In the long course of history, every detail can contain an amazing story. When we turn the page of the history of the Qing Dynasty, a seemingly ordinary passport attracts our attention. In that era of declining national power and surrounded by foreign powers, the Qing Dynasty government actually left a moving text on the passport. These short 27 words not only show the last dignity of a declining dynasty, but also the voice of officials who still did not give up fighting for the rights and interests of the people in that era. What kind of writing can hold up a piece of heaven for wanderers in a turbulent era? Behind these 27 words, what is the little-known story?
The Birth of the Passport: From Customs Clearance to Modern Passports
Everyone knows that passports are essential for going abroad, but they don't know that this little blue booklet has such a long history. If you want to talk about the predecessor of the passport, it can be traced back to the prosperous era of the Tang Dynasty thousands of years ago.
It is said that during the Zhenguan period of Taizong of the Tang Dynasty, there was a young monk named Xuanzang who did not hesitate to smuggle out of the customs in order to obtain the true scriptures. This journey is 17 years, after a lot of hardships, finally obtained the original Buddhist scriptures. When Tang Taizong heard about this, not only did he not punish Xuanzang, but he was very happy and personally wrote a "customs clearance document" for him. This "customs clearance document" reads: "I heard that the countries of the Western Regions have different customs, and when Master Xuanzang came and went, I specially approved this document to show my support. "
As soon as this "customs clearance document" came out, Master Xuanzang traveled all over Tianzhu and was treated with courtesy everywhere he went. Later, this "customs clearance document" became the magic weapon of Tang Seng in "Journey to the West", and he could go unhindered wherever he went. It can be seen that in that era, the "customs clearance document" already had the prototype of a modern passport.
Time flies, and in a blink of an eye, it came to the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty. At that time, the Qing Dynasty was in its heyday, and the national power was strong, but it implemented a strict policy of maritime ban. Although Emperor Kangxi was wise and martial, he was also well aware of the disadvantages of "closing the country to the outside world". So, he made an amazing move.
In 1689, the twenty-eighth year of Kangxi, the Qing government issued the first passport for the first time. This is not an ordinary passport, but a "collective passport in the form of letters". Don't call it a "passport", it's actually more like an official letter of introduction. This letter is not for one person, but for a group of people, so it is called a "collective passport".
This collective passport is a remarkable document, which not only records the name, age, place of origin and other information of the people who went abroad, but also details the purpose and route of their trip. What's even more interesting is that this passport also comes with an official document of the Qing government, which reads: "If there are mainland businessmen and people who go to your country to do business (or other purposes), I hope that the officials of your country will take good care of them and do not obstruct them." "
This move was groundbreaking at the time. You know, in those days, there were very few people who were able to go abroad. It is really admirable that the officials of the Qing Dynasty could think of using this way to protect the safety of people going abroad.
However, this collective passport also has its limitations. Due to the lack of printing technology at that time, there were no photographs on passports. This leads to an interesting phenomenon: some smart businessmen will borrow someone else's passport to go abroad, and no one knows what "so-and-so" looks like on the passport anyway.
Over time, the Qing Dynasty's national power gradually declined. During the Daoguang period, the Opium War broke out, and the Qing Dynasty was forced to sign a series of unequal treaties. Under these circumstances, the Qing government realized the importance of a separate passport.
In 1860, the Qing government finally began issuing passports to individuals. This kind of passport is much more advanced than a collective passport. It not only records the details of the holder, but also draws a portrait of the holder with a brush. Although the portrait is not very similar, it does have a personal character.
In this way, the passport system of the Qing Dynasty was gradually improved. Although the national strength was weakened, the Qing government still fought for the dignity of its citizens on passports. This is not only reflected in the appearance and content of the passport, but also in the 27-word hard declaration. What exactly are these 27 words? What's the story? Let's listen to the next breakdown.
The evolution and characteristics of passports in the Qing Dynasty
As the times changed, so did the passports of the Qing Dynasty. From the initial letter-style collective passport to the later individual passport, each change reflects the course of the Qing Dynasty's interaction with the outside world.
During the Xianfeng period, the Taiping Rebellion was in full swing, and the Qing government was tired of dealing with civil strife, and it was difficult to take care of external affairs. However, during these turbulent times, the Qing Dynasty's passport system made a major breakthrough. In 1860, the Qing government began issuing passports to individuals, marking a new phase in China's passport system.
The appearance of this new passport is quite special. It adopts the traditional booklet form, and the cover is neatly written with a brush and several large characters of "Passport of the Great Qing Dynasty". When I opened my passport, the contents were even more amazing. The first thing that catches your eye is a beautiful portrait, a portrait of a bearer painted by the imperial court painter himself. Although the painters were not as precise as Western photographic techniques, this unique oriental beauty made a deep impression on foreign officials.
Next to the portrait, is a series of detailed personal information. Name, age, place of origin, occupation, and even facial features are described in detail. Interestingly, Qing officials clearly paid attention to detail when describing facial features. For example, they would use "face like a full moon" to describe a round face, and "eyebrows like distant mountains" to describe slender eyebrows. These poetic descriptions, which may seem comical today, were an important basis for identification at the time.
The second page of the passport is usually an official statement, which became known as the "27 Words". Although this text is short and powerful, its appearance is not accidental. In fact, this was the result of much deliberation by Qing officials. They hoped that through this text, the Qing government's determination to protect its citizens would not be too tough in diplomatic situations.
The last few pages of the passport record the travel plans of the licensee. This includes information such as origin, destination, estimated length of stay, etc. Interestingly, some passports also come with a "code of conduct" warning travelers to abide by local laws and not to do anything that would damage the country's face. This undoubtedly reflects the importance that the Qing government attached to maintaining the country's image.
However, this passport also has some significant drawbacks. The biggest problem is the lack of anti-counterfeiting measures. Due to the limited printing technology at the time, the information on passports was handwritten and could be easily forged. In order to solve this problem, the Qing government came up with a unique method: affixing the official seal to the passport.
This official seal is not an ordinary seal, but a special copper seal. The seal is engraved with intricate patterns and characters, which are difficult to imitate. Each time it is stamped, a special cinnabar ink is used, which is unique in color and texture. As a result, even if someone is able to copy the words on the passport, it will be difficult to reproduce this unique stamp.
Despite this, the problem of passport forgery remains. There is an interesting case to illustrate this. In 1880, a businessman named Wang Da Niu wanted to go to Japan to do business. He found a "master" who specialized in making fake passports and spent a lot of money to buy a fake one. This passport is very realistic, and even the official seal is vividly imitated. Wang Daniu confidently took this fake passport to Japan.
However, what he never expected was that the Japanese customs official turned out to be a China expert. The officer could see at a glance the problem on the passport. It turned out that although Wang Daniu's fake passport was impeccable in form, there was a big problem with the content. The passport said that he was going to Japan to "purchase tea", but Japan did not produce tea at all! This small negligence made Wang Daniu's dream come to naught.
This case illustrates that although the passport system of the Qing Dynasty was constantly improving, there were still many loopholes. These loopholes not only give opportunities for some criminals, but also bring a lot of trouble to those who are legitimately going abroad.
Over time, the Qing Dynasty's passport system continued to evolve. In the Guangxu period, the form of the passport has undergone new changes. At this time, the passport began to adopt the form of a Western-style book, and the inner pages were more standardized. However, the unique oriental elements have not completely disappeared, such as the traditional dragon pattern on the passport cover.
In this way, the passport of the Qing Dynasty gradually approached the appearance of the modern passport in the continuous improvement. Although there are still many imperfections, it is the beginning of China's modern passport system. So, what exactly is the "27 words" on this passport? How did it come about?
The origin of 27 words: an unknown diplomatic game
In the evolution of the Qing Dynasty passport, there is one detail that stands out, that is, the amazing "27 characters" on the passport. The content of these 27 characters is: "The citizens of the Qing Dynasty traveled abroad, and wherever they went, no matter what kind of people they visited, they must be well protected and re-established diplomatic relations." Although this text is short, it contains profound historical significance and diplomatic wisdom. So, how exactly did these 27 words come about?
The story starts from the Tongzhi period. In 1861, the five-year-old Tongzhi Emperor ascended the throne, and the Empress Dowager Cixi and the Empress Dowager Ci'an listened to the government. At this time, the Qing Dynasty was in the midst of internal and external troubles, and although the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement was suppressed, its national strength was not as good as before. At the same time, the ships and guns of the Western powers constantly threatened the ancient empire.
Under these circumstances, the Qing government realized that it was necessary to strengthen its contacts with foreign countries in order to protect itself. However, at that time, Chinese faced many difficulties when going abroad. On the one hand, the Qing Dynasty implemented a maritime ban policy for a long time, and the concept of people going abroad has not yet been formed; On the other hand, Chinese are often discriminated against and bullied abroad due to the lack of valid identification.
In 1867, that is, in the sixth year of Tongzhi, an incident attracted the attention of the imperial court. At that time, there was a businessman named Li Fucheng who went to the United States to do business. Li Fucheng carried a passport issued by the Qing government, thinking that he could clear customs smoothly. However, as soon as he got off the ship, he was rudely stopped by U.S. customs officials. The official not only did not recognize Li Fucheng's passport, but also made a disrespectful remark, saying: "What Great Qing Kingdom? We only accept British and French passports! "
The news soon spread to Beijing. Prince Gong, who was in charge of foreign affairs at the time, was furious when he learned of this. He immediately summoned the officials of the Prime Minister's Yamen and asked them to find a way to protect the rights and interests of Chinese citizens.
After intense discussions, officials at the Prime Minister's Yamen finally decided to include a strong statement in their passports to show the attitude of the Qing government. At first, they drafted a lengthy paragraph to the effect that governments must respect Chinese citizens or face serious consequences. However, this text is clearly too strong and does not conform to diplomatic etiquette.
While officials were struggling with how to phrase it, an official named Wen Xiang made a clever suggestion. "Why don't we follow the example of Western countries and include a short but strong statement in our passports," he said. "
Wenxiang's suggestion was echoed by other officials. As a result, they began to carefully select each word, trying to express the attitude of the Qing government without being too aggressive. After repeated scrutiny, these 27 words were finally born.
These 27 words are extremely cleverly expressed. First of all, the title "Qing Dynasty Nationals" not only reflects the sovereignty of the state, but also emphasizes the identity of citizens. The term "travel abroad" implies that it is lawful and justifiable for Chinese citizens to travel abroad. The phrase "no matter how many people go to all countries and places" includes both governments and ordinary people, showing that the Qing government protects its citizens in an all-round way. Finally, the phrase "We must protect our citizens and strengthen diplomatic relations" is even more brilliant, as it not only expresses the protection of the people, but also implies that such protection is based on friendly relations between countries.
As soon as these 27 words were introduced, they immediately caused a sensation in diplomatic circles. Diplomats from Western countries have praised this text, believing that it reflects the attitude of the Chinese government and does not lose diplomatic courtesy.
However, the effect of these 27 words was not immediate. In the years that followed, Chinese citizens continued to face unfair treatment abroad. However, the existence of this text provides a powerful diplomatic tool for Chinese diplomats. Whenever a Chinese citizen encounters injustice abroad, diplomats come up with these 27 words and demand that the other side keep their promises.
Over time, these 27 words have gradually come into play. By the Guangxu period, the status of Chinese citizens abroad had improved significantly. Although the Qing Dynasty's national power was still declining, these 27 characters became a talisman for Chinese citizens abroad.
These 27-character story not only reflects the wisdom of Qing diplomacy, but also reflects the efforts of a declining empire to maintain the dignity of its people. So, what role do these 27 words play in practical application? How did it affect the Chinese passport in later generations?
Practical application of 27 words: the embodiment of diplomatic wisdom
The practical application of those 27 characters on the passport of the Qing Dynasty can be called a vivid diplomatic history. These words not only existed on paper, but also played an important role in reality, becoming a powerful weapon for Qing officials to protect the rights and interests of the people.
In the twentieth year of Guangxu (1894), a businessman named Zhang Guisheng went to San Francisco, USA to do business. Zhang Guisheng was carrying a Qing Dynasty passport printed with those 27 characters. When he arrives at the port of San Francisco, he encounters an unexpected dilemma. Local customs officials refused to allow Zhang Guisheng to enter the country on the grounds that "Chinese entered the country illegally."
Faced with this situation, Zhang Guisheng immediately contacted the Qing Dynasty consul in San Francisco. Consulate officials quickly arrived at the scene and showed Zhang Guisheng's passport to U.S. customs officials. They singled out the 27 words on the passport, stressing that it was a diplomatic commitment between the two countries.
At first, the U.S. customs officer wanted to hold his own opinion, but the Qing consul said firmly: "Your government has recognized the validity of my Qing passport." These 27 words make it clear that all countries must do a good job of protecting the citizens of the mainland. If you break this commitment, I am afraid that it will affect the diplomatic relations between the two countries. "
The remarks left American officials in a dilemma. On the one hand, they have been influenced by their country's anti-Chinese policies; On the other hand, they do not want to affect Sino-US relations because of small mistakes. After some weighing, U.S. officials finally agreed to let Mr. Zhang enter the country.
The case quickly spread back to Beijing and became a model for Qing diplomats. They realized that these 27 words were not just a slogan, but a manifestation of diplomatic wisdom. Since then, Qing diplomats have emphasized the importance of these 27 characters when dealing with similar issues.
However, the application of these 27 words has not always been smooth sailing. In the 26th year of Guangxu (1900), the Boxer Rebellion broke out, and the relationship between the Qing government and the Western powers deteriorated sharply. In this context, many countries began to question the validity of Qing Dynasty passports, and even blatantly violated the 27-word promise.
It was at this critical juncture that Qing diplomats once again demonstrated their wisdom. Instead of taking a hard line, they opted for a more ingenious approach. They began to frequently quote these 27 words in international forums, reminding countries that this is a long-term diplomatic commitment that should not be changed by the political turmoil of the moment.
This strategy has had unexpected results. Many Western diplomats, especially those who are veteran, are impressed by these 27 words. They believe that this long-standing diplomatic practice should be respected even in the current difficult situation.
In the 28th year of Guangxu (1902), the Qing government signed a new Sino-US Commercial Treaty with the United States. During the negotiation process, the Qing negotiators deliberately included the content of those 27 words in the scope of the treaty. Eventually, the two sides made it clear in the treaty that citizens of the two countries would be treated equally in each other's countries. This can be said to be a major victory for the spirit of those 27 words.
Over time, the influence of these 27 words has grown. It not only became the symbol of the Qing Dynasty passport, but also influenced the later Chinese passport. Even after the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the passport of the Republic of China government still retained similar words, except that the words "Great Qing National" were changed to "Republic of China National".
The application of these 27 words is also reflected in many subtleties. For example, when Qing Dynasty embassies abroad handled various documents for their citizens, they would deliberately add these 27 characters to the documents. This is not only a reminder, but also a silent diplomatic declaration.
However, with the continuous decline of the Qing Dynasty's national power, the actual effectiveness of these 27 characters is gradually weakening. By the end of the Qing Dynasty, although these words were still printed on passports, they became more of a symbol than a truly effective diplomatic tool.
Nevertheless, the historical significance of these 27 words cannot be ignored. It is not only the crystallization of the diplomatic wisdom of the Qing Dynasty, but also an important milestone in China's modern diplomatic history. It marked the beginning of China's awareness of the importance of protecting the rights and interests of its citizens abroad, and it also reflected the strategy it adopted in dealing with Western powers.
So, how did these 27 words ultimately affect the Chinese passport of later generations? To what extent has it shaped modern China's diplomatic philosophy?
The Historical Influence of 27 Characters: The Evolution of Chinese Passports from the Qing Dynasty to Modern Times
Although those 27 characters were born in the last years of the Qing Dynasty, their influence went far beyond the boundaries of the Qing Dynasty and continued into modern China. This passage not only shaped the evolution of China's passport, but also profoundly influenced China's diplomatic philosophy.
In 1912, the Qing Dynasty collapsed and the Republic of China was established. An important issue facing the new Government is how to deal with the issue of passports. After a long discussion, the government of the Republic of China decided to retain the spirit of the 27 characters on the Qing Dynasty passport, but with appropriate modifications to the contents. The new passport reads: "The people of the Republic of China must protect all countries and places they visit, regardless of their nationality, and re-establish diplomatic relations." Although this passage changed the phrase "Qing National" to "the people of the Republic of China", the core idea was still retained.
In 1915, an overseas Chinese named Tan Kah Kee returned to China from Singapore. When he presented his Republic of China passport, the customs officers of the British colonial authorities expressed great interest in the words on the passport. The official said: "I remember that there was a similar text on the passports of the Qing Dynasty. It seems that the Chinese government has always attached great importance to the protection of overseas citizens. This vignette shows that the spirit of those 27 words has had a certain impact on the international community.
However, China during the Republican period was still in turmoil. The words on the passport, while imposing, are often questioned in their actual validity. In 1921, when the famous scholar Hu Shi went to the United States to study, he encountered trouble due to passport problems. U.S. officials questioned the authenticity of the passport, and Hu Shih had to maneuver to get in. This incident has attracted widespread attention at home and abroad, and it has also made people think about how to further improve the passport system.
In 1928, after the unification of the whole country, the Nanjing Nationalist Government decided to carry out a comprehensive reform of passports. The new passport is not only more modern in appearance, but also more standardized in content. Although the original text of those 27 words no longer appears, its spirit has been incorporated into the new passport design. The first page of the new passport is printed with the words "The Government of the Republic of China Requests All Governments to Provide Necessary Protection and Assistance to the Holder", which can be said to be a modern expression of the spirit of those 27 words.
In 1937, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression broke out. At a time of national crisis, passports have once again become an important diplomatic tool. At that time, many overseas Chinese returned to China with passports to participate in the war. Although the 27 words are missing from their passports, the passports themselves have become a symbol of patriotism. There is an overseas Chinese named Chen Jibin, when he returned from the United States to participate in the war, he deliberately attached his passport to his chest to show his identity. The move attracted international media attention and became a moving news story.
In 1949, the People's Republic of China was founded. Although the design of passports in the new China is very different from the past, the concept of protecting the rights and interests of overseas citizens has been retained. In 1954, during the Geneva Conference, Premier Zhou Enlai repeatedly stressed the importance of protecting the rights and interests of overseas Chinese. This philosophy can be said to be a continuation of the spirit of those 27 words.
In the 21st century, the design and content of Chinese passports have undergone new changes. Although those 27 words are long gone, their core ideas are embodied in a new form. The cover of the modern Chinese passport is printed with the words "Entry-Exit Document for Citizens of the People's Republic of China", and the words "Please provide the necessary assistance to the holder" on the inside page. Although these expressions are concise, they still reflect the concept of protecting the rights and interests of citizens.
In 2012, China began to use electronic passports. The design of the new passport is more beautiful, and the security performance is greatly improved. Although the form is very different from that of the Qing Dynasty, the core concept of protecting the rights and interests of citizens is in the same vein. In the design description of the new passport, the goal of "demonstrating national sovereignty and protecting the rights and interests of citizens" is clearly mentioned.
The impact of those 27 words is not only reflected in the passport itself, but also in China's overall diplomatic philosophy. From the concept of "overseas Chinese are the precious wealth of the motherland" to the concept of "diplomacy for the people", the shadow of those 27 words can be seen. This philosophy has become an important part of China's diplomacy, influencing China's interaction with the world.
Nowadays, when we open the Chinese passport, although there is no trace of those 27 characters, their spirit exists in an invisible way. It reminds us that a passport is not just a document, but also a country's commitment to its citizens, a symbol of national sovereignty and civil rights. From the Qing Dynasty to the present, Chinese passports have undergone earth-shaking changes, but the core concept of protecting the rights and interests of citizens has not changed. This is perhaps the most far-reaching historical impact of those 27 words.