Prince Gong's Political and Maritime Turbulences Chronicle

Author: Tang Li, Yu Zukun
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-01-01
Features: The late Qing Dynasty was marked by turbulent historical changes. The two Opium Wars, which broke out in the mid-19th century, and the Taiping Rebellion impacted the ruling foundation of the Qing Dynasty from both internal and external perspectives. The ruling class, aware of the dangers, began to contemplate how to strengthen itself to resist foreign aggression. Thus, from the 1860s to the 1890s, they launched and led a vigorous movement known as the Self-Strengthening Movement, aiming for "strengthening the nation" and "seeking wealth." The successive outbreaks of the Sino-French War and the First Sino-Japanese War shattered the dreams of the Self-Strengthening officials to achieve national strength through modernization. Meanwhile, the emerging bourgeois forces within the feudal society began to explore a new path for social development—urging the Guangxu Emperor to implement reforms. As the sixth son of the preceding emperor, the sixth brother of the Xianfeng Emperor, and the sixth uncle of the Tongzhi and Guangxu emperors, Yixian experienced four reigns and was a prominent imperial family member in the late Qing court. He personally witnessed the series of changes in the dynasty and left deep marks on the political and diplomatic history of the late Qing period. His activities served as a microcosm of the power struggles in the imperial court, social development, and foreign relations during that time. Given this, this book aims to examine the broader social context of the era through the activities of Yixian, while also placing him in the specific historical background for an objective evaluation.
Yixian was naturally intelligent and benefited from a sound imperial education, making him more capable than other imperial family members. Thus, from a young age, the Daoguang Emperor held high hopes for him. However, in the fierce struggle for supreme power in the imperial court, he was a loser, experiencing several rises and falls throughout his life—a limitation of both his era and the system itself. He devoted his entire life to safeguarding the stability and development of the dynasty, yet ultimately could not save the fate of the Great Qing—a necessity of historical progress. All of this determined the hardships and tragic nature of his life.
Personality-wise, he was both progressive and conservative, proud yet humble, approachable yet lonely. He was sharp, thoughtful, and actively learned advanced Western science and technology while respecting traditional Chinese culture. He was skilled in dealing with foreigners and was known as "the Sixth Ghost" (a derogatory term for foreigners). How to portray such a complex and multifaceted figure in three dimensions was a question the authors pondered carefully throughout the writing process. They strove to maintain objectivity and authenticity, aiming to depict the character vividly.