In the long course of history, each era has its specific representatives, and their behaviors and decisions often become an important basis for future generations to evaluate that era. The end of the Qing Dynasty was an era of turmoil and internal troubles, in which the relationship between Li Hongzhang and the Empress Dowager of the West, as well as their role in the course of history, have been controversial.
Li Hongzhang, known as the "Bismarck of the East", was an outstanding politician and diplomat at the end of the Qing Dynasty. During his tenure as Minister of Beiyang, he tried to reform and promote the process of modernization, with a view to enabling China to strengthen itself among the nations of the world. However, the course of history cannot be changed by one person. In the political system of the Qing Dynasty, imperial power was supreme, while actual power was in the hands of the Empress Dowager Xi. Although Li Hongzhang was willing to reform, under the suppression of the Empress Dowager of the West, his efforts were often in vain.
The Empress Dowager Xi, also known as the Empress Dowager Cixi, was the de facto ruler of the late Qing Dynasty. She has maintained the operation of this vast empire with her strong skills, but at the same time, her conservative and short-sighted policies have made China increasingly backward on the world stage. Under her rule, even Emperor Guangxu could only bow down and obey orders, let alone courtiers like Li Hongzhang. Therefore, when the Qing Dynasty was defeated in the Sino-Japanese War and someone needed to take responsibility, Li Hongzhang became a scapegoat. Although all the ministers of military aircraft at that time cried out for him, believing that "China's defeat was all due to non-Westernization, not the fault of Hongzhang", how could the imperial court point the finger at itself?As a result, Li Hongzhang was pushed to the forefront.
The signing of the Treaty of Shimonoseki was a turning point in Li Hongzhang's political career. He was dismissed from his post and discredited. However, even on the sickbed, he still did not forget the state affairs and argued with foreigners. In 1901, after signing the "Xinchou Treaty" with the 11 powers on behalf of the Qing Dynasty, he once again gulped **. An hour before he died, the minister was still standing at the head of the bed where he was lying and persecuting him. Li Hongzhang couldn't speak, only tears kept flowing in his eyes. In his last words, he expressed his deep concern for the Qing Dynasty and his vigilance against the great powers, hoping that the imperial court would "hold a new policy and strive for self-improvement."
The relationship between Li Hongzhang and the Empress Dowager of the West can be said to be a historical paradox. They were all important figures at the end of the Qing Dynasty, but their decisions and actions were often contradictory. Li Hongzhang strongly advocated reform, hoping to introduce Western science and technology and culture so that China could become self-reliantThe Empress Dowager Xi, on the other hand, adhered to a conservative policy and maintained the traditional system and power structure. This contradiction is not only reflected in their personal relationships, but also in their different visions of the future of their country.
However, the course of history is not determined by the will of individuals. The decline of the Qing Dynasty was the result of a combination of factors, including the shortcomings of the political system, the backwardness of the economic structure, the conservatism of cultural concepts, and the aggression of external forces. Li Hongzhang and the Empress Dowager Xi are just two representative figures in this historical process. Their contradictions and struggles reflected the complexity and contradictions of Chinese society at that time.
The relationship between Li Hongzhang and the Empress Dowager of the West is an important microcosm of the history of the late Qing Dynasty. The struggles and contradictions between them reflected the challenges and dilemmas faced by Chinese society at that time. At the same time, they are all victims of history. Although Li Hongzhang strongly advocated reform, he was limited by the times and the system and was unable to realize his idealsAlthough the Empress Dowager maintained the rule of the Qing Dynasty, she also accelerated the process of its decline and demise. Therefore, we should look at this history and its historical figures with a more objective and rational attitude.