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Text: Yanyan
Edited by Yeon-yeon
Preface
When the news of the abdication of the Qing court came out, four important ministers in the court were resolutely opposed, why were their positions so firm?
Who are these four important ministers, and why did they choose to go against the tide of history at a critical moment in the fate of the country? What are the complex feelings and far-reaching considerations behind their opposition?
In the end, what was the fate of these four important ministers, and was their persistence recognized by history?
1. The building will fall: the background and position of the four important ministers
At the beginning of 1912, Beijing was cold, but the court was full of slaughter. The Qing Dynasty was in turmoil, and the voice of the revolutionaries was getting louder and louder. At this juncture, four important ministers stepped forward and strongly advised the Qing court not to abdicate. Who are they? Why did you make such a decision?
The first is Shanqi, a loyal royal minister. He came from a prominent background and was a descendant of Huang Taiji. When the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded, his palace was sacked. But Shanqi did not feel sorry for himself, but was more loyal to the royal family.
He understood that if the Qing court abdicated, the privileges and status of the imperial family would cease to exist. As a royal family, he could not accept such an ending.
The second is Pu Wei, Pu Yi's cousin, who is also a stubborn royal family. He once almost became emperor, but eventually gave way to Pu Yi.
In his view, the abdication of the Qing court was not only about the fate of the imperial family, but also about the dignity of the Manchus. He did not want to see the Manchus bow their heads in front of the Han people, and he did not want to see the Qing Dynasty change hands.
Let's take a look at Tie Liang, a Manchurian man with a white flag, who was once a staff member of the governor of Liangjiang. Tie Liang was an out-and-out conservative who firmly believed that Manchu rule was legitimate and destiny.
In his eyes, the Han people were just obedient people at the feet of the conquerors, how could they compete with the Manchus? Tie Liang's concern about the contradictions between the Manchus and Han was far greater than his fear of the revolutionaries.
Finally, there is Liangbi, a talented new-school official. He studied in Japan and learned about the political system of the West. However, he did not fully agree with the revolutionaries, but felt that the Qing court should follow the example of Japan's Meiji Restoration and implement reforms while retaining imperial power.
In Liangbi's view, if the Qing court abdicated easily, it was afraid that it would cause greater turmoil. The four important ministers have their own backgrounds and positions. But at this critical moment, they reached a consensus: to defend the Qing Dynasty to the death, and strive for the emperor's rights and interests to live without borders!
2. Worrying: weighing the pros and cons of abdication
However, it's not that simple. The four important ministers also knew in their hearts that the situation was difficult, and abdication seemed to be the trend of the times. But they still decided to argue with their arguments and tried to persuade the court to change its mind. Among them, there are not only considerations of family and country feelings, but also trade-offs of personal interests.
Shanqi was the first to take a stand. At an emergency meeting, he made a generous statement: "I have been founding the country for more than 200 years, how can I just retreat? In this world, we Manchurians have beaten down, how can we say that we will lose it? These words expressed the hearts of many banner ministers. For them, the country and the society were bought by the ancestors with their blood and lives, and they must not let go easily.
Pu Wei's consideration is more about family interests. He once said to his cronies in private: "We love the Xinjueluo family and have sat on the throne for more than two hundred years. If we abdicate, our glory and wealth will be gone. You say, "Is this worth it?" As a member of the royal family, Pu Wei has a deep attachment to the throne. He would rather die in battle than see the crown fall on someone else's head.
Tie Liang's worries mainly came from the Manchu-Han contradictions. He said to his friend: "The Manchurian people have been outside the customs for 200 years, and they have been inside the customs for 200 years, and they have finally sat in the world." If you abdicate like this, I don't know what the disaster will be. Tie Liang feared that if the Manchus lost power, they would be retaliated against by the Han Chinese.
This kind of concern was not uncommon among the Manchurians at that time. Liangbi's thinking is more meticulous. From the perspective of the international situation, he said: "The great powers are eyeing the Qing Dynasty at all times.
If they abdicate at this time, wouldn't it be in their hands? In Liangbi's view, although the national strength of the Qing Dynasty has declined, it can still maintain the situation. Once abdicated, it is very likely to trigger further intervention by the Great Powers.
The four of them have their own considerations, but they have the same goal: they would rather die in battle than abdicate. At this juncture, they decided to give it a go and turn the tide.
3. Facing difficulties: the actions and efforts of the four people
As soon as they said it, the four important ministers began their actions. Above the court, they argued with reason, trying to convince the regent Zaifeng to change his mind. Among the people, they moved around trying to maintain the rule of the Qing court.
Shanqi is the first to act. He used his status and influence to move around the capital, trying to win support. He even spared no personal possessions and gave gifts in a lavish manner to win people's hearts.
At a banquet, Shanqi said in public: "The Qing Dynasty cannot die, and Manchuria cannot die!" If you have a good plan, I hope to teach you! These words moved many down-and-out banner ministers to tears.
Pu Wei opted for more radical action. He secretly contacted the old Manchu tribe and tried to organize an armed force. At his behest, some generals who were reluctant to abdicate began to train soldiers in preparation for the restoration by force.
Pu Wei also wrote many times, persuading him not to be deceived by the Han people, and not to be confused by traitors. Although these efforts did not work in the end, they also showed Pu Wei's determination.
Tie Liang took advantage of his connections. He contacted the bannermen and warriors of the three eastern provinces in an attempt to convince them to serve the Qing court. At the same time, he also secretly disseminated rhetoric and incited the people against the republic.
At a secret meeting, Tie Liang generously stated: "Between the Manchus and the Han, you must not become enemies. Only I can appease the world! These words resonated with many conservatives.
Liangbi made full use of his talents. He wrote articles on the need to retain imperial power.
In an article entitled "The State is an Alarm", he wrote: "A constitutional monarchy is a good way to save the country. The republican chaos is really the bane! This article caused a lot of repercussions in the capital, and some people even praised it as "a work of loyalty to the monarch to save the country".
The four of them showed their magic powers and went all out. However, the wheels of history are rolling forward, and their efforts cannot change the general trend after all.
On January 28, 1912, a consensus was basically reached in the peace talks between the North and the South. On February 12, the six-year-old Pu Yi issued an edict of abdication. An era is over.
4. Being in Prison: The Personal Fate After the Fall of the Qing Dynasty
"Emperor Puyi of the late Qing Dynasty, the year name Xuantong, issued a special edict, announcing his abdication. The whole world is a republic, and the founding name is the Republic of China. The Qing imperial family abdicated from the date of its submission to power. When the content of the abdication edict spread all over the country, the mood of the four important ministers can be imagined.
They put in so much effort, but in the end, they couldn't save the fate of the edifice that was about to collapse. Shanqi is perhaps the most regrettable one. He seemed to have aged a lot overnight. In the past, there was a hint of loneliness on the proud face of the spring breeze. But Shanqi did not stop there.
He began to devote himself to preserving Manchu culture, compiling a Manchu dictionary and sorting out Manchu historical materials. Thanks to his efforts, some precious Manchu documents have been preserved. This may be a trace of comfort he found for himself in the troubled times.
Pu Wei's fate was even more bumpy. In 1917, he participated in Zhang Xun's restoration, trying to regain Pu Yi's power. But the operation quickly failed, and Pu Wei was forced to flee to Japan.
During his days in Tokyo, he often corresponded with some right-wingers, trying by all means to seek the "restoration of Manchuria." However, these efforts ultimately came to naught. In 1938, Pu Wei died of illness in Japan, and he still remembered the Qing Dynasty before his death.
Tie Liang chose to live in seclusion. After the abdication of the Qing court, he resigned and returned to Li, and lived a life without fighting with the world on the outskirts of Beijing. While reading and writing, he taught his younger disciples. Occasionally, he would think of the glory of the past, but more often than not, he would feel the current situation.
In a conversation with a friend, Tie Liang said: "When the world changes, how can people return to heaven? My generation is just loyal, and the future is the destiny of heaven. These words may represent his last state of mind.
Liangbi has found his place in education. He founded a school dedicated to cultivating new talents. Under his nurturing, groups of students went out into society and contributed their strength to the nascent republic.
Liangbi often said to his students: "My generation was born at the wrong time, but you and other young talents are in their prime." May you take the world as your own responsibility and strive for the prosperity and strength of the country! These words have been remembered by many students.
The fate of the four has its own ups and downs. But their experiences have become a microcosm of that turbulent era. They witnessed the fall of a dynasty and the beginning of a new era.
epilogue
Beijing in 1912 was destined to go down in history. Although the efforts of the four important ministers failed to change the trend of history, their actions made this history more full and vivid.
Their persistence reflects the complex mentality within the ruling group of the Qing Dynasty; Their consciousness also indicates the transformation of the Manchu elite in the new era. Shanqi, Pu Wei, Tie Liang, and Liangbi, these four names may gradually fade out of people's memory.
But their stories are worth pursuing and remembering. It is countless such vivid individuals who have written our magnificent history together.