The Lonely Outsider -- Robert Hart, the Commissioner of Imperial Chinese Customs

Author: Zhao Changtian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-08-01
Features: The development status of documentary literature over the past twenty years is unparalleled by any literary form in any era. It is both a source of joy and a cause for concern. The joy lies in the fact that documentary literature has taken the lead in the literary and publishing circles in terms of the breadth and depth of its content, innovation and changes in form, speed and scale of publication, as well as readers' acceptance and response. The concern is that rapid and excessive expansion can easily lead to bubbles, and bubbles do not bear fruit or leave seeds. In modern Chinese history, this Irishman should occupy a very important position. He was the true founder of the modern Chinese customs, and also pioneered modern Chinese postal services and maritime affairs. To a large extent, he controlled the economic lifeline of the late Qing government, and served as the foreign representative in multiple major negotiations between China and countries like the United Kingdom, France, and Portugal. However, due to various reasons, he withdrew from the stage and vanished from the historical vision of our generation. This series of books will feature a rich variety of themes and even more diverse colors. Legendary events and hot topics, great figures and ordinary lives, historical inquiries and reflections on the present, the charm of writing and the allure of images, profound weight and light-heartedness—each can be blended harmoniously and complement one another.