital (bourgeoisie)"! Among the more than a hundred kinds of associations, the group with the most momentum, the most content, and the first organization should be the "Strong Society" led by Kang and Liang. The world has become the darling of the times.The ruling and opposition scholars and bureaucrats all broke the festival.Everyone (including the Empress Dowager) believed that restructuring and reform was the only way for China, and Kang Youwei was a star and even a prophet on this way.If Kang was really a statesman and thinker, he would have great potential.It’s no wonder that we “determined” him a hundred years later at the “time of grievances and grievances”, only to find that he was neither of the two, and we will discuss it in detail in the next section.Although he also devoted 100% of his energy and the life of a younger brother to the "reform of the law" he imagined. In the few months after the signing of the "Treaty of Shimonoseki", the Chinese government and the public had a hard time learning from the pain. They really changed their minds and wanted to run newspapers and schools in big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, and organize associations to engage in innovation.At that time, there was actually a "princeling" in China (to use today's language) - that group of "high-ranking sons" with reform ideas, such as Zhang Zhidong's son Zhang Quan, Zeng Guofan's grandson Zeng Gengjun, Weng Tonghe's grandnephew Weng Binsun, Chen Sanli, the son of Chen Baozhen (the father of the famous historian Chen Yinke), Shen Yuqing, the son of Shen Baozhen, Zuo Xiaotong, the son of Zuo Zongtang, and dozens of people—the most important of which may be Tan Sitong, the son of Hubei governor Tan Jixun. Those who write history cannot underestimate the "princelings".Because they are uniquely endowed, the family has far-reaching influence; education is the best.Knowing the inside story of the old regime is the most real.It is also the fastest to accept new ideas.If they don't indulge in eating, drinking, gambling, taking money and breaking the law, but are determined to serve the country and the people, they are often the most wonderful successor groups or progressive reformers in traditional China, or even the leaders of the underground revolution who rebelled against Lao Tzu.There are precedents in the Han, Tang, Ming, and early mornings; in the regimes of the state and the Communist Party, it has intensified. ——We only need to single out one or two, such as Chen Lu'an from Taiwan and Ye Xuanping from the mainland, which is enough to explain everything. In the late Qing Dynasty, apart from the princelings, a group of capable and experienced middle-aged bureaucratic soldiers such as Yuan Shikai, Nie Shicheng, Sun Jiading, Zhang Jian, etc.: the elderly bureaucrats and even Li Hongzhang were all inclined to reform and opening up.Not to mention Zhang Zhidong, Chen Baozhen, Weng Tonghe and other princeling fathers. ——This situation is quite similar to the political development on the mainland today.Kang Youwei was the leader of the English-style constitutional monarchy and slow progress political reform.He should lead the above-mentioned royalist group well and educate them patiently.Who knew that he made enemies on all sides and isolated himself from the beginning? It turned out that when the "Strong Society" was launched in Beijing in the summer of 1895, its most enthusiastic patrons were Weng Tonghe and Zhang Zhidong, and its most sincere actual organizers were the above-mentioned group of princelings.Once, the Weng family visited Kang Youwei in his private residence in person, but never met.During Kang's return visit, the two talked for hours like old friends.Weng really confided in Kang Zhen.Let’s look at Youwei’s self-report: Although "Weng Shuo" and Jun met for the first time, they have known each other for ten years, and they are really like old friends.Gu Wei Ziyan.It should be secret.Shang (referring to the emperor) has no right.The queen mother was extremely suspicious.There are some snacks to reward the princes and ministers of the nearby branches, and the queen mother also cuts them open to see if there is a secret edict?After being summoned by the Wenyi Pavilion (named Tingshi. Weng's student, also a reformist), he was not allowed to see the ministers.That is, my visitor.There are also those who peep at the door three times.Therefore, I dare not see guests, because it is hard to say. (See Kang's "Self-Compiled Chronicle") At this time, Kang Youwei was a young intellectual who had just obtained a degree (Jinshi).In the Ministry of Industry, he was a small Beijing official with sesame and mung beans (in charge of the sixth grade), and Mr. Weng was so respectful to him.Let me ask the senior cadres of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, can they do it?Friends, if you talk about "inherent culture", you should really seek it in these places.Recently, Lee Kuan Yew in Singapore wants to promote "Confucianism", and he may also be interested in this "gentle and honest" side.But the result is sometimes counterproductive, and the profound academic theory involved is hard to describe in one word. — This is, of course, a digression. The establishment of the "Strong Society" in Beijing began when Weng Tonghe set aside a small budget from the Ministry of Household Affairs and allocated a printing machine.Sun Jianai, Shangshu of the Ministry of Industry, found a house for it as the meeting place.Afterwards, Wang Wenshao, a university scholar, Liu Kunyi, governor of Liangjiang, and Zhang Zhidong, governor of Huguang, each donated 5,000 silver dollars.Active soldiers such as Nie Shicheng in the Huai Army and Mo Qing in the Yi Army also donated several thousand yuan each.There are many other small donations.With such an economic foundation and political background, the conference affairs of the society should be smooth sailing.Unfortunately, it started with several policy wrangles.Some of the people in charge want to gradually turn this society into a self-sufficient publishing and cultural enterprise that promotes new ideas and promotes reform and opening up, so that it can be self-reliant and long-term maintained.But this idea was rejected by Kang Mou.He thought that doing so was "beginning with righteousness and ending with profit", but the result was "out of joy" in the debate. Disagreement over policies among members of an association is a normal and expected phenomenon, but if it occurs in a group of Chinese intellectuals, complications will often arise and lead to division and disintegration.Furthermore, in addition to this internal cause, it also shows people that it is not wide.At this time, Li Hongzhang, who was walking in the "Prime Minister's Office" due to defeat and defeat, also admired the "Strong Society", and volunteered to contribute 2,000 yuan to join as a member or patron.But Li's application was rejected by the club.Naturally, Kang Youwei was also the main decision maker for this veto. Li Hongzhang was a world-renowned Chinese statesman at that time.Although he temporarily lost power, his latent power, his international reputation, especially his status in the Queen's Party, are still indistinguishable for a while, and Kang Youwei, a sixth-rank Beijing official, actually shaved his beard publicly-this can also be seen At that time, Kang's arrogance was overwhelmed.So even Weng Tonghe, who valued him the most at that time, also said in his diary, "Kang Zu is crazy." Kang Youwei arrived in Shanghai on October 29, 1895 (September 12 in the lunar calendar).In Shanghai, his Qing Wang really like the sky.Unexpectedly, not only did his arrogance not diminish at all, but instead it rose even higher because of it. At this time, the most powerful and innovative "big man" in China was actually Zhang Zhidong.Zhang Yu was transferred from Wuchang to Nanjing at this time, and served as the most important "Governor of the Two Rivers and Minister of Nanyang" in southern China, with jurisdiction over the three provinces of Jiangsu, Anhui, and Jiangxi (including Shanghai, which was the economic and cultural center at that time).As soon as Kang arrived in Shanghai, Zhang Zhidong sent someone to take him to Nanjing.In Nanjing, Kang Youwei stayed for more than 20 days and became Zhang Zhidong's guest of honor.Zhang really obeyed him.During this period, the "Shanghai Qiang Society", which was formally established in Shanghai, and the publication of the society's official newspaper, Qiang Xue Bao (January 12, 1896), were all supported by Zhang Zhidong. The important declaration "Preface to Shanghai Strong Society" was written by Kang Youwei and published under the name of Zhang Zhidong.Unexpectedly, the honeymoon between Zhang and Kang was completely destroyed by Kang Youwei's dogmatism.Let’s copy another passage from Kang Youwei’s Master’s own words: After staying in Jiangning for more than 20 days, he said that Zhang Xiangtao opened the "Strong Society".Xiang Tao is quite self-indulgent.Talk every other day, every night.Lu Tao did not believe in Confucius' reform, and frequently advised him not to talk about this study, but to make offerings.And let (Liang) Xinghai come to speak.I tell you, "Confucius reformed the Dao. How can it be easy for the governor of one or two rivers to make offerings? If you make offerings to change what you have learned, how can Xiang Tao take it?" (see "Kang Nanhai's Chronicle" Guangxu 21 year) When we read the above passage, it is not difficult to imagine the high arrogance of Kang Youwei at that time.The brutality of his language and his bad attitude can be said to have reached the extreme.But this memory is still after he was frustrated.When he is proud of his spring breeze, his rampant attitude may be even worse than this.Nevertheless, the Nanyang Minister Zhang Zhidong (1837-1909), who was 21 years older than Kang, still gave him generous, enthusiastic support and sincere advice.But Kang Youwei insisted on not pretending to this enlightened elder and superior leader.Let's read Kang's related memories again.Kang says: When I was in Jiangning, things went smoothly.I said, this matter is going smoothly, and in the future there will be those who are extremely rebellious.Huang Zhongtao and Liang Xinghai discussed the constitution of "Strengthening the Society" and engraved it in Shanghai, but Xiangtao rebelled against the alliance because of disagreement in theory.If you don't do it by telegram, you will be told that "the meeting is a big move and cannot be suspended".It was a meeting to rent a house next to Zhang Yuan.Respond from far and near, but Jiang Ning did not come, and he was constrained everywhere, even if there was no impeachment by Yang Chongyi's "Censor", he would be scattered. (same as above) In this account, Kang Youwei believed that the failure of the Strong Society was due to Zhang Zhidong's "rebellion".But according to his master's own words, it is clear that he himself rejects people thousands of miles away.Where is Zhang Zhidong's betrayal? The "Strengthening Learning" movement promoted by Kang and Liang masters and apprentices after the Sino-Japanese War was indeed the most "wisdom" (wisdom) and the most "chance" (chance) in China in the late Qing Dynasty. A mass movement that integrates new ideas and new systems.If it is done well, the later "Huaxing Association", "Recovery Association" and even "Tongmenghui" may not start anew.Without the "1911 Revolution" and the warlord chaos that followed, how could it be the turn of Hu Shi, Chen Duxiu, Li Dazhao and others to engage in the "May 4th Movement"? It should be noted that the group of people who supported the Strong Society back then were indeed the elites of the Chinese intellectual circles (or "bourgeoisie").Their political strength was ten times and a hundred times that of Xu Tong, Gang Yi and Rong Lu among the conservatives at that time.The failure of this kind of collective power is actually closely related to the collapse of the "Strong Society"; and the collapse of the "Strong Society" directly reduced the lineup of the subsequent "Guowei" and the momentum of Emperor Guangxu's reform and reform.This method of throwing stones at one's own feet is a sequela of Kang's "dogmatism"! The failure of "Strengthening Learning" was a major setback in the history of China's modernization development, and it was a setback to Kang Youwei's dogmatism in "Jinwen Jingxue". What is "Jinwen Confucianism"?In order to let general readers have a superficial understanding of it, the author specially prepares the first part as a monograph of Wanyan to elaborate.After readers have read it, they will know that Jinwen Confucianism in my country's "Confucianism", except for being used by some bureaucrats for a while, has not become a big climate in the academic circle.Therefore, since the Han Dynasty, there have been thousands of Confucians who have despised or even despised Jinwen Confucianism.Zhang Zhidong's persuasion of Kang Youwei's "speaking of this learning in a hurry" to carry out the reform is really the kind advice of an elder scholar.Weng Tonghe also read Kang's "Xinxue Apocrypha" in 1894.After reading it, he wrote in his diary: "Looking at Kang Changsu, Zu Yi, and famous scholars in Guangdong, "Xin Xue Pseudo-Classical Research", I thought that Liu Xin's ancient texts were all fake. They messed up the Six Classics, and Zheng Kangcheng and others were all fake. I am so confused. It is true that the Confucianist is a wild fox. I am amazed!" (see Weng) In fact, it is not just Zhang and Weng who regard Kang Shuo as a "wild fox".Later Zhang Taiyan, Hu Shizhi, and the recently deceased Qian Mu all had the same view of Kang.I remember that when the author was in college in Chongqing, there was a classmate (it seems to be brother Huang Zhangjian) who specialized in Gongyang studies as his graduation thesis.I also get involved with it occasionally, but I feel that reading "Spring and Autumn" with the theory of "Three Ages" is not one of the "Tongjing" theories. If you want to use it to "apply", it is "pedantic".In the 1950s, Buxue also tried to write and explain the "Tai Xue" of the Han Dynasty.In my humble article, I also denounced the modern writers of the Han Dynasty as not just "pedantic scholars", but simply "student bureaucrats" who firmly grasped the idea of ​​building a country. ——I also felt it at the time.Of course, the academic level of the "students and bureaucrats" at that time was still far behind that of the modern writers of the Han Dynasty and the late Qing Dynasty! (See the "Appendix" for my essay) Kang Youwei overestimated his own abilities and introduced academics into politics, which gradually transformed from "pedantic Confucianism" into "academic bureaucrat".Zhang Zhidong, Weng Tonghe and others who supported his reform and reform were the most enthusiastic and powerful.With him, a small official in charge of the sixth grade, to resist the diehards with red caps like clouds alone, that would be like a mantis doing a cart.Sure enough, at the beginning of 1896, under the instigation of several old leaders, the censor Yang Chongyi made a fuss, Zhang, Weng and other powerful factions gloated at the sidelines, and Kang Youwei's "strong society" disappeared in smoke.The strong society breaks up, and the small society separates.Intellectuals at that time had no common language for the New Deal and new ideas. I remember that Mr. Hu Shizhi once said to me: "Society rewards a person far more than a person contributes to society." At that time, the past is not far away; our memory is still fresh.Regarding Wang Jingwei, Yu once wrote an article on Wang Zhi's "Ten Mistakes".It is believed that Wang made nine major mistakes, and society and history have forgiven him, giving him the opportunity to "come back to lead".It's just that he made the tenth biggest mistake too "absolutely".History cannot forgive him.He can only be left in the annals of history as a "big traitor". Kang Youwei made a huge dogmatic mistake back then, but although this mistake caused him to die, it did not affect the splendor of returning home and celebrating the old lady's birthday.Later, he once wanted to immigrate to Brazil and go overseas to find another future.Unexpectedly, in 1897, the teaching case in Caozhou, Shandong Province emerged.The whole of China was soon drawn into another, more serious crisis.When the ruling and opposition parties were tied up, they heard the drums and thought about the general. Everyone thought that Kang Youwei was a talent after all; The so-called Caozhou teaching case originally happened on November 1, 1897. Two German preachers were killed by mobs in Juye County, Shandong Province. In today’s New York City, five to eight People were killed by mobs (recently, a Japanese university president who came to a meeting was killed) - but this trivial matter was used as an excuse by the German imperialists who came from behind at that time, and occupied Jiaozhou Bay; and demanded that roads be built in Shandong Province mine.To be honest, we have a lot of capital.Renting Jiaozhou Bay is not a big deal.But at this time, the Sino-Japanese War was defeated, and the Qing Empire was on the verge of death. As soon as the Germans started, other imperialists followed suit. Renting Guangzhou Bay, Japan wants to make plans in the Xiamen area... If such a group of thieves break into the house, delineate the "sphere of influence" and separate themselves, then the problem will be big. ——If it doesn’t work out, the Qing Empire will follow in the footsteps of Poland and be divided among the great powers. In order to cope with this serious situation, the ministers of the Qing Dynasty who were in charge of diplomacy in the prime minister's office were not too worried.Li Hongzhang is a veteran of "using barbarians to control barbarians".During his visit to Russia (44 days from April 30 to June 13, 1896), he made a secret agreement with Russia to deal with the greedy Japan.During the negotiations in Jiaozhou, Weng Tonghe, Zhang Zhidong and even Kang Youwei also wanted to unite with Britain and France while rejecting Russia and Germany.But how can imperialism be so stupid to let you use barbarians to control barbarians?They want to engage in their own "balance of power" (balance of power); delineate their own "spheres of influence" (spheres of influence); "partition" of the sick man of East Asia (partition of China), how can you help yourself " How about "Chinamen" to make their own claims?Therefore, the Qing court's diplomacy is extremely difficult, and the disaster of partition is imminent.At this time, Emperor Guangxu and his far-sighted ministers, who had just been in power, felt that it was better to treat the root cause than to treat the symptoms.In this way, they thought of "improving the law and striving to become stronger."To reform the law, Kang Youwei, the reform expert, is indispensable.And Kang himself did his part.At the end of 1897, Youwei rushed to Beijing with a suitcase full of manuscripts and new books. At this time in Beijing, the Kang Corporation naturally became a think tank for the reform.Because after all, he has written some pamphlets, such as "Research on the Reform of Peter the Great in Russia", "Research on the Political Change of Meiji in Japan", "Revolution of France", "Record of the Partition and Destruction of Poland" and so on.In terms of content, these masterpieces are nothing more than the history textbooks for junior high schools in Taiwan today.However, ordinary people in the ruling and opposition circles at that time had never heard of it.It is said that Emperor Guangxu later read "The Story of the Partition and Destruction of Poland" and shed tears for it, and the Empress Dowager was also quite moved when she read it. Furthermore, since Youwei is still acting as the head of the Ministry of Industry at this time, his letter to the emperor can also be delivered by this yamen according to law.Unfortunately, Kang's personal disputes with the personnel in the "local yamen" were very tense, and he was detained by all levels of the Ministry of Industry.Fortunately, Guangxu had read his memorials during the public transportation period and attached great importance to it. This time, when he knew Kang came to Beijing, he wanted to summon him and was dissuaded by his old uncle Gong Wang Yixin. And then summoned by the emperor himself. In 1898 (1898), on January 24th (the third day of the first month of the lunar calendar), Kang Youwei went to the prime minister's office to meet Weng Tonghe, Li Hongzhang, Rong Lu, Liao Shouheng (Shangshu of the Ministry of punishment), Zhang Yinhuan (left servant of the household department) and other five. Minister, let's start with a set of verbal wars with officials.Xuan Feng Lun made a written statement, waiting for the emperor to summon.In the written statement, Kang's main suggestion is to first set up a "system bureau" to conduct research and design on how to change all the old laws and official systems.Kang even advocated the "absolute withdrawal of the six ministries" and "abolishment of all the regulations" and replaced them with the "twelve bureaus" (law, department, school, agriculture, commerce, industry, mine, railway, post and telecommunications, club, sea, army, etc.) ).The provinces set up "Civil Affairs Bureau" to hold "local self-government". The author is really full of admiration so far. In recent years, I have also tried to talk about Xiaoping's Reform with some new friends, Mr. Yan Jiaqi, Ruan Ming, and Chen Yizi.Shujue Kang, Liang's reform and Xiaoping's reform have their similarities.It's just that Kang and Liang called it the "Institutional Bureau", and Ruan Chen Zhugong called it the "Restructuring Institute". What is the difference between "Commander" and "Commander"? !But time wasted a hundred years.Kang and Liang failed miserably; must Xiaoping succeed?I will wait and see. Kang Youwei's conception of this system was obviously favored by Emperor Guangxu.The young emperor who wanted to govern was ready to summon the Kang family to inquire about the reform.It was the early spring of 1898.It was also the time when the barbarians were oppressed and the state government was in a mess.On the one hand, Guangxu had to deal with the land lease requirements of the big powers (especially Russia), and he was in a hurry.On the one hand, he has to make a choice between the old and the new school officials.It is even more necessary to take time to study the new western learning proposed by the Kang Corporation.Most importantly, he still has to deal with the empress Dowager Cixi who is overwhelmed by Mount Tai-any decision of Guangxu must be based on what the Empress Xi said.She enjoys the final decision on all policies of the Qing Dynasty. This spring can be said to be the happiest season in Kang Youwei's political career.At this time, he was alone in charge of heaven, and he was busy folding books all day long.In addition, surrounded by the attention of the court and celebrities from various provinces, he wants to restore the organization of his strong society that was once popular all over the world. As mentioned above, when the "Strong Society" was forcibly disbanded in the summer of 1896.Associations and gatherings have become a fad for a while, like a fire that starts a prairie fire, and water that falls when it falls, it cannot be stopped.The Strong Society was banned. Although the whole country lost a unified leadership center, local organizations scattered in various provinces, such as the "Xiang Society" in Hunan, the "Guangdong Society" in Guangdong, the "Quality Society" in Hubei, and the "Holy Society" in Guangxi The "Zhejiang Association" in Zhejiang, the "Baodi Association" in Yunnan, the "Mongolian Society" and the "Agricultural Society" in Shanghai, etc., have sprung up all at once.But among these organizers, the most well-known one is naturally Master Kang Liang.Now that the Kang Corporation is making a comeback, he wants to have a unified organization and unified leadership. Based on his original "Guangdong Society", Kang and Liang masters and apprentices established the "Guangdong Branch" of the "Guangdong National Assembly" in Beijing at the end of February 1898 (1898).Although this "Guowei" is not as powerful as the "Strong Society" back then, it has also recruited some heroes.Almost all of the "Six Gentlemen" who did not come to die for reform and reform—Yang Rui, Lin Xu, Liu Guangdi, Yang Shenxiu, Kang Guangren, and Tan Sitong—were sponsors or patrons of the "Guo Guo". This meeting stated that "protecting the country, species and religion" is the purpose; "emphasizing reform, studying diplomacy, and seeking economic effectiveness" is the method.It appeared with a clear political appearance from the beginning, and was approved by Emperor Guangxu.So some political historians actually think that it is the first appearance of party politics in modern China, and Kang Youwei is the leader of the first political party in modern China. It is a pity that the structure of this party leader is too narrow.Although he did not have the "three treasures" (theory, force, and united front) that the CCP later possessed, he could at least play with one treasure, the "united front". Li Hongzhang (later governor of Guangdong and Guangxi) was considered enlightened.And these three governors and the general enlightened sect were not in the circle of Kang and Liang's "protecting the country".Without this group of enlightened and mature powerful factions (the Empress Dowager also gave three points to the powerful faction), the national protectors such as Kang and Liang were just a group of Red Guards under the "Emperor Son".Who can the Red Guards take away from power?Therefore, as soon as the Baoguo was established, the head of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, Hong Jiayu, and Yushi Pan Qinglan handed over the impeachment; the old diehards Gang Yi, Rong Lu and others even fabricated lies in front of the old lady, saying that "the Baoguo" "only protects China, not the Qing Dynasty. ".The old woman has soft ears and cannot bear teasing.一怒之下，加以杯葛，则帝后异途，冲突就不能免了。但是醉心改革的年轻皇帝，认为他既然有了这一群年轻有为的班底，他不能做“亡国之君”——朋友，一八九八年的大清帝困的确已到了被列强瓜分的边缘——他就要不顾一切地去变法改制了。 我们治中国近代史的人，每谈到戊戌变法，总是过分的突出了康有为，光绪皇帝似乎只是个次要角色。这个印象是与历史事实不符合的。 其实戊戌变法的中心人物还是光绪皇帝。康有为只是他看中的一个变法顾问而已。但是康派之毕其功于一役的过激作风，却颇能说服那急于求治的年轻皇帝。皇帝既有过激倾向，乃激起保守派和投机派的联合阵线和反击。而康派的教条主义和过激作风，也拒斥了开明而强大的中间派。开明派和中间派靠边站，剩下的过激派和顽固派两极分化，势均力敌，就短兵相接了。在这两派较劲之时，过激派也就是所谓帝党吧！原是个纸老虎、空架子。一旦临阵交锋，其结果如何？就不言可知了。现在且让我们搜搜根，看看光绪皇帝是怎样搞起维新变法的： 光绪帝爱新觉罗载湉（一八七一～一九〇八）原是道光皇帝的孙子、咸丰皇帝奕詝的胞侄、同治皇帝载淳的堂弟、醇亲王奕譞和西太后妹妹的儿子。慈禧是他的亲姨妈。当同治皇帝于一八七五年驾崩之时，西太后已当政十余年，权势已立。她不想为自己的儿子载淳立后，因清法太皇太后不能听政，所以她就选择了既是胞侄也是姨侄的载湉来承继咸丰。如此，她就又可以继续去“垂帘听政”了。 载湉四岁即位。自此便受教于深宫之中，成长于妇人之手。慈禧原是一位干练而无知的满族老妇：个性又泼辣凶狠，残酷无情。她不是个好妈妈。所以光绪帝自孩提时代起，就畏之如虎。偶遭斥责，便跪地颤抖，齿牙撞击作声，至年长亲政时，亦不能改。但载湉是个聪明俊秀，有见识有良心而爱国的佳子弟。在一个状元老师的教导之下，熟读儒家礼教的诗书。知识渐开，自知为一国之主，也颇想做个明皇圣主，至少不能作“亡国之君”。 一八八七年二月光绪帝十七岁行“亲政”礼，实习做皇帝。一八八九年一月“大婚”。册立一后（叶赫那拉氏）二妃——瑾妃十五岁、珍妃十三岁。二妃为亲姊妹（他他喇氏）。载湉不喜皇后而爱二妃，尤其是聪明美丽的珍妃。但在那太后独裁，宗法礼教下的皇家，他哪里能享有爱情自由呢！同年三月，太后依法“归政”，迁往新近完工的“颐和园”去颐养晚年。按法理，载湉这时就是真正的皇帝了。但是在任何专制政体之内，哪有不死就退休的独裁者呢？不管他是男是女。所以西后也坦白承认她身在园中、心在宫内。日常政务，不妨由儿皇帝去管；军政大权，她是一寸不放的。这时的王公大臣、军头疆吏，原都是她当政四十年一手栽培的。他们被她管得俯首帖耳，也视为当然。 在这种母后专政的压制之下作儿皇帝，最好的方式便是作个鞠躬尽瘁的诸葛亮，或勤政而不揽权的周恩来。要有野心，则做个日积月果，奉命操劳，慢慢培植自己肱股的蒋经国，以待天降大任。接班人富于春秋，水到渠成，是急不得的。最下策则是做个荒淫酒色的昏君，也可避祸。如迫不及待，搞林彪式的政变，那就误己误国了。 所幸光绪亲政之后，国无大故，而李鸿章等所主持的，侧重路矿、海军的所谓“洋务”、“新政”（也可说是“科技现代化”或“四个现代化”吧），表面看来，实颇有可观。至少不在日本之下，而北洋海军在吨位和炮力上说，且超过日本。——事实上中国这时也真是个海军大国，所以西太后才看上了海军。她之所以不顾国情民意，挪用海军经费数百万两去修造颐和园，可能就是出自她私心自觉当家数十年，历尽艰辛；如今国家承平，海军强大；她自己退休了、“归政”了，理应造个好的花园来享享清福的“老姨太”心情。 可是日本在明治维新之后，亦在向西方帝国主急起直追。到一八九四年它居然插足朝鲜，抢夺中国主权，做个后来居上的东方帝国主义。为对付日本，那时的朝中老臣如久涉洋务的恭亲王奕欣，和一手创造“北洋海军”的直隶总督北洋大臣李鸿章，均知国际战争不可轻意发动。透过总理衙门，他们条陈“东事三策”：上策是“郡县化”，把属国朝鲜变成一省；中策“国际化”，开放朝鲜，制造国际均势，以夷制夷；下策“用兵”，以武力驱逐日寇。 当时李恭诸老成分子均主采上中二策；而缺乏实际主政经验但是清望颇高的翁同和，乃至那些清议制造者的各省名士和“公车”，以及许多李鸿章的政敌御史等人，则力主用兵。其时亲政未几而求胜心切的青年皇帝，在心理上原来就是个主战派。再加上个有“独对”（可以单独向皇帝说话，在蒋毛二公时代叫做“通天”）特权的状元老师之不断怂恿，也就主张用兵。至于那个有最后否决权的西太后，她老人家原是个村妇出身的姨太太，她恐“洋”；但不一定恐“日”。所以在多数朝臣谏诤之下，她也就批准了儿子的要求，“下诏宣战”。一战至全军尽墨，举国惶惶之时，他们又把这战败责任，一古脑放在李鸿章头上，把李氏骂成“汉奸”——“汉奸”一辞后来之流通全国，就是从骂李鸿章开始的——使鸿章百口莫辩。 老实说，大清帝国之亡国，并非亡于“辛亥革命”，而是亡于“甲午战争”。甲午之败把我国现代化运动的第一阶段，历时五十年，尤其是其后期的二十五年（所谓“同治中兴”）的“科技现代化”的总成绩，给寃枉地报废了。甲午之败也拆穿了大清帝国五十年科技建设的纸老虎，而使新（德日）旧（英法俄）帝国主义加紧进逼，而形成一八九八年的瓜分危机。甲午之败也使那个有见识有权力，集中兴名臣于一朝的官僚集团，胆战心寒而全部自动或被迫的靠边站，对变法国强丧失了信心。这一集团的隔岸观火，乃导致上述朝政之走向“两极分化”。皇帝与太后既然不能靠边站，乃各趋极端，一分为二。林肯说：“一个分裂的房屋，是不能站立的。”大清皇朝这座“房屋”哪能例外呢？ *原载于台北《传记文学》第六十一卷第二期