Chapter 4 Chapter Four: The Last Elegy

No one can control the pulse of history, so reality cannot be re-chosen.With the formation of powers competing for hegemony in modern history, China's vassal state Ryukyu also ended its legendary life.However, although the Ryukyu Kingdom has gone away, its spirit and soul still exist, and will continue to leave us with endless thinking about history and reality. Although the Qing government was unable to send troops to aid, the Qing government, as the sovereign state, never recognized Japan's annexation of Ryukyu.The Qing government made many representations with Japan and expounded its basic views on the Ryukyu issue: first, there was indeed a suzerain-vassal relationship between China and the Ryukyu Kingdom in history; second, it protested Japan’s aggression against the Ryukyu Kingdom; Third, the ownership of Ryukyu is related to both China and Japan. China opposes Japan directly sending troops to occupy and annex Ryukyu.In addition to directly negotiating with Japan, the Qing government has also been protesting to Japan through diplomatic means.At this time, former US President General Grant traveled to the Far East and came to China. The Chinese side felt that this was an opportunity for mediation. Therefore, Li Hongzhang held talks with Grant on April 23 of this year and asked Grant to mediate between China and Japan on the issue of Ryukyu.At the same time, He Ruzhang actively sought help from foreign ministers in Tokyo.At this time, the US envoy to Japan returned to Japan safely.According to Ping An, the U.S. Congress has issued a statement that if China invites, the U.S. will definitely help China.He Ruzhang told Li Hongzhang about this on the seventh day of April, and reminded Li Hongzhang that you can wait until Grant visits China and ask him to help China.Li Hongzhang originally wanted to invite Grant, but seeing He Ruzhang's move again, he felt that the two sides hit it off, and the two sides agreed that Grant must help China.Li Hongzhang also wrote to He Ruzhang, saying, you are alone in Japan, helpless, and I have made an agreement with Grant that he will take care of you at that time, and you should take the initiative to contact and discuss with Grant more.At this point, it should be "everything is ready, the only thing we need is the east wind", and we are waiting for Grant to go to Japan.It is said that General Grant left China and went to Japan, accompanied by his assistant, Lieutenant General Yang Yuehan, and the US Consul in Tianjin, Deni and others.

It stands to reason that after Grant arrived in Japan, he should implement the plan discussed in advance. According to the wishes reached in advance by both parties, Grant should meet with He Ruzhang, the Chinese Minister to Japan.But things turned out to be contrary to what Li Hongzhang and others had imagined. After Grant arrived in Japan, He Ruzhang asked to meet him several times, but Grant never met He Ruzhang.Instead, Grant has been engaging with the Japanese, and Grant's aide, Yang Yuehan, has told the Japanese that we want to mediate.But Japan took a tough stance, saying that it was not yet time for a third country to mediate. When Yang Yuehan pointed out that Japan had not discussed the Ryukyu issue with China in accordance with international law, Japan completely shifted the responsibility to a trivial matter.What's the matter?It was the note from He Ruzhang, which said that He Ruzhang "was not familiar with the negotiation style, and the wording of the previous statement by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was inappropriate, which meant to humiliate Japan, so it was inconvenient to reply, so he ignored it." It’s a shame.” These were their original words. In short, the notes of He Ruzhang and Minister He included insulting words for Japan, and we felt very embarrassed, so we ignored them.Then he said that if China can cancel this note, we in Japan are still willing to discuss it.Japan's move is very powerful, why is it so powerful?They knew that He Ruzhang had a tough attitude on the Ryukyu issue, he was a tough master, and he would not withdraw the note.How did Japan know?They had tried it a long time ago. Before Grant arrived in Japan, the Terashima sect in Japan suggested to He Ruzhang that we discuss the cancellation of the note, but He Ruzhang said "it is inconvenient to do so."Diplomatic terms mean that they are not very good or easy to handle. It seems that He Ruzhang, a diplomat, is still qualified, and the diplomatic terms he uses are still very euphemistic.At the same time, He Ruzhang seized the opportunity of Grant's imminent arrival in Japan, wrote to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, issued an official letter, and asked, since you said that Ryukyu is your vassal state, what is the year, month, and month when you granted Ryukyu? day.As a result, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan replied to the letter. How did it reply?He didn’t answer He Ruzhang’s questions at all, but repeatedly said that there were “indecent words” in the note, and that Japan never explained the whole story of the Ryukyu incident to you, He Ruzhang, that is, you, He Ruzhang, didn’t know about Ryukyu. The inside story of the incident, what do you mean, do you understand?It’s just that we haven’t told you what happened to Ryukyu?You don't know what you're talking about.The reply also mentioned that we have handed over this matter to the Minister in China Shishido, and he will fully assume the responsibility of negotiating with your prime minister's office.The meaning is very clear, that is, you don't need He Ruzhang to take care of this matter, so don't meddle in it.Are you not tough?Kick you away and see how tough you are?This trick is very ruthless.At that time, He Ruzhang was very tough on the Ryukyu issue, and he had a different view from Li Hongzhang.

Ruzhang is well aware that China is definitely not the time to use troops at this time. Even if we are concerned about the Japanese, I am also magnanimous.If you talk with each other, there will be no end.However, no matter what the ending is, compared with today's forbearance and silence, he is still good at this.That is to say, there is no end date, but the Japanese have some scruples, and the players will gain a lot by prolonging it.Without saying anything, the Japanese destroyed Ryukyu, trained it as a soldier, and drove it into a bandit. When they feared that there would be endless troubles on the border, Si looked at the situation again and again, hesitated repeatedly, and felt that he had to speak.

And what about Li Hongzhang? Ryukyu is a black bullet, isolated overseas, farther than China, and closer to Japan. Ryukyu's tribute is of no great benefit. If you accept the tribute and fail to protect your country, it will be looked down upon by all countries; The madness may not be within my scope.If we compete with each other in power and compete for the tribute of small countries, we will be diligent and far-reaching in spite of fame and fortune. He Ruzhang had a tough attitude, and Japan wanted to kick him away, looking for a soft persimmon, looking for a good talker, and handing over the task to Shishido was also based on this consideration.What kind of person is this Shishido?As early as when he first arrived in Beijing, the Qing government asked him to talk to him. He was the Japanese ambassador to China, and it was reasonable to talk to him, but what kind of attitude did this Shishido keep, saying that he "couldn't have heard about it in advance", which shows that this man is too extreme. He learned well, and Japan entrusted him with the Ryukyu matter, hey, let's play Tai Chi.Japan's strategy is really intertwined. Since you still have a tough attitude, then we have a solution, that is, "delay", delay, make various excuses, and use various methods, that is, delay not negotiating with you. I have to go back to take medicine when I have a headache. After a while, I feel sick to my stomach after taking medicine. Of course, this is some of our usual tactics between people. People who don’t want to go to class or work often use this kind of excuse.Diplomatic negotiations are more than that simple. As we mentioned earlier, when He Ruzhang wanted to talk to Japan, they were on summer vacation and they couldn’t find anyone. If you are in a hurry, they are hiding somewhere. Let’s just wait. You can’t stay away from work all the time. Finally, when they go to work, they have adopted a new delaying tactic. The focus is on He Ruzhang’s “note”, repeatedly emphasizing that He Ruzhang’s “note” is too violent, which will damage our Japanese reputation. Dignity, if you revoke this note, we will discuss it, and if you do not revoke it, we will not discuss it.

Now that the focus is on this "note", let's see whether this "note" conforms to the norms of diplomatic writing, and whether it is inappropriate?How to deal with it?You say it doesn’t meet the requirements, I say it meets the requirements, you can’t quarrel endlessly, it’s easy to handle, find a third party, and we will know after notarization.This task fell on the Americans. Grant's assistant, Yang Yuehan, went to the US ambassador to Japan to discuss safely. The result of the discussion was that China was right. He Ruzhang also sent the relevant documents to Grant himself for him to take a look. , Grant reviewed it carefully and read it again and again, and he also believed that China was justified, and there was nothing far-fetched.To the Japanese side, I have investigated this matter, and it really depends on Japan.Except for the United States, it was just in time for the British governor in Hong Kong to visit Japan. The governor had a good relationship with Yang Yuehan, so he must have supported China on Yang Yuehan's side, but there was another person who was different, who was it?Who is the British Minister to Japan, Bacharley?He was the one who instigated Japan to abolish Ryukyu back then.There is also a man named Shi Bo in Tokyo, Japan. This Shi Bo is an American. He once served as the U.S. Consul in Tianjin. Later, he was invited by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to serve as a consultant for more than two years. He has a very detailed knowledge of domestic issues in Japan, especially on the Ryukyu issue. Shibo has a very good relationship with Germany. This Germany is the US consul in Tianjin who accompanied Grant to Japan. The main information about Grant and others in Japan is Collected by Germany.Shi Bo told Dene about how Pacharley provoked him, and Dene must have told Grant immediately.Grant was very affirmative and appreciative of Germany, so he naturally believed that the instigator of the Ryukyu issue was Bacharley.In addition, Shi Bo also told De that this Bacharley had a close relationship with He Ruzhang. He said that when He Ruzhang first arrived in Japan, he was not very familiar with the diplomatic system, so he mistakenly thought that Bacharley was a good person, and he went very far with him. close.Grant and his group were very dissatisfied with this news, and they believed that this Parker was behind the whole incident. Why did you get close to him?There is no distinction between the enemy and the enemy, what position do you stand on?So he didn't trust He Ruzhang anymore, so De said to Li Hongzhang:

All the ministers and foreign affairs ministries of various countries are well aware of all confidential and important matters in the He legation, and there is fear that there will be people who secretly inform the news.If the chief and deputy envoys are at odds, the whole country knows it. In this way, Grant decided not to meet with He Ruzhang at all, and felt that He Ruzhang's stay in Tokyo would do more harm than good to the solution of the problem. This Basher is also in Tokyo, and the confidentiality of our work cannot be guaranteed.Oh, as long as we have any ideas, the other party will know immediately, and they will "know themselves and the enemy", so he decided not to carry out the mediation work in Tokyo.Grant is very smart, so he asked Japanese Minister of the Interior Ito and General Saikaku to travel to Nikko Mountain. This Nikko Mountain is a good place. There is a famous saying in Japan, which means: If you want to travel to Japan, you will feel as if you don’t go to Nikko Mountain. But much worse.Nikko Mountain is located in Nikko City, Japan, not very far from Tokyo.By the way, in Japan, this city is smaller than the prefecture. Nikko is a small place next to Tokyo. Regardless of how small it is, this place is very famous.First, it has beautiful scenery and is an international tourist attraction; second, Tokugawa Ieyasu's tomb is here.Tokugawa Ieyasu was the one who first coveted the wealth of Ryukyu and sent Satsuma to invade Ryukyu as we mentioned earlier.Grant chose this place, anyway, as long as it's not in Tokyo, that Parker doesn't know.Grant said to the Japanese minister, we are not talking in Tokyo, the pollution is serious, the air is not good, and I don't like Parker very much.

I think this matter cannot be done in Japan, since the British envoy is here to restrain it, it must not be done.It should be settled with Prince Gong in Beijing, or with Li Zhongtang in Tianjin. People just said it outright, without shy away from it.Let's go for a walk, get some fresh air, look at the scenery, relax, and talk about things.In this way, the group arrived at Sunshine Mountain, and it took about a week to bring them back. We don’t know how they talked about it. It’s a confidential matter. Anyway, when Grant returns to Tokyo after his trip, he will write to Li Hongzhang I wrote a letter, saying that Japan has decided to negotiate with you, "There is no need to ask other countries to mediate." A few days later, I wrote a letter to explain some specific details of the negotiation:

In the past, when the two countries negotiated this matter, there was a document with too many words, which made it impossible to turn around, and the Japanese people were quite upset.If the article refuses to be revoked, it may be difficult to negotiate in the future.If they are willing to withdraw first, the Japanese will be satisfied, and they are willing to discuss the method with the Chinese special commissioner. Among them, "there is a document" refers to He Ruzhang's "note", saying: Minister He used to have a document that was very strange to Japan. They didn't see each other often, and they couldn't discuss business matters.I hope that China will deal with this matter in detail. It may wish to withdraw the previous document and send another high-level official to discuss with Japan. We should try to settle it.

He also said: Watching the Japanese talk about Ryukyu affairs is slightly inconsistent with what I heard in Beijing and Tianjin.Although not very consistent, Japan does not intend to quarrel with China. I don’t know if it’s because of the beautiful scenery of Riguang Mountain or some other reason. Suddenly, Japan expressed its willingness to negotiate, and, seeing what Grant meant, Japan didn’t want to be at odds with you. Misunderstanding, you still need to talk about it.Later, Grant's assistant Yang Yuehan sent another letter. He was both Grant's assistant and his friend, and his opinion actually represented Grant's opinion.What does the letter say?First of all, he said that he has a good impression of He Ruzhang. He also works in the diplomatic field, and He Ruzhang treats people very well. He also said that Grant has no big opinion on He Ruzhang. He thinks that He Ruzhang is still competent for the job. .So what is He Ruzhang's problem?It was just that he was too close to Pachari, and it was this Pachari who was playing tricks on Ryukyu, so it was not convenient for Grant to talk to He Ruzhang.At the same time, he also said that He Ruzhang's "note" is actually a "detailed story". It is a matter of details. Whether the Ryukyu matter can be solved and how to solve it, "has nothing to do with the note, so there is no need to pursue it." This "note" is actually a trivial matter. Don't take it too seriously, since the Japanese side asks you to withdraw, you won't lose much if you withdraw.And the words you used in this note are indeed a bit blunt and impolite. The problem in Ryukyu is not serious enough to say such serious words.Hey, look at what I said, it’s different from before. What I said before is very clear, that is, this "note" is very reasonable and nothing far-fetched. Why did you change your mind today?It can be seen that Grant's position has begun to shift to Japan at this time. At this time, he is only trying to persuade China and Japan to be friendly. You should discuss the matter of Ryukyu. "For example, when two people are walking, give way to each other, and then pass by themselves." After reading their letters, Li Hongzhang believed that He Ruzhang had a close relationship with Pachari, which caused Grant to not trust He Ruzhang, which delayed the resolution of the matter.But is that really the case?People have two mouths, we can't just listen to what others say, the person concerned hasn't made a statement yet.He Ruzhang explained that when I first arrived in Japan, I could see that Bacharley was "everything cunning", so I deliberately distanced myself from him. When I proposed to let foreign countries participate in the mediation, I mentioned the United States and did not mention it. Britain, for that reason.In addition, this Parker not only has a bad relationship with me, but also has a bad relationship with Japan and the United States; as for De, he doesn't know the inside story, and what he said are all "suspicious words from outside the bureau". It was all done without careful research, and he was thinking about it on his own. Although he wanted to help, he didn't know where to start, but he didn't do anything and felt sorry for our Qing Dynasty, so he put forward some ideas and opinions, but Most of them are not in line with the objective situation. The more you help, the more you help. When he came back to China, he asked me for travel expenses, so I gave it to him.As far as Japan agrees to negotiate with us, as far as I know, there is actually another purpose. The main reason is to delay. They want to delay the Ryukyu issue as long as possible. When they are sleepy, they have an opportunity to take advantage of it.The letters from Grant and He Ruzhang are different, and they both sound very reasonable. Who should I listen to?At this time, Li Hongzhang made a decision: believe in He Ruzhang, support He Ruzhang!Especially in the note incident, I fully support He Ruzhang. In our words today, top!He replied to the US side with a firm and tough stance, especially on the issue of the "note".

China has always been polite in football affairs, and it can also treat all countries in the world.As for our country's Minister He's over-wording in the note to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the lapse of words at this moment, as respected, is a matter of detail. Whether the ball is over or not, and how it is over, has nothing to do with the note.Japan seems to use excuses not to do business with it, as a way to cover up after the fact.If you blamed the missing words in the note at the beginning, you might as well ask the minister in Beijing to discuss with our prime minister's office.Your former lord and Your Excellency have insight into the hypocrisy of love, and they should have understood it clearly.

At the same time, Li Hongzhang also specially wrote to He Ruzhang, saying that "beauties also favor Japanese people, so they should not tell the truth." At this time, Li Hongzhang realized that the position of the United States had begun to shift to Japan.As for the reason, Li Hongzhang believes that the Americans are because Japan "received too politely, so they also invited them according to their own wishes." There is a saying in China called "Eating people's mouth is short, and others' hands are short." Li Hongzhang thinks Grant is I got the benefits of the Japanese, so I slowly started to plead for Japan.In fact, he only guessed part of it correctly. There is another more important reason for the wavering of the US position.That's another story.After Grant returned to China, someone asked him, who has the strongest military strength, China or Japan?Grant replied that "China is far behind Japan", not only in weapons, but also in the morale and daily training of the army.In fact, this point was realized shortly after Grant, Yang Yuehan and his party first arrived in Japan. The key to negotiating with Japan is not the treaty but self-improvement. Although Grant's position turned to Japan, he still promoted the re-negotiation of the Ryukyu issue between China and Japan, and asked China and Japan to discuss it carefully, and peace is the most important thing.We Chinese have always been peace-loving. Since others have said it, we took the initiative and wrote a letter to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, saying that based on the principle of Sino-Japanese friendship, we will sit down and have a good talk.At that time, Japan also agreed, so let’s sit down and talk about it.However, something went wrong again. We sent a representative here. After waiting for a long time, the Japanese representative did not come.what happened?Don't you want to talk?Why can't I see anyone?Write a letter to ask again, it took several days to go back and forth, and there was no overseas phone call at that time, so I had to write a letter.They also wrote back, saying that we are still discussing who to send as a representative. Zhang San suddenly fell ill, Li Si’s wife just gave birth, and Wang Wu didn’t have much experience. We haven’t discussed it yet. Hold on.After procrastinating in this way, I finally sent Shinichiro Takezo, a junior clerk of the Ministry of Finance, out to argue with Li Hongzhang first, saying that Ryukyu belongs exclusively to Japan, and was never a vassal state of your Qing Dynasty.Hey, this is really "If you don't make a song, you can make a blockbuster". Li Hongzhang was very angry when he heard it at that time, and immediately retorted: When Japan made a treaty with me, the first article said "the territory it belongs to", which actually refers to Korea and Ryukyu, which belong to China.At that time, Date (Zongcheng) and Fujima (Tanchen), who later changed the contract, did not declare to me that Ryukyu is a Japanese vassal state.Now it is suddenly said that Ryukyu belongs to Japan and not to China, which is absurd and unreasonable, which is deeply surprising.Today, if there is no need to argue about which country Ryukyu belongs to, but if the two countries are reconciled, the intention of Japan is to bully China. Although I want to reconcile, can I get it? What does that mean?That is to say, we talk to you based on the principle of friendship between the two sides. When you come up, you use strong words and distort the facts without any sincerity. You say that Ryukyu belongs to you and not China. You are bullying others. How can we talk like this?After Li Hongzhang's criticism, this Takezo Shinichiro not only didn't blush, but secretly laughed.What does he like?He first found out Li Hongzhang's position on the issue of the ownership of Ryukyu. He said at the beginning that Ryukyu is exclusive to Japan, but Li Hongzhang did not propose that Ryukyu is exclusive to China, so he knew the "two ownership" of Ryukyu. Li Hongzhang still acquiesced , just like we usually bargain when we buy things, how much is it? 100; 50; no, 90; 70; no, 80; 75; deal.This is also a negotiation, you have to leave room for yourself to bargain.Takezoe Shinichiro was very happy, and went back to tell his superiors about it. After a year, he came again, this time saying: If the Chinese minister puts the overall situation first, he must listen to our merchants entering the mainland of China and whether they are willing to relocate. Just like the Westerners, I can also designate Miyako Island and Yaeyama Island in Ryukyu as China's jurisdiction to delineate the border between the two countries. . Alas, the Chinese minister really puts the overall situation first. So, if you allow our Japanese businessmen to trade freely in your interior, just like Westerners do, we will return the Miyako Island and Yaeyama Island in the south of Ryukyu to your jurisdiction. This delimits the border between China and Japan.When Li Hongzhang heard it, he understood that they were using Ryukyu as a threat to gain benefits in China.We have all learned history, and there is a word called "one body is equal".Li Hongzhang knew very well at this time, he thought that if "one body equal access" was included in the "Sino-Japanese Treaty", China would have endless troubles, and I could not agree.He answered this Taketo Shinichiro and said: First, China's struggle for Ryukyu was originally a matter of prosperity and extinction. In order to support the weak, it has no intention of benefiting the people and the land. It is because your country has no doubts and divides the South Island from China. China will not dare to accept it. Second, as for trade and taxation, which is a common matter in the negotiations between the two countries, it should not be involved. It seems that there is a coercion to ask China, and it is difficult to agree. ... The matter of trade and commerce should be discussed separately, and it must not be confused with the same case. It means that we are now fighting for Ryukyu to keep the country of Ryukyu from perishing. We don’t covet other people’s land. You Japan is now divided into two, and the south belongs to us. We don’t accept it.In addition, the issue of free trade that you mentioned in Japan is another matter. You cannot use Ryukyu to blackmail us.Since the two sides could not reach a consensus for a while, the meeting was adjourned.After the adjournment, everyone should go back to ask for instructions and discuss. Everyone in China is discussing, and the purpose is to reject it. Li Hongzhang believes: The two southern islands were handed over, and half of Ryukyu had been cut off. China did not do this for profit, and the king of the ball should be returned to the garrison. Based on this conclusion, it may not be possible to make another enemy besides the Russians. Liu Kunyi, Minister of Nanyang, also said: The two southern islands re-established Ryukyu to serve as a sacrifice to the front line. At that time, the relationship between China and Russia was tense due to the Ili issue, and the relationship between China and France on the Vietnam issue had to be handled carefully. Li Hongzhang and others felt that if it was delayed for too long, if Japan and Russia colluded, it would be even more hostile. Considering the surrounding area In view of the situation, and in order to preserve the Ryukyu Kingdom, they all advocated an early settlement of the Ryukyu issue. On the one hand, He Ruzhang was asked to find the heir of the King of Ball in Japan and prepare for the king of Ball.On the other hand, it is better to negotiate with Japan and strive for more favorable conditions.He Ruzhang searched and searched, and found a lot. The eldest son Shang Dian of the ball king is 17 years old, and the second son Shang Yin is 15 years old. The two are in Tokyo; Relatives are all in Ryukyu. He Ruzhang was very happy to find these people, but after meeting and talking, He Ruzhang became unhappy again. What's the matter?He Ruzhang told them that we discussed with Japan, and they returned the two southern islands, and we still let you manage them, so that Ryukyu can continue to survive and develop.But in the end, the other party's reaction was far beyond He Ruzhang's expectations. He Ruzhang shook his head when they heard it. He Ruzhang found out after inquiring that this southern part of Ryukyu is a poor place with barren land and lack of products. Compared with the northern part, it is simply barren. Even if the land is returned, it will have to be annexed step by step by Japan in the future, and we dare not accept it now.He Ruzhang thought, oh, it makes sense, we only want to "rejuvenate and destroy the country, and continue to be peerless" and return the South Island to Ryukyu, but now people dare not take it. This is troublesome and a dilemma.Let's discuss it again.After discussions and discussions, and finally considering the surrounding international situation, we still advocated that the Ryukyu issue should be resolved as soon as possible. In the end, everyone reached a consensus: The areas of the two islands are barren, and it is necessary to borrow them as the basis for storing balls.Considering the current situation, if China rejects Japan too much, Japan will become more and more deeply involved with Russia.This move is not only to save the ball, but also to prevent Russia. This mentality plays into Japan's hands.The Japanese government really wanted to use the Yili issue raised between China and Russia to contain China. "In order to realize the treaty revision, the Meiji government tried to use the international environment skillfully, and the relationship between Russia and Qing Dynasty was one of them."They want to take advantage of China's rush to urge China to sign a contract to gain benefits in China. At this time, they don't mention any "notes" incident, especially because they have changed the foreign secretary. A man named Kaoru Inoue clearly stated: China used to exchange notes, and the language is good. Since the ball is regarded as two genus, the tone of the words is more fair. The abolition of the Ryukyu vassals stemmed from the internal affairs of our country. That is to say, there is nothing wrong with the previous "note" and it is quite good, so I will not talk about it, let's talk directly about the issue of the division of Ryukyu.In this way, in August 1880, China and Japan started negotiations in Beijing, and "dividing the Ryukyu Islands" and "amending the "Sino-Japanese Reconciliation Regulations"" became the focus of the meeting.After several negotiations, in October of the same year, Japanese envoy Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Hu Ji and the Zongli Yamen negotiated the Ryukyu Partition Treaty. Through this negotiation, Japan added the clause of most-favored-nation treatment to the "Sino-Japanese Amendment Regulations".At the same time, the Meiji government ceded the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands to China, and agreed that Japan would not interfere in the future.You can see from this content that Japan is using Ryukyu as a threat to obtain most-favored-nation treatment in China, and their wishful thinking has almost come true.Why do you say almost?It was later that the Qing Dynasty did not agree.What is going on here? The Prime Minister’s National Affairs Office really wanted to take a step back and sign a treaty with Japan, but it aroused dissatisfaction among many people, among whom the Ryukyu people were even more dissatisfied. They organized a demonstration and petition in Tianjin, which caused a lot of trouble.In addition, many officials in the Qing court were dissatisfied and wrote letters one after another. Among them was Chen Baochen, who thought: The Russian matter is settled, the Japanese case should not be concluded prematurely, and the Japanese agreement should not be lightly agreed. Don't fall into cunning schemes and open up frauds. There were quite a few people who supported him. At this time, Li Hongzhang also hesitated. Coupled with the petition movement launched by Ryukyu, Li Hongzhang had to rethink, and kept writing memorials to explain the pros and cons and analyze the problems: After the first day of the first day of the copy, I have communicated with Gang Gang for five telegrams, and I have listened to the Russian envoy's draft.The household discussion on the ball can only belong to my South Island, and I still allow Peter to make two agreements.Inquiring about the King of Ball and his heirs insisted that they could not be handed over. They said that the King of Ball's family avoided Shang's surname and took the surname of Xiang.In addition, I have never heard of a surname like Xiang, and there is no one with a name like Dehong.Immediately tried to inquire, and Zha asked Dehong for help since he went to Qiujiaomen. After weeping and bleeding, Hongzhang was properly placed in the Xidawang Temple.Yi came to beg for help many times, but he was ashamed that he could not respond. People persuaded him to return the ball or go to other places, but he did not move.Hearing that the resources and ax were in short supply, and the solar eclipse continued, he increased the amount of relief, but he did not bear to count and receive him.His loyalty and perseverance are almost as high as Shen Baoxu's.Zheng Dao, who belongs to Tianjin Customs, has consulted with him from the side, and all written questions and answers will be published on the 14th or 15th.He also drew a sketch by himself and presented it for appreciation.Xiang Dehong is indeed a relative of the royal family of the ball, and he was a purple scarf official before.However, the so-called Yae and Miyako two islands are barren and unable to support themselves, especially to cut off the South Island and establish a separate supervisory country, which is absolutely impossible to follow.Unable to cry on the ground again, the benevolent and virtuous are respectable, and the lonely and loyal are also sympathetic.If Zun Chu has not yet reached an agreement with the household, it seems appropriate to delay this matter.Although the speaker asked to conclude the case quickly, he did not fully understand the twists and turns.Even if the Russians start a quarrel, it seems that there is no need to rely on Japan.And Japan is most afraid of the Russians, and its secrets are difficult to cooperate with. China's power is really no match for Russia, and it would rather surrender to Russia, so why bother to think about whether Japan can help?If the current proposals are followed, the champion of the ball will no longer exist, no matter who is established, the South Island will be barren and insufficient to survive, and it will still be Japan's ears in a few years.If China sets up officials and defenses separately, it will only increase and become tired.And with the benefits of both trade and commerce in the interior, Yi Yiou got rid of the useless desert island and took it from Yixi.Both inherit and ask, dare to pay homage to his stupidity, and Fu Wei decides.Whether Xiang Dehong should be ordered to go to Beijing for consultation is still pending. Li Hongzhang finally changed his mind and wrote to the court on November 11, 1880: Hearing that the Japanese envoy Hu Ji was urging the conclusion of the ball case at the Prime Minister's Office, he knew that the Sino-Russian agreement had not yet been decided, and intended to take advantage of this opportunity.Chen Yu thought that when Ryukyu was abolished, China's system was at stake, so we had to discuss the theory urgently; now that Russia's affairs are in the ascendant, it is difficult for China to take care of it.Moreover, the Japanese people have many requests, and if they are allowed, they will be greatly harmed, and if they are rejected, they will make an enemy. The only method of delay is the most appropriate.Because this is a matter of the other side's straight line, he must not turn to provocation because China does not question it for the time being.Once the Russian matter is over, and then deal with the ball case, you will be dedicated and self-reliant. ... This matter can be delayed, so as not to regret it. It means that we are now in a dilemma. We will lose a lot if we sign the contract with Japan. If we don’t sign the contract, we will add an enemy, and Russia will be a headache.After analyzing and analyzing, I think it is most appropriate to take the method of delaying, and wait until the conflict between us and Russia is resolved, and then resolve the Ryukyu issue with Japan.At present, the signing of the contract with Japan can be delayed, and specific tactics are proposed: When the three-month limit expires, if the Russian negotiation fails, and the peace situation can be pre-determined, he will come to urge to change the contract, or limit the contract with the merchant, or submit an extension.If the Russian matter has been concluded within three months, it is proposed to ask for an edict stating the reason why it cannot be approved, and declare the envoy.That is to say, the performance of the minister, the admonition of the way of speaking, the inability to release the king of the ball with the other party, and the original intention of obedience to China can all be corrected. In short, if the issue with Russia is still unresolved within three months, then discuss it with Japan; if it is resolved within three months, tell Japan that we will not ratify the Ryukyu Partition Treaty.In this way, the Qing government adopted a policy of delay. Didn’t the two countries discuss it?Just waiting for China to sign it, Japan was in a hurry and urged it to sign it many times, but the Qing government just didn't respond.Over there, Minister Shido was very angry and went back to China. Before he left, he severely criticized the Qing government, and the Qing government also severely criticized him when he left.What's the matter with you, how can you leave before the negotiation is over?You are very wrong.The two sides were entangled in this kind of criticism and counter-criticism, and the treaty was not signed.With the signing of the "Ili Treaty" between China and Russia, the conflict between China and Russia was resolved, and after the relationship eased, the Qing government gave a clear attitude to Japan, that is, not to ratify the treaty, and the Ryukyu issue was shelved.Since then, the entire Ryukyu has been plunged into endless darkness and fell under the rule of Japan by force. 1. "Song of the Seven Sons" Since then, the Meiji government of Japan has confiscated all official documents, account books and other written materials of the past administrative agencies throughout Ryukyu in an attempt to cover up its crimes of aggression by destroying all traces of the old regime.The people of Ryukyu were dissatisfied with the brutal behavior of Japan, and the armed resistance continued. After ceding Taiwan and Penghu to Japan, China no longer has the right to speak on the Ryukyu issue, and the Ryukyu people once again fell into endless waiting.However, Japan's rule intensified. In 1898, the Japanese government forced the Ryukyu people to perform military service, and treated the Ryukyu people as "untouchables", and imposed cruel colonial rule on Ryukyu. In 1916, the Japanese colonial authorities convened the Okinawa Teachers' Conference, forcing teachers to punish students who spoke Ryukyu with insulting means, in order to destroy the language and culture of Ryukyu.In the following decades, incidents of being forced to jump off a cliff or being killed for speaking Ryukyu continued to occur.Japan's colonial rule in Ryukyu was not only resisted by the Ryukyu people, but also caused dissatisfaction from people all over the world. In 1925, Wen Yiduo, a famous Chinese cultural scholar, wrote the popular "Song of the Seven Sons", which mentioned Ryukyu: Taiwan We are a string of pearls held out by the East China Sea, Ryukyu is my group brother, and I am Taiwan. I still have Zheng's heroic spirit in my chest, The loyal red blood stained my family heritage. Mother, the scorching summer is going to kill me; Give me an order, and I can still fight against the city. Mother!I want to come back, mother! The resistance of the Ryukyu people and the sympathy of the people of the world did not make Ryukyu embark on the road of stability and happiness. On the contrary, another major disaster befell the Ryukyu land. 2. The death of Hime Lily At the end of World War II in 1945, the U.S. Army attacked Okinawa Island and launched the Battle of Okinawa Island. The U.S. and Japanese troops fought fiercely in Ryukyu. committed suicide when the prisoner was in danger.And a military rescue team called "Ji Baihe" was also born. It is a battlefield rescue team composed of teachers and students from the Okinawa Prefectural No. 1 Girls' High School, responsible for rescuing the wounded on the battlefield with intensive artillery fire.After the U.S. Army captured Okinawa, they retreated into dark caves, refused to come out and surrender, and finally committed suicide by firing the grenades they carried with them.据史料记载，像姬百合这样惨死的少女成千上万，那些花季少女们一个个拉响了手中的手榴弹。她们的亲人大都惨死在战场，她们也被逼绝望地选择了死亡。更为残酷的是，当日本即将战败，不得不接受《开罗宣言》、《波茨坦公告》，归还一切占领土地时，日本又在人类历史上制造了一起大灾难。 1945年4月，日本政府以“担心琉奴带领支那（中国）人清算日本”为由，下达所谓“玉碎令”，要当地驻军杀光琉球人。据不完全统计，在美军攻入琉球前，日军共屠杀琉球民众26余万人，屠杀规模与南京大屠杀相当。 在琉球人的记忆中，战争造成的伤害更加恐怖和惨痛，在今天的冲绳县有一座姬百合纪念塔，就是为纪念那支“姬百合”救护队的210名师生以及所有像她们一样死去的人而建的。姬百合的死是战争残酷性最典型的代表——那些美丽可爱的少女不是死在美军的炮火下，而是死于日本军队的欺骗和恐吓。 日本在琉球实施这种残酷的殖民统治，妄图用暴力和血腥来达到控制目的，正是其理屈词穷的表现。1880年，清政府拒绝了日本的分岛条约，使日本始终未合法地将琉球攫为己有，这也为第二次世界大战后美国总统罗斯福建议将琉球归还中国提供了法理依据。第二次世界大战中日本战败，中、美、英、苏四国在埃及开罗召开会议，商谈战后对日本的处置，而琉球也迎来了自己命运的又一次转机。这次琉球会迎来新生吗？