At the end of the Qing Dynasty, there were four famous ministers Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang, and Zhang Zhidong, and if it were not for their existence, the Qing Dynasty would have perished decades earlier. Among these four famous ministers, Li Hongzhang received the greatest criticism, because he signed a series of treaties on behalf of Cixi to betray the country and seek glory, and it can be said that the great black cauldron accumulated by the Qing Dynasty over the past few hundred years has been carried down by himself.
First of all, we know that the most prosperous period of the Qing Dynasty was the prosperity of the Three Dynasties of Kang Yongqian. Especially in the Qianlong century, with the foundation laid by the previous two generations, Qianlong can be said to have seen the Qing Dynasty push to the peak of the feudal dynasty. He has waived the world's money and grain five times at the same time, and three free eight provinces. The peasants' burdens are lightened, and the population naturally rises.
In the fifth year of Qianlong (1740 AD), the Chinese mouth exceeded 100 million for the first time, and in the fifty-seventh year of Qianlong (1790 AD), it exceeded 300 million. However, Qianlong did one thing that laid the groundwork for the demise of the Qing Dynasty early, that is, in 1757 (the twenty-second year of Qianlong), a government decree was issued to "close the country and close the country" and a total ban was carried out.
More than a hundred years later, the Qing Dynasty's productive forces and armaments and weapons have stopped, looking back at the Western powers, the industrial revolution will be carried out. It was really a disaster, and it also happened to meet Cixi's ruling power. Originally implemented in June 1898, the implementation of the Penghu Reform Law, which preached new ideas, may also save the Qing Dynasty.
However, in order to consolidate his rule, Cixi joined forces with his older ministers to launch a coup d'état, imprisoned Guangxu, and killed Tan Si and the six gentlemen of Wushu. Li Hongzhang is an old fox, he knows the current situation of the Qing Dynasty, but his elbows are not enough to his thighs, and under the imperial power, the strength of one or two people cannot be reversed after all.
Li Hongzhang's approach is softer, he carries the banner of supporting Cixi on the one hand, and on the other hand, he engages in his own innovation. The main leader of the foreign affairs movement that introduced Western military equipment, machine production and science and technology to save the Qing Dynasty was Li Hongzhang, and many modern enterprises were first supported by Li Hongzhang, such as the famous steamship Merchants Bureau.
Coupled with Li Hongzhang's ability to see people and speak people's words, he can see and return to speak ghostly words. Cixi entrusted many diplomatic matters with foreigners to Li Hongzhang. In 1896, Li Hongzhang came to the United States, where industry was developing rapidly, and a very interesting thing happened here.
After Li Hongzhang came to the United States, the Americans also received warm hospitality. Many media have also come to hunt for a strange interview with Li Hongzhang. The reporter asked Li Hongzhang a relatively simple question and asked him what his impression of the United States was. Li Hongzhang, who has always loved to speak official language, has some words blocked, but this is something that must be reported and cannot be said indiscriminately.
Li Hongzhang looked up at the skyscraper in front of him, and the inspiration came and said: "I see that your building is more than 20 stories high, and I have not seen it in the others, it will be difficult for us to build it in the Qing Dynasty, and even if it is built, it will not be stable."
This was also a statement of the fact that after hundreds of years of closed development in the Qing Dynasty, it was simply impossible to build a 20-storey skyscraper.
Fortunately, at that time, Cixi did not hear that with Cixi's face-loving character, I am afraid that she wanted to cure Li Hongzhang of the crime of "insulting the country." However, looking at Li Hongzhang at that time now, it is heartbreaking. In fact, both the state and the individual will only stop when he is complacent. And when he learns to be humble, he can often continue to absorb more things and thus move towards progress.