Song Yuren, a native of Fushun, Sichuan, is known as the first person in Sichuan history to "open his eyes to see the world" and an advocate of the Chongqing Restoration Movement. After the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War, he proposed a bold idea, but was stopped by Cixi, who avoided the war. If the Qing government had implemented it, history might have been rewritten.
In the twentieth year of Guangxu, the 29-year-old Song Yuren Zhongjinshi was awarded the title of Shu Jishi of the Hanlin Academy and was reappointed as a reviewer. In 1894, he accompanied Minister Gong Zhaoyi on an expedition to Europe to investigate and study the political and economic systems of foreign countries. He accepted celebrities, often went in and out of the British House, industry and commerce, schools and other circles, and wrote a book introducing Western customs and politics, which enriched his ideas on reform and reform.
At the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War, Song Yuren served in London as counsellor of the Chinese envoys to Britain, France, Italy and Belgium. Gong Zhaoyi returned to China on official business, and he temporarily took his place. When the news of the war came, he wrote to the Qing court saying that "the Soldiers are small and poor, and they are durable enough to be trapped", which means that Japan's finances are not enough to support them in fighting a protracted war, and the Qing Dynasty can win as long as it fights a protracted war with them.
Soon, the Qing army lost one after another in the "Battle of Pyongyang" and the "Battle of the Yellow Sea". When the news reached London, Song Yuren was impatient, and in a hurry, he had a bold idea - to directly attack the nest of the Japanese army, hoping to achieve a surprising victory. He immediately conspired with the embassy's interpreter Wang Fenghao, Senator Yang Yizhi and others to buy five warships and ten torpedo boats sold by britain to Argentina and Chile, and recruited two thousand Australian sailors to form a brigade of marine divisions. Entrusted Australian caravans to attack Nagasaki and Tokyo from the Philippines north in the name of protecting caravans.
Later, Song Yuren reported to the Qing government for instructions, and at the same time contacted the feudal ambassadors Zhang Zhidong and Liu Kunyi to obtain their support. In addition, with the help of foreign forces, he also agreed with retired US Navy clippers and the manager of the British Kangdikt Bank, Such as Greenmir, that China and the Kangdikt Bank would make a contract to borrow two million pounds and another one million pounds for the war to purchase military equipment. After a series of preparations, Song Yuren prepared guns and ammunition, combatants at all levels, and formed a powerful navy, ready to be led by Lang Weili, the former admiral of the Beiyang Marine Division.
Everything was in place, and as long as the Qing government agreed, the plan could be implemented immediately. However, at this critical moment, Gong Zhaoyi reversed his post and informed the Qing court on the grounds of arrogance. The ministers, led by Cixi and Li Hongzhang, resolutely opposed Song Yuren's plan and had already made up their minds to negotiate peace with Japan. Therefore, Cixi immediately ordered that all matters such as purchasing ships and recruiting troops would be nullified, and Song Yuren would be allowed to return to China immediately. In March of the following year, the Qing government signed the Treaty of Maguan with Japan, which directly attacked Japan's plan and was saddened for a long time.
After Song Yuren returned to China, the Qing government had intended to deal with him further, but there were too many people involved in this matter, and the Qing government had some concerns, but only demoted him back to the official position of Sipin and returned to the Hanlin Academy. Among the six gentlemen who died in the "Penghu Reform Law", Yang Rui and Liu Guangdi of Sichuan were his friends, and after their death, Song Yuren gradually withdrew from the political arena and became one of the famous "Five Old and Seven Sages" of Chengdu.
On December 5, 1931, Song Yuren died at the age of 74. So, is his plan to surprise Japan feasible?
This plan may seem ridiculous, but it is still feasible. At that time, Australia was a British colony, and its chamber of commerce had the right to recruit sailors to protect it; Australia was the closest to Nanyang, and it did not take long to go to Japan; coupled with the fact that Japan's energy was all focused on the battlefield, the country would let down its vigilance, and it was not expected that the Qing Dynasty would take their old lair directly. In this way, the heavens and places are favorable, and it is a pity that Cixi was unable to implement this plan.