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梁启超与中国思想的过渡：1890-1907
《梁启超与中国思想的过渡：1890-1907》一反“西方的冲击”这一研究模式存在的偏颇，强调了中国文化传统在面临外部冲击时所具有的活力。作者张灏通过支1890-1907年过渡时代梁启超思想的研究，详细考察了中西思想在很多领域内的相互影响，勾画出它们在梁启超思想发展中所起的作用指出梁启超塑造的一代“新民”，与现代中国之间的联系，要比五四“新青年”更具有代表性。《梁启超与中国思想的过渡：1890-1907》不愧为继李文森之后国外研究梁启超思想的又一力作。
218 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
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May 12, 2018
A tough tedious time consuming read. Without the assistance of my Taiwanese Friend who is more proficient in Mandarin, I would not be to finish this book. It took me more 3 months to finish this book.
Li Hung Chang was a Chinese governor of Kiangsu and commissioner under the last Qing dynasty. He was in charge of foreign affairs trade and coastal Defence. He supervised military training programs which engaged foreign Instructors. Li was ashamed that Chinese munitions are far inferior to the west. He knew that Japan n Russia had already acquired some of the western technology. He visited many countries Japan US and Western European countries. He was impressed by Japan efforts to learn western techniques and even sent young men to western countries to serve as apprentice to learn western technology and even acquired more advance machines that can help farming irrigation, weaving and printing machine pottery making machine etc. He was open minded to confront the reality that china was backward in term of technology and education to the west. However the Chinese and the ruling Qing elite were anti foreigners , labelling them as barbarians with pride that Middle Kingdom needed nothing from the west Nor anything to learn from them. Li differ in perspectives and he urged the Chinese to be humble and bear humiliation to learn the secrets of the barbarian science and technology which was superior in the utilisation of human resources. He retorted if we cannot learn n make use of the superior western technology in ammunition , we will regret it in future. He wrote " if Chinese cud match those of the west, they would not only be adequate to suppress internal disorder but also sufficient to resist foreign aggression. He was aware of china abject poverty in contrast with the west. He noticed the obsolences of the traditional education system of focus on calligraphy n eight legged essay. He called for self strengthening of the country not only in military weakness but also in china system of education n civil service recruitment. He was prepared to have china adopt barabarian ways and to work harmoniously while seeking methods of self strengthening. He concluded that self strengthening called for adjustments in china existing system of education and civil service recruitment, developing railways n telegraph. Li was impressed by Japan efforts to learn western techniques.
Although he has power to craft and influence policy but was subjected to the approval n support of the Manchu ruling elites and empress dowager. The elites Manchu were living parasite lifestyles extorting from the servile Han peasants. Cixi lived in luxurious splendour She embezzled public funds which virtually paralysed modernisation programs n military Defence. She used funds that had been allocated to build a modern navy fleet to built her summer palace. Starved of money the Chinese navy was sank to bottom of sea by by the Japanese war.
Cixi was anti foreign , not open minded to accept foreign ideas of progress but prepared to use foreign power to Squash local rebellions. Using foreigners to kill locals. Using foreign power to solve domestic problems. Li was assigned by empress dowager to supress the boxer rebellion with the help of British forces which resulted in execution of the rebel leader. China under Cixi 's power was torn by rebellions and caught up in foreign wars. Cixi was dominated by superiority complex is too empty and too crammed to discern and learn what is superior western technology. The spirit of her mind was how to manipulate to stay in power. Perhaps the survival of china as a whole do not matter but what matter was her survival to stay in power.
Liang qichao a brilliant scholar blamed Li Hung Chang for china woes of self strengthening movement which collaborating with the European imperialists and suppressing the masses. Labelled Li as a feudalist and a traitor to the Chinese people. Li had a reputation for prowestern n welcoming foreign influence in china.
My conclusion was Li Hung Chang probably was pragmatic that he was already in his 70, one foot underground and had lived a lifestyle of a feudal lord under the feudal system for decades. It is hard to teach "old dog new tricks. " Liang Qichao solicited Li co operation to change the feudal system to western democracy system which Li replied he was of age and a different generation from young Liang qichao to envisage change. Li probably felt his loyalty shud be with country ruling Manchu ruling elite since he was also the benefactor of the system although he was serving a foreign Manchu master. Being a Shrewd and acute Politicians with deep insight and understanding of the operandi modus of country ruling system Under a ruthless cruel manipulative power hungry dowager cixi ruling the country ; Perhaps Li was probably pessimistic they can be positive change for a better future in china. That may be reason he sent many of his descendants for overseas study and they resided there. It was rumoured that Li was a shareholder in an American bank and his descendants are all successful millionaires in US n UK. Liang qichao on the other hand compelled his Son Liang sicheng an American trained architect Ivy League uni to return to china to serve under the Mao era. Sad to learn the truth that Liang sicheng and his Wife were tortured to death during the cultural revolution as they were accused of being rightist. Is this the price Liang qi Chao paid for his Chinese patriotism ? Was Li Hung Chang being a traitor or being a pragmatist because had good foresight of the culture of working in Chinese politics that he envisaged that china future will be deteriorated that why he invested his wealth n descendants future out of china. ?
Li Hung Chang was a Chinese governor of Kiangsu and commissioner under the last Qing dynasty. He was in charge of foreign affairs trade and coastal Defence. He supervised military training programs which engaged foreign Instructors. Li was ashamed that Chinese munitions are far inferior to the west. He knew that Japan n Russia had already acquired some of the western technology. He visited many countries Japan US and Western European countries. He was impressed by Japan efforts to learn western techniques and even sent young men to western countries to serve as apprentice to learn western technology and even acquired more advance machines that can help farming irrigation, weaving and printing machine pottery making machine etc. He was open minded to confront the reality that china was backward in term of technology and education to the west. However the Chinese and the ruling Qing elite were anti foreigners , labelling them as barbarians with pride that Middle Kingdom needed nothing from the west Nor anything to learn from them. Li differ in perspectives and he urged the Chinese to be humble and bear humiliation to learn the secrets of the barbarian science and technology which was superior in the utilisation of human resources. He retorted if we cannot learn n make use of the superior western technology in ammunition , we will regret it in future. He wrote " if Chinese cud match those of the west, they would not only be adequate to suppress internal disorder but also sufficient to resist foreign aggression. He was aware of china abject poverty in contrast with the west. He noticed the obsolences of the traditional education system of focus on calligraphy n eight legged essay. He called for self strengthening of the country not only in military weakness but also in china system of education n civil service recruitment. He was prepared to have china adopt barabarian ways and to work harmoniously while seeking methods of self strengthening. He concluded that self strengthening called for adjustments in china existing system of education and civil service recruitment, developing railways n telegraph. Li was impressed by Japan efforts to learn western techniques.
Although he has power to craft and influence policy but was subjected to the approval n support of the Manchu ruling elites and empress dowager. The elites Manchu were living parasite lifestyles extorting from the servile Han peasants. Cixi lived in luxurious splendour She embezzled public funds which virtually paralysed modernisation programs n military Defence. She used funds that had been allocated to build a modern navy fleet to built her summer palace. Starved of money the Chinese navy was sank to bottom of sea by by the Japanese war.
Cixi was anti foreign , not open minded to accept foreign ideas of progress but prepared to use foreign power to Squash local rebellions. Using foreigners to kill locals. Using foreign power to solve domestic problems. Li was assigned by empress dowager to supress the boxer rebellion with the help of British forces which resulted in execution of the rebel leader. China under Cixi 's power was torn by rebellions and caught up in foreign wars. Cixi was dominated by superiority complex is too empty and too crammed to discern and learn what is superior western technology. The spirit of her mind was how to manipulate to stay in power. Perhaps the survival of china as a whole do not matter but what matter was her survival to stay in power.
Liang qichao a brilliant scholar blamed Li Hung Chang for china woes of self strengthening movement which collaborating with the European imperialists and suppressing the masses. Labelled Li as a feudalist and a traitor to the Chinese people. Li had a reputation for prowestern n welcoming foreign influence in china.
My conclusion was Li Hung Chang probably was pragmatic that he was already in his 70, one foot underground and had lived a lifestyle of a feudal lord under the feudal system for decades. It is hard to teach "old dog new tricks. " Liang Qichao solicited Li co operation to change the feudal system to western democracy system which Li replied he was of age and a different generation from young Liang qichao to envisage change. Li probably felt his loyalty shud be with country ruling Manchu ruling elite since he was also the benefactor of the system although he was serving a foreign Manchu master. Being a Shrewd and acute Politicians with deep insight and understanding of the operandi modus of country ruling system Under a ruthless cruel manipulative power hungry dowager cixi ruling the country ; Perhaps Li was probably pessimistic they can be positive change for a better future in china. That may be reason he sent many of his descendants for overseas study and they resided there. It was rumoured that Li was a shareholder in an American bank and his descendants are all successful millionaires in US n UK. Liang qichao on the other hand compelled his Son Liang sicheng an American trained architect Ivy League uni to return to china to serve under the Mao era. Sad to learn the truth that Liang sicheng and his Wife were tortured to death during the cultural revolution as they were accused of being rightist. Is this the price Liang qi Chao paid for his Chinese patriotism ? Was Li Hung Chang being a traitor or being a pragmatist because had good foresight of the culture of working in Chinese politics that he envisaged that china future will be deteriorated that why he invested his wealth n descendants future out of china. ?
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