Today, thousands of teenagers go abroad every year to study abroad. He also finished his master's degree in the United States and continued to live in North America for many years. I deeply feel that the vast number of Chinese people overseas love their motherland and are all concerned about the construction and development of the motherland. Because, more than 160 years ago, there was a man who set an example for us.
He is known as the father of international students Rong Hong (Nian Hong), China's first "returnee".
01
Rong Hong was born in 1828 in Nanping Village, Xiangshan County, Guangdong Province. When he was a child, due to his poor family, he had no money to go to school. When he was 7 years old, his father sent him to The Morrison Memorial School in Macau, which was attached to the London Women's Association, because the school's tuition and fees were free. The principal of the school was the wife of a German missionary.
Morrison Memorial School
Later, the American educator Reverend Brown came to Macau to take over the Morrison School. When Brown returned to the United States in early 1847, he took Rong Hong and three other Chinese students with him and entered the MonsonTown School in Massachusetts, which was a college preparatory school.
Three years later, Yung entered Yale University with funding from a charitable organization. After 4 years of university, Rong Hong graduated with honors and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree.
In this way, Rong Hong became the first Chinese graduate in the history of Yale University.
Rong Hong
Another Chinese student, Huang Kuan, went to the University of Edinburgh to study medicine, becoming the first Chinese student to graduate from a British university. Later, he obtained a doctorate in medicine, and after returning to China, as an excellent surgeon, he was one of the earliest teachers in China to teach Western medicine, and trained the first generation of Western medical talents for China.
There was also a man named Huang Sheng, who returned to China a year later due to illness, and later worked in the Hong Kong Newspaper And Became a famous overseas Chinese leader. After 1873, he went to the United States with the second batch of young children and worked as an interpreter in the Chinese legation.
In 1855, Rong Hong returned to China with the desire to serve the motherland. However, at the beginning of his return to China, he was not reused, although he had a diploma from a top American university, but at that time, under the feudal system, China only recognized the name of the imperial examination. Receiving a cold reception, Yung Hong first worked as a clerk at the U.S. Legation in Guangzhou and later as an interpreter at the Hong Kong High Court.
The following year he went to Shanghai and obtained a position in the Customs Translation Office. However, when he heard that there was no hope that any Chinese translator could be promoted to the General Taxation Department, he resigned resolutely. Later, he entered Shanghai Baoshun Foreign Firm to operate the silk tea business.
However, what he is most concerned about and longs for is to realize the modernization of Chinese education, let more young people study abroad, accept advanced Western concepts and science and technology, and thus promote the modernization of the country.
"If one gives is educated by this civilization, he who gives after him shall also enjoy the same benefits." With Western scholarship, instilled in China, China is becoming more and more civilized. ”
02
Rong Hong initially pinned his hopes on the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Movement to realize his ideals. While in Hong Kong, Rong Hong once became acquainted with Hong Renjie, the brother of Hong Xiuquan, the King of Heaven.
Hong Renjie
Since childhood, Hong Renjie liked to read the history of the scriptures and astronomical calendars, and like Hong Xiuquan, he also failed to take the imperial examination and later made a living by teaching village school. He happened to be absent from the jintian uprising, and he tracked down the rebel army unsuccessfully, and fled to Hong Kong a year later. In Hong Kong, he studied astronomy and Western culture, became an intellectual with modern consciousness, and began to think about transforming China by developing capitalism.
In 1859, Hong Renjie arrived in Tianjing (Nanjing) from Hong Kong, where he was highly valued by Hong Xiuquan and was given the title of King of Gan, and was once the prime minister of the Heavenly Dynasty. Based on his understanding of the general trend of the world and Western civilization, he wrote a "New Chapter of Senior Administration", in which he advocated accepting Western civilization and taking the road of Western power and enriching the people.
As a recipient of Western civilization, Rong Hong understood Hong Renjie's open-minded thinking and felt that he might support his own vision of transforming the country.
In November 1860, Rong Hong ventured to Tianjing to visit the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. During the meeting and talk with Hong Renjie, Rong Hong put forward seven suggestions: establish an armed weapons school to train capable army officers; establish a naval school to train naval talents; organize a civilian government with people of talent and experience as advisers to various administrative departments; establish a banking system to determine the standard of weights and measures; establish a school education system at all levels for the people; and establish an industrial school system.
Rong Hong sincerely stated that if the proposal was adopted, he would be willing to serve the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Hong Renjie was very appreciative of Rong Hong's suggestion, and felt that it coincided with his own ideas in the "New Chapter of Seniority", and the two seriously discussed the 7 contents. What they did not expect was that Hong Xiuquan was not interested in these at all, after the infighting in the Tianjing Revolution in the past few years, the Kingdom of Heaven had long lost its vitality, and Hong Xiuquan had no enterprising heart at all.
Authentic cherished photos of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom
A few days later, Mr. Hong said the recommendations, while far-reaching, were not supported by others, so they could not be implemented. All he could bring to Rong Hong was the official seal of the fourth class title inscribed with the word "righteousness" engraved on hong xiuquan, and Hong Renjie tried his best to keep Rong Hong, hoping that he could stay in Tianjing and create a great cause with them.
However, through his own observations for dozens of days, Rong Hong had also discovered some drawbacks of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. Believing that Hong Xiuquan only used Western Christianity to call on the poor people to overthrow the Manchu Qing Dynasty for him, it was impossible to accept the idea of establishing a civilian regime.
Even if the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom could succeed, it was only "the abolition of one surname, and there was no major reform effect on the national system and politics", and some "leading figures, their behavior, character and planning, did not dare to believe that they would succeed".
He thought that King Gan was more knowledgeable than the other kings and even Hong Xiuquan himself, but he was alone. Rong Hong thanked Hong Rengui the King of Gan for his importance to him, but refused Hong Renjie's kindness to let him stay as an official, and then left Tianjing.
The reality of running into a wall in Tianjing made Rong Hong feel that there was no way to serve the country. He struggled to find a place where he could carry out his ambitions. Although he can make a lot of profits as a tea merchant, he is still looking forward to a grand plan.
03
After the Opium War, a group of people of insight in China gradually understood the truth that backwardness would be beaten, and began to put forward the slogan of "mastering the division to control the yi", but this did not arouse the interest of the Qing government.
Until 1860, when the Anglo-French army captured Tianjin and Beijing and burned the Yuanmingyuan, the garden of ten thousand gardens, the government and the opposition were shocked. The Western-style faction, represented by the feudal governors Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zuo Zongtang, and Zhang Zhidong, realized the significance of learning Western culture and advanced technology, and began to put into practice the "division of yi to control yi, and the use of Chinese bodies and western use" and the implementation of the foreign affairs movement. This also gives Rong Hong a chance to show his skills.
Under the plundering of the Anglo-French forces, the city of Beijing was scorched
In 1863, Rong Hong received five letters from Zeng Guofan in succession, inviting him to Anqing. The letter introduced Zeng Guofan's idea of setting up a modern factory, and asked Rong Hong to contribute to the creation of a machine factory for himself. Rong Hong was greatly touched by Zeng Guofan's thirsty behavior, and in September he came to Anqing and became Zeng Guofan's aide.
Two years ago, Zeng Guofan conspired with Xu Shou, Hua Xiangfang, Li Shanlan and others to create an ordnance office in Anqing to try out guns and ships.
Zeng Guofan summoned Rong Hong into the curtain, mainly to ask him to set up a machine gun factory to manufacture the most advanced foreign rifles and solve the urgent needs. Rong Hong believes that China's backwardness lies not only in weapons, but in the backwardness of the entire economic system, and without basic industries, the country cannot be truly rich and strong.
He made his own suggestion to Zeng Guofan, that is, the first step was to buy "instrument-making tools" from abroad to set up factories to manufacture machines. He told Zeng Guofan and others that China now needs to establish general and basic machine factories, which can regenerate and produce many machine factories of the same nature. And these versatile machine factories can produce special machines to make specific products such as guns, engines, agricultural machinery and clocks that the country needs.
He further explained to Zeng Guofan that if China had many such sophisticated machine factories, it would be possible to divide these machine factories and improve efficiency if necessary. It should be said that these ideas of Rong Hong were all advanced consciousness at that time.
Zeng Guofan understood Rong Hong's meaning, and he was also as kind as a stream, and greatly appreciated the suggestion that the "machine mother factory" should be set up first. He issued an appointment to Rong Hong, conferred the title of Wupin Military Meritorious Service, assigned him full responsibility for creating a new type of machine manufacturing bureau for "manufacturing machines", and went abroad to the United States to buy machines.
In 1865, rong hong purchased machinery and equipment in the United States and shipped back to Shanghai. Inspector Li Hongzhang of Jiangsu merged these machines with the original equipment in Shanghai to form the Jiangnan Manufacturing General Bureau, also known as the Jiangnan Iron Works, along the river in what is now Hongkou District. One of the first factories in China, the predecessor of the current Jiangnan Shipyard. Rong Hong assisted Ding Richang, general office of the Jiangnan General Bureau of Machinery Manufacturing, in drawing up management and operating charters.
At first, the Gangnam Manufacturing Bureau mainly manufactured guns and ordnance, but also built ships. Later, after development, it was divided into 5 branches: an arms factory that manufactures guns and guns, a shipyard that manufactures and repairs ships, a steelmaking plant, a gunpowder factory and a machine building plant. At the same time, a translation hall was set up to print and publish foreign books, and a craft school was set up to train mechanical engineers and technicians.
As a result, the Jiangnan General Manufacturing Bureau became the largest military factory in China.
Firearms produced by the Gangnam Manufacturing Bureau
Later, Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau moved to Gaochangmiao, and developed into a large-scale enterprise with 13 branches, more than 2500 factories, more than 3500 personnel, and more than 600 working mother machines. Finally, rong Hong's original proposal to Zeng Guofan to have a "machine mother factory" plan was realized.
Three years after the establishment of the Jiangnan Manufacturing Bureau, Xu Shou presided over the design and manufacture of the first ship in 1868. Except that the steam engine was purchased from a foreign country, the hull and boiler were made by China itself. The 60-meter-long, 9-meter-wide steamship has nearly 400 horsepower.
In September of that year, the ship sailed from Shanghai to Nanjing, and zeng Guofan, the governor of Liangjiang, was overjoyed and named it "Tianji". And invited Peng Yulin, commander of the Xiang Army's marine division, to board the ship together and drive from the Xiaguan Wharf to the Ma'anshan Quarry rock in Anhui Province, a round trip of 180 miles. Zeng Guofan was still unsatisfied, and excitedly wrote, "China has built the first steamship." And the speed and stability of this, it is particularly gratifying. ”
In 1866, the Jinling Manufacturing Bureau (the predecessor of Nanjing Chenguang Group) was established outside the Zhonghua Gate in Nanjing. A few years later, it was also possible to manufacture breech guns of various calibers, as well as gun cars and ammunition. Zeng Guofan became a leading figure in the Western affairs movement, and Rong Hong also played his role in the modernization of China's military industry, realizing his own ideas and ambitions.
04
However, Rong Hong is most enthusiastic about engaging in education, promoting the modernization of Chinese education, and realizing education to save the country. With the success of the establishment of a military enterprise, he began to hope to enlist Zeng Guofan's support for his proposal to promote Chinese young children to study abroad.
In 1867, with the support of Zeng Guofan, the governor of Liangjiang, and Ding Richang, the governor of Jiangsu, Rong Hong made four suggestions: organize a steamship company and not allow foreigners to be shareholders; the government sent 120 outstanding young children to study abroad, divided into 4 batches of 30 people; the government mined minerals; and prohibited any missionary of church or faction from interfering in Chinese justice.
Here Rong Hong adopted a strategy, and what he really cared about was article 2 sending young children to study abroad. Because it is very difficult for other articles to be adopted and implemented, if rejected, the proposals of international students are likely to be approved. At that time, in the Chinese officialdom, the following requests for approval were often habitually dismissed in part.
Rong Hong discussed studying abroad with people from foreign education circles
This shangqu, which was finally jointly signed by Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang, and strongly supported by the head of the foreign affairs movement, Prince Gong Yi, dragged on for another 4 years before finally receiving official approval from the imperial court. In order to realize this founding act of China, something that has never been done in ancient and modern times, Rong Hong has worked tirelessly for 17 years.
At the beginning of the second year, the Bureau of Chinese Young Children's Overseas Dumpling Industry was established, with Chen Lanbin, the former chief of the Punishment Department from Hanlin, as the main committee member, and Rong Hong as the deputy member, responsible for selecting outstanding young children to study abroad and supervising the implementation of the study abroad plan. Rong Hong himself is also specifically responsible for the education of young children in the United States.
According to the plan, 30 students around the age of 12 are selected to study in the United States every year, with a total of 120 students in four years. But in China at that time, people still believed that only the imperial examination was the right way, and studying abroad was regarded as a heresy, and no one was even interested.
Early primary school students in the late Qing Dynasty
It is said that at that time, it was difficult to gather the first batch of 30 officials in Shanghai to send students to the United States, which is indeed a world away from today's study abroad boom.
In September 1872, the first batch of Chinese young children came to San Francisco, which received great attention from the American people. In the following years, four groups of young children arrived on the other side of the ocean to study. Zhan Tianyou, the father of China's railways, who we are familiar with, and Tang Shaoyi, the first cabinet premier of the Republic of China, were the second and third batch of them who stayed in the United States.
Later, with the death of Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang was unable to support himself. The matter of studying abroad was opposed by the stubborn conservative forces in the DPRK and China, who were not accustomed to the Westernization of the dress and behavior of the international students, and reprimanded them for "forgetting their roots, having no teachers, and becoming talented in a difficult period, even if they are successful, they cannot be used for China." Some students cut off their braids, which made them even more distressed.
Because of his intelligence, Zhan Tianyou, who was only 11 years old, was selected as the first batch of "young children staying in the United States".
In 1881, although Li Hongzhang and Rong Hong defended and argued, the imperial court finally decided to withdraw these students studying in the United States. Nearly 100 Chinese students still studying at different stages were forced to leave those famous universities and return to China in three batches. Rong Hong's painstaking efforts to promote Chinese students to study abroad, the cause of education and rejuvenation of the country died in the middle.
Most of these international students who returned home did not graduate and obtained diplomas. But even so, the advanced education they received gave them new thinking and a broader vision, and mastered more advanced scientific knowledge and methods.
According to statistics, 30 of these students who stayed in the United States were later engaged in the industrial and mining, railway and telegraph industries, of which 9 industrial and mining directors, 6 engineers, and 3 railway directors were produced. There are 5 people engaged in education, including the president of Tsinghua University and the president of Beiyang University. There are 24 people engaged in diplomatic and administrative careers, of whom 12 are consular or chargé d'affaires, including prime ministers, foreign ministers, deputy ministers and ambassadors abroad. There were 20 men who entered the Navy, 14 of whom became admirals. Another 7 people are engaged in business.
Young children in the United States have become leaders in different industries and contributed to China's modernization in different positions. Rong Hong advocated that the West should learn from the East gradually, and the efforts of rejuvenating the country through science and education were not in vain.
Rong Hong himself is as patriotic as ever. After the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War, he worried about the fate of his motherland and immediately returned home from the United States. He proposed various plans to the Qing government through various channels, including the establishment of a national bank and the construction of a national railway.
Later, as a central figure, he actively participated in the restoration and change of the Penghu Year. After the failure of the reform, Rong Hong ventured out of Beijing and entered the Shanghai Concession to avoid capture. In his later years, he corresponded frequently with Sun Yat-sen and supported the democratic revolution.
Rong Hong in his later years
People evaluate Rong Hong: everything he did was full of his sincerest and strongest love for the motherland. Throughout his life, he followed the trend of history, advanced with the times, and made unremitting efforts to learn from the West and the East, to become rich and strong, and made great contributions to China's modernization.
In 1876, Yale University awarded Rong Hong a doctorate in law. Today, his portrait hangs side by side on the Yale campus alongside portraits of political celebrities such as Bush and Clinton, who also graduated from the school, and is admired by students. On the occasion of the 170th anniversary of Rong Hong's birth, the U.S. state of Connecticut, where Yale University is located, announced that September 22 will be designated as the "Anniversary of Rong Hong and Chinese Young Children in the United States."