Viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi, Ye Mingcong

Author: Huang Yuhe
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-02-01
Features: In Chinese historical records, Ye Mingchen has an unfavorable reputation. For a long time, he has been regarded by historians as a typical figure of stubbornness and fear of the outside world during the Second Opium War. The research of Huang Yuhe, a Chinese-Australian scholar and academician, on Ye Mingchen's handling of domestic affairs shows no fundamental differences from the writings of the Chinese academic community, except for the academic perspective and discourse system. The main difference lies in Ye Mingchen's actions in foreign diplomacy. Academician Huang Yuhe has conducted an in-depth examination of Ye Mingchen's famous summary by Xue Fucheng, which describes him as "neither fighting nor making peace, nor surrendering, nor dying, nor being sincere," and, based on solid historical evidence, has reached completely opposite conclusions. Unlike traditional Chinese historical records, this book (basically) comprehensively affirms Ye Mingchen's foreign diplomacy, as well as his deployment, strategic planning, and tragic outcome during the Second Opium War. This book introduces a figure often regarded as stubborn and fearful of the outside world during the Second Opium War, corrects inaccuracies in historical accounts, and elaborates on his achievements and his tragic outcome during the war.