Urban and Rural China in Modern Times - Studies on the History of Modern Chinese Society (Volume 1)

Author: Li Changli, Zuo Yuhe / Country: Mainland China
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-08-01
Features:
We know that the late Qing New Policy period was another important development phase for China's press industry since the Self-Strengthening Movement. So, how did the press spread and influence people? Especially, how did it affect officials and scholars in the capital? Yuan Yuding's diary also contains valuable and interesting records. On April 1, 1910, he wrote, "I obtained the third issue of Guofeng Journal, and spent half the night reading it. Everything in the journal is of practical value and relevance. The commentaries it publishes strike the right chord, and reading it has lifted my spirits for over a week. Nowadays, there are countless newspapers, but most of them spread rumors, insult people, form factions, accept bribes, and invert right and wrong. Reading them only confuses people. I avoid them altogether, except for Guofeng Journal, which is published by Liang Qichao. With a solid foundation in learning and deep experience in the world, Liang is a man of profound insight. His monthly issues are all part of grand strategies for the nation, which is why I am deeply fond of it." On April 2, he wrote, "I bought the fourth issue of Guofeng Journal." On April 5, he wrote, "At the Ziyang Bookstore, I bought the fifth chapter of Six Great Statesmen of China, written by Liang Zhuoru, on Wang Anshi. It fully defends Wang Anshi's political techniques and scholarship, dispelling the slander against him in party debates since the Song Dynasty. It truly shows great insight, and I should read it carefully. The chapters on Guan Zhong and Shang Yang are also particularly valuable, but the bookstore is out of stock, so I will have to wait for another day." On April 9, he wrote, "Reading Wang Anshi's Collection, I was so engrossed that I forgot to go to bed." On April 10, he wrote, "Runze helped me find Liang's Six Great Statesmen of China, including the first part on Guan Zhong, the second part on Shang Yang, combined into one volume. Combined with the fifth part I already had, I can enjoy reading it for a whole month. These thirty days have been worthwhile." There are still records of him reading Guofeng Journal afterward. If we pay attention to the fact that Liang Qichao was still a wanted man of the Qing government at the time, Yuan's reading becomes even more interesting. Another journal that interested Yuan was Oriental Monthly. On June 17, 1911, he wrote, "I saw in the newspapers that Oriental Monthly has excellent editorial standards, so I subscribed to the full twelve issues for three yuan. Today, I received the first and second issues, and they are indeed superior. Mr. Zheng (my family tutor) also praises it highly, and we have agreed to read and discuss it together to broaden our knowledge. I usually lose interest halfway through modern translated works, but Guofeng Journal is always enjoyable and greatly enriches me. Most of the daily newspapers in Beijing and Shanghai are full of rumors and selfish pursuits, and they are simply not worth my attention." Yuan even used Oriental Monthly and even Liang Qichao's articles to teach his children: On June 21, 1911, he wrote, "Mr. Zheng (my family tutor) selected articles from Oriental Monthly that are clear, practical, and discuss matters or science, and assigned them to Lian and Yi to read during their free time. This truly pleases me. The two children will surely benefit greatly from this careful reading." On July 19, 1911, he wrote, "I spent the night teaching my nephews about Great Statesmen·Guan Zhong, explaining one chapter each evening." Even after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, Yuan Yuding still believed, "I am naturally lacking in new knowledge, and my mental faculties have declined with age, so I cannot dedicate myself to new books. Yet, the little knowledge I have gained has not been dismissed by contemporary scholars, and this is largely thanks to Guofeng Journal, Oriental Monthly, and such newspapers." From Yuan's reading habits, we can see that in the late Qing period, reading newspapers had become an integral part of the daily lives of officials and scholars in the capital, and an important channel for them to absorb and learn new knowledge. P36-37