How did modern China move towards a republic?

Author: Li Wenhai Gong Shu Liang Zhu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2003-10-01
Features: "Towards the Republic" is a major event in modern Chinese history and a great turning point in Chinese history. The TV series "Towards the Republic," as its name suggests, aims to reflect this significant historical event, telling the audience how modern China "moved towards the Republic" and who led the Chinese people "towards the Republic." However, after watching this 59-episode blockbuster, one cannot help but feel astonished that history has been so arbitrarily twisted and distorted. The creators of the series claim that it is "based on historical facts" and is "historically accurate and plausibly dramatic." In reality, it is not. The series presents to the audience: the true revolutionary leader who led the Chinese people "towards the Republic," Sun Yat-sen, is marginalized; while the feudal rulers Empress Dowager Cixi, Li Hongzhang, and Yuan Shikai are centralized, occupying the central position in the entire series. Sun Yat-sen was a great figure in 20th-century China. People commemorate his achievements in leading the Chinese people to overthrow the corrupt Qing government during the Xinhai Revolution, ending over two thousand years of feudal monarchy, and establishing the Republic. However, in the series, Sun Yat-sen and the revolution he led are placed on the fringes, being downplayed and belittled. In the first half of the series, Li Hongzhang is the protagonist, while Sun Yat-sen is just a minor supporting character. He appears infrequently, occasionally speaking of revolution in the classroom of Kang Youwei's Wanmu Study Hall, at Li Hongzhang's dinner table; shaving off his queue in front of the Guangdong Governor's office, blocked by Qing troops; planning to rely on the secret society to launch an uprising, only to be deceived out of 20,000 taels by the secret society leader, and the uprising fails; returning to (Honolulu) to demand money from his brother and prepare for another uprising, etc., giving the impression of immaturity, unrealistic (empty talk), impulsiveness, (brute force), emotionalism, and a lack of rationality. Regarding Sun Yat-sen and the Republic revolution led by the Tongmenghui (Alliance Society), it is also lightly touched upon or deliberately omitted. For example, the founding of the Tongmenghui in 1905 was a major event in the process of the Republic revolution, but the scenes shown on screen only depict Sun Yat-sen, Huang Xing, Song Jiaoren, and others discussing the merger of the Xingzhong Society and the Huaxing Society to form the Tongmenghui, and it is hastily concluded; the 1911 Guangzhou Uprising, the most important and influential armed uprising led by the Tongmenghui, was also not reflected in the series. The development of the entire revolutionary situation, including the in-depth work of the revolutionaries in Hubei Province in the New Army, was not shown, making the Wuchang Uprising seem too sudden and spontaneous. On January 1, 1912, Sun Yat-sen took office as the Provisional President of the Republic of China, and the Provisional Government of the Republic of China was established—a solemn event that was not given the attention it deserved in the series. Instead, it only showed Sun Yat-sen sitting in a car on the streets, with a young woman holding flowers swaying beside him, and an off-screen voice reading Sun Yat-sen's oath of office; later, a propaganda car announced the provisional government's laws on the streets, demanding that the people shave off their queues and abolish the kowtow ceremony. These were the only two acts of governance. This merely tells the audience that the so-called "moving towards the Republic" and the establishment of the Republic were no more than that. No wonder Yang Du in the series criticizes Sun Yat-sen for making the Republic revolution "inopportune" and messing it up. As for the common people, they have no place in this series either. The rare scenes that appear are of the Boxers burning incense and drawing talismans in ignorance and superstition, while the widespread anti-Qing struggles across the country are completely ignored. After the signing of the Boxer Protocol, the Qing government had to make some reforms to maintain its rule, implementing "New Policies" and "Preparations for Constitutional Monarchy," which led to increased taxes and levies, extortion, corruption, and the people's suffering and grievances. The masses rose up against the Qing government's corrupt rule, resisting taxes and levies, grain riots, secret society and peasant uprisings of various types, which spread across the country and continued endlessly. According to incomplete statistics, from 1902 to 1911, there were over 1,300 uprisings across the country, weakening the Qing government's rule and putting the Qing Dynasty in a predicament of being besieged from all sides, creating a favorable objective social environment and mass foundation for the Republic revolution led by Sun Yat-sen. The establishment of the Republic could not have been realized without the widespread anti-Qing struggles across the country. The name of the series is "Towards the Republic," but in reality, it belittles the Republic revolution and those who led it, while praising Empress Dowager Cixi, Li Hongzhang, and Yuan Shikai, the so-called "tragic heroes." These rulers who controlled China's political situation and society, pushing China deeper into a semi-colonial status, are instead portrayed as "working hard to find a way for China." They are not national villains but "capable" and "accomplished" "reformers." The path they sought was constitutional monarchy, which they believed was more suitable for China's "national conditions." As Yang Du said, the Republic revolution was "inopportune," while constitutional monarchy was more suitable for China's "national conditions." The creators' deliberate beautification of these feudal rulers is evident in the following statement by Duan Qirui to Empress Dowager Longyu: "You support constitutional monarchy. Constitutional monarchy and revolutionary republicanism are merely disputes over the form of government, both aimed at saving the country." Rulers and ruled, oppressors and the oppressed, revolutionary targets and revolutionaries—all are "patriotic figures," the same as everyone else, all "human," and all have "humanity." This is the result the creators claim to be the product of "historical materialism" guiding the creation! The creators say that the creation of the series was "based on historical facts with reasonable fiction," and the major historical events and key figures mentioned in the series, such as Li Hongzhang, Empress Dowager Cixi, Yuan Shikai, and Sun Yat-sen, are real. It is "historically accurate and plausibly dramatic," and "the series should be written as a textbook on modern Chinese history." Then, let us take Li Hongzhang as an example to see if this is truly the case. Li Hongzhang is the protagonist in the first half of the series, the character the creators focused on (shaping), and the one that has sparked the most discussion among the audience and critics. Regardless of whether the creators claim "historical accuracy" or play with words, saying "historical realism, not historical truth," it can be concluded that Li Hongzhang is not "historically accurate." "Based on historical facts with reasonable fiction" is undoubtedly an appropriate creative principle for a major historical drama of this caliber. However, the series that was broadcast is far from this. To beautify Li Hongzhang, the creators arbitrarily handled history, arbitrarily cut it, or made unreasonable fictions, playing with history at will. The series tells us that Li Hongzhang wanted to purchase warships, but because of the obstruction of Weng Tonghe, who was in charge of the Ministry of Revenue, the funds were insufficient, and the Beiyang Fleet could not develop, leading to the failure in the First Sino-Japanese War. In reality, the shortage of naval funds was mainly not due to Weng Tonghe's obstruction but because Empress Dowager Cixi misappropriated naval funds to repair the Summer Palace. The main culprits were Prince Gong Yixuan and Li Hongzhang. Li Hongzhang not only helped Yixuan misappropriate the initial and annual funds of the Naval Ministry but also, under the guise of "purchasing warships and establishing defenses," persuaded the governors of various provinces to raise funds, totaling 2.6 million taels of silver, which were gradually sent to Tianjin for interest-bearing deposits, with the interest exclusively used for the Summer Palace project. After forming the Huai Army to suppress the Taiping Rebellion, Li Hongzhang rose rapidly, serving as Viceroy of Zhili and Minister-in-Chief of the Beiyang for over 20 years, becoming a key and powerful figure in the Qing government, holding sway over military, political, and diplomatic affairs, and playing a decisive role in court politics. He always advocated "avoiding war and seeking peace." First, he relied on British and Russian "mediation," using "foreigners to control foreigners," avoiding preparation for war. When mediation failed, Japan provoked conflict, and he adopted a (passive defense) strategy, "avoiding war to preserve ships," leading to the complete destruction of the Beiyang Fleet. Yan Fu, then Director of the Beiyang Naval Academy, criticized in a letter to a friend: "To trace the blame, it is mostly due to the failure to take the initiative, the lack of attention to details, and the poor coordination, for which Hefei (referring to Li Hongzhang) cannot be absolved." Li Hongzhang was far from being the "tragic hero" some claimed he was. Zhao Liewen, a close aide to Zeng Guofan, recorded in his diary in 1875 (the first year of the Guangxu reign) the corruption in the Huai Army: "Hefei is living in luxury, failing to prepare for the future, and has no honest and upright men around him. Flatterers are promoted, while honest and diligent ones are dismissed." When the First Sino-Japanese War failed, Yan Fu also criticized Li Hongzhang's personnel decisions: "Li Hongzhang's trust in the likes of Yuan Shikai, a reckless and independent figure, was the reason for the conflict; his trust in his son-in-law Zhang Huizhao, who sought power, led to the loss of generals in the Huai Army; his reliance on his fellow townsman Wei Ruiji led to the disaster of the Weiyuji mutiny; and his appointment of his nephew Zhang Shiheng led to the shortage of ammunition and the inadequacy of fortifications to defeat the enemy. To sacrifice his life's achievements for these four men and thus endanger the country—how could this be justified!" In a conversation with Wu Yong, whom Li Hongzhang considered a "kinsman," although he made some excuses for himself, he revealed some of his thoughts: "I have spent my whole life on these matters—military training and the navy—but they are all like paper tigers, unable to be handled properly. I can only (patch up) and pretend to be something I am not. As long as it is not exposed, I can get away with it for a while. But if it must be exposed, the truth will be revealed and it will be beyond saving." Li Hongzhang was far from being as patient, patriotic, responsible to the nation, and selfless as the series portrays him. Li Hongzhang's direct descendants drew up a "contract" for the division of their inheritance in 1904, which did not include movable assets like gold and silver treasures but only real estate. These properties were distributed across Anhui and Jiangsu provinces, with a verifiable count of 26 land holdings and 22 residential properties, plus a Sino-Western hybrid property in Shanghai worth 45,000 taels of silver, a pawn shop, and numerous other land and residential properties in several counties in Anhui. This alone shows that Li Hongzhang was extremely wealthy. How could he be described as patient, patriotic, responsible to the nation, and selfless? To shape a good image, the series " (conceal the evil and praise the good)" for Li Hongzhang, highlighting certain facts while omitting or fabricating others. For example, after the First Sino-Japanese War, Li Hongzhang was sidelined. The series depicts him visiting Empress Dowager Cixi one day and suggesting that he travel to Europe and America to broaden his horizons. In reality, Li Hongzhang's trip abroad was not initiated by him but was named by the Russian envoy to China, Kassini, on behalf of the Russian government, asking him to represent the Qing government to congratulate the Tsar's coronation. For Russia, attending the Tsar's coronation was not the goal; the goal was to take this opportunity to sign the 《》 (Sino-Russian Secret Convention) with Li Hongzhang, which included China allowing Russia to build a railway through Heilongjiang and Jilin to Vladivostok (the Trans-Siberian Railway). Through the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway, Russia extended its influence into China's northeastern region, strengthening its control over China. According to the records of Russian negotiators such as Finance Minister Wit, Li Hongzhang made concessions and signed the secret convention, which was related to Russia's heavy (bribery). After completing this task, Li Hongzhang went on his tour to Europe and America. By omitting the earlier unflattering facts and portraying him as voluntarily asking to travel to Europe and America, his image naturally changes. Another example is the series depicting Sun Yat-sen submitting a petition to Li Hongzhang, who not only meets him but also dines with him and listens to his speech on "revolution." In reality, Sun Yat-sen's 8,000-character petition was merely an attempt to persuade Li Hongzhang to urge the Qing government to implement "let everyone use their talents, let the land be fully utilized, let resources be fully utilized, and let goods flow freely," for reform, not revolution. However, Li Hongzhang, citing his busy schedule, refused to meet him. Sun Yat-sen was disappointed and, after seeing the conditions in Tianjin and Beijing, felt that the Qing court was corrupt beyond salvation and that peaceful solutions would not work, so he went to (Honolulu) to organize the Xingzhong Society and prepare for armed revolution to overthrow the Qing government. Another example is the series depicting the scene of the signing of the Boxer Protocol. Prince Gong Yixuan saw the content of the protocol and his hands trembled so much that he could not write. At this moment, Li Hongzhang took the pen and said to Prince Gong, "The hardest thing in the world is to sign one's name on a traitorous treaty. You are young, let me bear this blame!" Then, Li Hongzhang delivered a passionate speech, sternly admonishing the commanders of the Eight-Nation Alliance, saying, "Why did the Chinese people rise up in the Boxer Rebellion? It was because of your foreign aggression. Now that you want to carve up China, tell you, there will be more Boxers. Your German army was defeated at the Pass of Nanyang, wasn't it?" Li Hongzhang regarded the Boxers as "bandits" and advocated suppressing them. However, in the series, he completely changed his attitude toward the Boxers, not only not considering them "bandits" but also correctly recognizing the reasons for the Boxer Rebellion and praising the role the Boxers played in resisting the invading forces. People can hardly help but feel a bit ridiculous and ask: Is this still Li Hongzhang? Li Hongzhang's image at the end of his life was so high that the creators perfectly concluded his story. This was merely the creators' arbitrary fabrication to deceive the audience. The series is different from history textbooks, which must be completely based on historical facts and cannot fabricate, while historical dramas must have fiction, otherwise, they would not be historical dramas, and no one would watch them. However, since it is a historical drama, it must be constrained by the historical era and historical facts (including characters) and cannot fabricate at will or arbitrarily modify history. Whether writing history textbooks or creating historical-themed dramas, one must be responsible for history, for the nation, and for future generations. History is not the exclusive domain of historians; the history of the Chinese nation is shared by all descendants of the Yellow and Yangtze River civilizations, and everyone has a responsibility. No one should tarnish our nation's history.