World of [Interpretation of the Late Qing Dynasty History]

Author: Tan Boniu
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2006-06-01
Features: Not really. If anyone were to say how great a Hanlin scholar was or how great the Hanlin Academy was, Gong Zizhen would show disdain and proudly declare, "What's so great about a Hanlin scholar? What's so great about the Hanlin Academy? Every woman in my family is a Hanlin scholar, and my family is nothing but a Hanlin Academy!" Hanlin scholar? Hanlin Academy? What nonsense! Hmph! Listening to important figures tell jokes has always been a tough job. The usual procedure is: after an important figure finishes telling a joke, they burst into laughter, then look around and the onlookers, understanding the humor, roar with laughter. From this exchange between Li Hongzhang, one can see Zeng Guofan's unconventional wit and his skill in making jokes. The fiery Peng Yulin didn’t hesitate and "immediately used his fists." Yulin was short, less than 5'7", how could the 5'9" Li Hongzhang be afraid of him? "He also used dirty tricks." Thus, the Chief of Staff and the Navy Commander "tumbled to the ground," losing all their dignity. As for who won the fight, there is no historical record to confirm it. According to my analysis: Li Hongzhang had the advantage in physique, while Peng Yulin was skilled in combat techniques. In the initial clash, it would likely have been a tie, with bystanders rushing in to break it up. In the end, it should be considered a draw. According to Qing-era notes, the "current emperor" Tongzhi appeared publicly at least three times outside the Forbidden City and in Beijing. He once sang loudly in a tavern, earning loud cheers from the crowd; he went to the Liulichang wholesale paper market, asking the shop assistant to collect money at the Meridian Gate, but the shop assistant dared not enter the gate and returned the money with an imperial eunuch; he even pretended to be a Jiangxi scholar, mingling with other candidates heading to the capital for the imperial examinations. Of course, the place where he appeared most often was a brothel.
This book is a collection of miscellaneous pieces. The "miscellaneous" aspect first refers to the variety of genres, including column articles, book reviews, lengthy historical narratives, and essays that combine research with. Second, it refers to the variety of writing styles, featuring both colloquial language and simple classical Chinese. Third, it refers to the mix of text and illustrations. While there is a risk of following trends, each color illustration is carefully annotated. Beyond the captions, the annotations may explain the content of the artwork, provide insights into the artist's story, or offer personal reflections, hoping to make this book stand out in the category of "picture-based storytelling" and avoid being too dull.
The title "" is explained as follows. "" naturally refers to the late Qing era. Although there was a decade of "rejuvenation" (as defined by American sinologist Mary C. Wright, referring to 1860-1870), it ultimately disintegrated and collapsed overnight. "" is larger than a country. According to Huang Zongxi's philosophy, losing a country is not as frightening as losing the "" (the world). Thus, the combination of "" and "" carries both a historical judgment and an aspiration for the future. Life and death, love and hate, emotions and conflicts—everything is mixed in chaos, like a pot boiling over.
I say this is pure nonsense, and I won’t do it again. That’s why the book has this title. But I still felt (reluctant), so I added a subtitle: "." I thought the main title was too "grand," so adding a small, humble supplement might help balance things out, like harmonizing yin and yang or regulating the stomach. To be honest, it was out of fear and insecurity—I dared not boast about grand pronouncements and deceive myself. If readers can understand this, I would be very grateful.