"Kang Youwei is sanctimonious, Tan Sitong sacrifices his life for righteousness, who do you admire the most, and who do you want to be?》
The Wuxu Reform at the end of the Qing Dynasty was a magnificent political movement in modern Chinese history, but also a tragic failure. In this movement, Kang Youwei and Tan Si are the two most outstanding thinkers and politicians, and their words, deeds and fate have aroused the attention and thinking of countless people. Kang Youwei said empty words on the surface and promoted reform with righteousness, but behind his back he had three wives and four concubines, and he wantonly amassed wealth. And Tan Sitong can live, but he refuses to be a deserter, and is willing to use his life to alert the people and promote reform. The huge contrast between them makes us ask: who do you admire the most, and who do you want to be?
Kang Youwei, the word Guangsha, the number Changsu, a native of Nanhai, Guangdong, the twenty-first year of Guangxu, once cooperated with ** Liang Qichao to change the law, and was wanted by the Empress Dowager Cixi and fled after the failure of the change. He is an erudite and talented thinker, and is the author of many works such as "The Examination of the New Pseudo-scriptures", "The Book of Datong", and "The Examination of the Reform of Confucius", advocating that Confucius should be used as the purpose, Western studies should be used as a tool, and Buddhism should be used as a supplement to reform China's politics, economy, culture, education, and other aspects, so as to realize the ideal of Datong society. His ideas influenced countless people with lofty ideals for the Restoration, and also provided reference and inspiration for the later modernization of China.
However, Kang Youwei's thoughts and actions were not consistent, and although his ideas for reform were radical, their essence was to maintain the rule of the Qing Dynasty and protect the authority of the emperor, rather than true democracy and equality. His plan to reform the law is also unrealistic, ignoring China's national conditions and public opinion, and only copying the Western system and model, rather than carrying out reforms according to China's actual needs. During the reform period, he tried his best to win over foreign forces, and even wanted to hire former Japanese Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito as an adviser to hand over China's military, financial, and diplomatic powers to outsiders, which aroused strong opposition from the Empress Dowager Cixi and conservatives, and also lost the support and trust of the people.
Kang Youwei's private life is also unsightly, although he claims to be a Buddhist, he has three wives and four concubines, one of which is still Japanese, and the other wife and concubine are still his **. Although he claimed to be a pioneer of national salvation, he amassed a lot of money, using his influence to raise huge sums of money from reform groups and individuals everywhere for his own luxury and pleasure. Although he claimed to be an advocate of Datong thought, he turned a blind eye to his own ** and comrades, and even betrayed and betrayed, and did not hesitate to sacrifice the lives and beliefs of others for his own safety and interests.
Tan Sitong, whose name is Zhuangfei, is called Shitan, a native of Changsha, Hunan, a Jinshi in the 21st year of Guangxu, and was once the prefect of Jinling Jiangning, and is one of the main participants in the Wuxu Reform. He is a talented politician who is the author of many books such as "Renxue" and "Zhuangfeilou Governance", advocating benevolence as the foundation, righteousness as a supplement, and law as the application, reforming China's politics, law, education and other aspects, and realizing a benevolent, righteous and rule of law society. His ideas inspired countless patriots and provided impetus and inspiration for the later Chinese democratic revolution.
Tan Sitong's thoughts and actions are the same, and although his ideas for reform of the law are moderate, their essence is to pursue democracy and freedom and protect the rights of the people, rather than to maintain the rule of the Qing Dynasty. His plan to reform the law is also realistic, taking into account China's national conditions and public opinion, and not blindly copying Western systems and models, but carrying out reforms according to China's actual needs. During the reform of the law, he adhered to principles and refused to collude with foreign forces, safeguarded China's sovereignty and dignity, and won the support and trust of the people.
Tan Sitong's private life is also admirable, although he is a Buddhist, he has only one wife and one son, and is loyal and filial to his family and relatives and friends. Although he is a pioneer in saving the country, he does not seek fame and fortune, uses his power to eliminate harm for the people, is honest and honest, does not bribe, and does not oppress the people. Although he was an advocate of Datong Thought, he cared for and respected his mentors and comrades, and did not hesitate to sacrifice his life and beliefs for their safety and interests.
After the failure of the Wuxu Reform, Kang Youwei fled overseas, and Tan Sitong was executed. Kang Youwei continued to advocate reform overseas, but he was out of touch with the times, alienated from the people, and had no chance of revolution. He opposed the republic, supported the restoration, and cooperated with Yuan Shikai, Zhang Xun and others to try to restore the rule of the Qing Dynasty, which was resisted and spurned by the *** and the people. He died in 1927 at the age of 69, and no one mourned him after his death.
Tan Sitong wrote posthumous works such as "Zhuangfeilou Governance" while in prison, expressing his ideals of changing the law and his loyalty to the country. Before his execution, he shouted "Save the country with sincerity, and there will be no regrets in life and death", and used his blood to clear the charge for the change of law, leaving a valuable wealth for the country. He died in 1898 at the age of 32, and was widely admired and commemorated by the public as a martyr after his death.
Kang Youwei and Tan Sitong are two very different figures, and their thoughts and actions reflect two different lines and attitudes of reform in modern Chinese history.
Kang Youwei represented a conservative, top-down, externally dependent, superficial reform, the purpose of his reform was to maintain the rule of the Qing Dynasty, his reform method was to borrow from the Western system, and the result of his reform was failure and betrayal. Tan Sitong represents a progressive, bottom-up, relying on the people's strength, and substantive reform, the purpose of his reform is to pursue democracy and freedom, his reform means is to innovate China's culture, and the result of his reform is sacrifice and glory.
Here, I don't want to make a simple black and white comparison between Kang Youwei and Tan Sitong, nor do I want to make a simple judgment of right and wrong about their thoughts and actions. What I want to say is that their thoughts and behaviors are the products of the times and environment in which they live, the results of their understanding and choices of China's current situation and future, and the manifestation of their understanding and commitment to their mission and responsibility.
Who do I admire the most and who do I want to be? This is a difficult question to answer, but it is also an important one.
What I want to say is that I want to be a good man, famous, rich, and enjoy life. But I also admire Tan Sitong's talent and courage. If everyone is healthy, what will happen to the country? If they are all Tan Sitong, what will happen to the country?
If everyone is healthy.
The country may fall into a state of stagnation and backwardness, because Kang Youwei's reforms do not touch the fundamental problems of Chinese society, but only embellish and imitate appearances. Kang Youwei's reforms also did not receive the support and participation of the broad masses of the people, but relied on the emperor's gifts and foreign aid. Kang Youwei's reforms were also vulnerable to opposition and sabotage by conservative forces, because he did not change the feudal nature of the Qing Dynasty, but tried to maintain the old order with a new form.
If everyone is Tan Sitong.
The country may move in a radical and revolutionary direction, because Tan Sitong's reforms are to start from the people, mobilize and educate the people, overthrow the old system, and establish a new politics and culture. Tan Sitong's reforms also had strong nationalist and patriotic overtones, and he opposed foreign aggression and interference and advocated the rejuvenation and independence of the Chinese nation. Tan Sitong's reforms also had profound ideological and academic connotations, and he fused Chinese and Western philosophies and religions to create a new doctrine and style.
Of course, these are only hypotheses and speculations, and actual history is complex and pluralistic and cannot be explained by a single model. Kang Youwei and Tan Sitong's thoughts and behaviors have their rationality and limitations, their value and significance, and their enlightenment and lessons. We must not generalize, blindly worship or deny, but analyze objectively, evaluate rationally, and critically assimilate.
If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to communicate with me. Thank you for reading.