Qing Dynasty: Pu Anchen Mission – The first diplomatic mission in modern China
preface
Employing people is not suspicious of people, the general management of the long river of history, many people can strategize, there are also people violent tiger Feng River, resulting in their endings eventually towards a different fate.
cause
After experiencing the Second Opium War, the Qing government found that China needed to connect with Western countries, but there was a shortage of talents in this area.
▲ The Second Opium War
outcome
After Pu Anchen signed the Treaty of Pu Anchen, Chinese students could go to the United States to study, and since then China's movement to stay in the United States has begun.
▲Pu Anchen
disposal
1. Yi Bi's advanced ideas
China experienced two Opium Wars, each of which ended in defeat, and seeing Britain's advanced gunboats and ships, Yi Bi realized that China should also make changes.
So Yi Bi created the Prime Minister Yamen, which specialized in managing the docking of China and Western countries. After the end of the Second Opium War, the Qing Dynasty signed the Treaty of Beijing with various countries, and now that the time has come, the Qing Dynasty should revise the date again, but at this time, Yi Bi found the problem.
▲Treaty of Beijing
Although Prime Minister Yamun is the department that handles Chinese and foreign affairs, in order to prevent conflicts in the event of a change of contract, it is best to invite people from various countries to go.
But China did not, and the prime minister did not know the situation in other countries, so at this time Yi Bi wrote a letter requesting the establishment of a diplomatic mission.
After the Second Opium War, diplomatic missions were sent from abroad, and they could say that they knew all about China's market, but China did not send emissaries, so the Qing Dynasty was not clear about foreign countries.
When signing the treaty, it was inevitable that foreign countries would deceive the Qing Dynasty, so Yi Bi felt that a diplomatic mission should also be established.
▲Prime Minister Yamen
2. The Qing government's heavenly kingdom
Although the people of the Qing Dynasty also knew that this should be the case, their attitude towards western countries was not very friendly, and people today still retain the idea of heaven and heaven.
When foreign envoys came, they went to the countryside to worship the Qing emperor, but if the Qing people went to other countries, they would learn their etiquette.
In addition to their reluctance to go to worship foreigners, there is another reason, that is, they cannot communicate with foreigners at all, although Prime Minister Yamen has also determined that some people are learning English, but they are also the jinshi who learn English, and they stand with the jinshi who normally learn the traditional civilization of the East, which is inevitably inferior.
The reason is that they learn the language of barbarians, and many people are reluctant to go to deal with government affairs. However, the agreement between China and other countries will continue, so Yi Bi can only think of his method, since Chinese do not want to go to a foreign country, then find a foreigner.
This foreigner is not only familiar with the language, but also understands the foreign market, not only that, the foreigner is also familiar with the social etiquette of the foreign country, and does not care whether it is the reason for inferiority.
So Yi Bi thought about it and finally determined Pu Anchen, who was the American envoy to China, and in terms of language and diplomatic ability, Pu Anchen was the most suitable.
Moreover, the reason why Yi Bi was able to choose him was not only because of Pu Anchen's ability, but also because Pu Anchen had also helped the Qing Dynasty deal with many international disputes, for which he won yi Bi's appreciation.
▲ Yi Bi
3. China's transformation
Thinking of this layer, Yi Bi immediately found Pu Anchen and asked him if he would like to. At that time, the various countries were just launching a policy of peace, so Pu Anchen visited other countries on behalf of the Qing Dynasty, and there were more than thirty foreign missions, including Chinese. Because the Qing Dynasty was worried that Pu Anchen would obstruct it, it found someone to follow the supervision, but said that it was learning.
Pu Anchen's first stop was the United States, and Pu Anchen's reputation in the United States was also very large, he once supported Lincoln's liberation of black slaves, for which his reputation was very good in the United States.
Soon after, U.S. President Johnson received Pu Anchen and praised him. And Pu Anchen also took the opportunity to praise China.
He said that China's culture has a long history, and his civilization will soon be able to shine on Western countries. Then Pu Anchen began to speak in the United States, all of which explained the difficulties facing China and changed the attitude of Americans toward Chinese.
Pu Anchen also quickly signed the "Pu Anchen Agreement" with the United States, which is a fair treaty, in which the United States does not participate in China's internal affairs, and the two sides send students to study and exchange culture.
Pu Anchen's approach was also recognized by the Qing government, and after visiting the United States, Pu Anchen and his party came to Europe, and Pu Anchen used his diplomatic talents to keep European countries from interfering in China's internal affairs.
Unfortunately, when Pu Anchen came to Russia, he was able to fall seriously ill and traveled a long way, resulting in Pu Anchen not resting well, and finally died of illness in Petersburg, Russia.
Qing officials took over Pu Anchen's figure and returned to China after continuing their visits.
▲Pu Anchen Agreement
brief summary
China's first diplomatic envoy in modern times was Pu Anchen, who visited Western countries on behalf of the Qing Dynasty, which allowed the Qing Dynasty to spend a period of time peacefully and also changed the thinking of the Chinese people.
【References】
1. Modern Chinese History
2. "China Chincha in the 19th World"