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'Zhang Zhidong' (Chinese:张之洞 pinyin: Zhāng Zhīdòng; Wade-Giles: Chang Chih-tung; Courtesy 'Xiàodá' 孝达; Pseudonyms: Xiāngtāo 香涛, Xiāngyán 香岩, Yīgōng 壹公, Wújìng-Jūshì 无竞居士, later Bàobīng 抱冰; Posthumous name: Wénxiāng 文襄) (1837—1909) was an eminent Chinese politician during the late Qing Dynasty who advocated for controlled reform. Along with Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang, he was one of the "Four Famous Officials of the Late Qing" (四大名臣). He served as the Governor of Shanxi, the Viceroy of Huguang, Viceroy of Liangguang, the Viceroy of Liangjiang, and also served as a member of the Grand Council.

Contents

Early life

First Sino-Japanese War

Taiwan

Later life

References

Early life

A native of Nanpi, Hebei, Zhang Zhidong earned a ''Jinshi'' degree in 1863 and was elevated to the Hanlin Academy in 1880. In 1881, he was appointed the Governor of Shanxi. The Empress Dowager promoted him to the Viceroy of Huguang in August 1889.

First Sino-Japanese War

Zhang Zhidong became involved in the First Sino-Japanese War, although not on the frontlines. He initially advocated for foreign aid from European forces near Tianjin in fighting Japan. In October 1894, he telegraphed Li Hongzhang, the Viceroy of Zhili, proposing the purchase of naval equipment, and loans from foreign banks. He further advocated this, and in addition the purchase of arms, alliance with European powers, and the "clear division of rewards and punishments" for troops, once the Japanese crossed the Yalu River into China in late October, threatening the Manchurian provinces. In early 1895, the Japanese had began an assault on Shandong, and Zhang telegraphed Li Bingheng, the Governor, in an emergency that suggested fast civil recruitments, the building of strong forts, and the use of land mines, to prevent further Japanese advance. He had also sent arms and munitions to aid the campaign.

Taiwan

Zhang held a strong opinion on the issue of Taiwan, and in late February 1895, he made clear to the Court in Beijing his complete opposition to Taiwan being ceded to Japan. He further offered several methods to prevent such an event. Zhang suggested that huge loans be taken from Britain, who would in turn use its strong navy to protect Taiwan. In addition, Britain would be given mining rights on the island for "ten to twenty years". Developments in May, however, became disappointing to Zhang, as the Qing Court ordered all civil and military officials out of Taiwan. He counted on defence by the people of Taiwan themselves. A request for aid by the troops in Taiwan was refused by Zhang, facing an increasingly hopeless situation after Keelung fell and Taipei became the only stronghold remaining. On October 19, 1895, Liu Yongfu, the last of Qing generals in Taiwan, was defeated and withdrew to Xiamen.

Later life

In 1898, Zhang published his work ''Exhortation to Study'' (劝学篇, ''Quàn Xué Piān''), opposing the Hundred Days Reform. He insisted on a method of conservative reform based on the famous late-Qing slogan 'Chinese learning for fundamental principles and Western learning for practical application'(中学为体，西学为用, ''Zhōngxué Wéi Tǐ, Xīxué Wéi Yòng''). In 1900, he advocated for the crackdown of the Boxers. When the Eight-Nation Alliance entered Beijing, Zhang, along with Li Hongzhang and others, participated in the "Mutual Defense of the Southeast" (东南互保) plan. He quelled local revolts, and defeated the rebellion army of Tang Caichang. He succeeded Liu Kunyi as Viceroy of Liangjiang in 1901, transferring to Nanjing, where he laid foundations for the modern University of Nanjing. He was appointed the Minister of Military Affairs in 1906, and worked in Beijing for the Qing Court.
He died from illness in 1909.

References

★ Ayers, William. ''Chang Chih-tung and educational reform in China.'' Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1971.

★ Teng, Ssu-yü (鄧嗣禹) and Fairbank, John K. ''China's Response to the West: A Documentary Survey, 1839-1923'', Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press, 1954 & 1979.