When the Qing Dynasty participated in the World Expo, it was a shame that something happened in the United States
On March 4, 1904, Pei Zi Pulun led a delegation of the Qing Empire to leave Beijing to attend the St. Louis World Exposition in the United States, presiding over "all matters attending the meeting", the exhibition was very successful, people were particularly impressed, but in the late Qing Dynasty, which set off for modern society, its values were still very chaotic, and every time ugly was beautiful, it was a shame to feel that something had happened.
(1) In the second half of the 19th century, the Qing Dynasty had to strive to understand the Western world
In the first half of the 19th century, western European countries represented by the United Kingdom had risen to become world powers after the first industrial revolution. China in the Qing Dynasty, on the other hand, was in a state of self-sufficiency and stagnation. In the context of the strong expansion of the Western countries to the East, the collision of the Eastern and Western worlds has gradually entered a climax. By the second half of the 19th century, through the two Opium Wars, Westerners forcibly opened the door of China's "self-preservation" and eagerly explored the "reality of China", while China, under the pressure of the Strong Ships and Cannons of the European Powers, also had to open its eyes to the Western world and strive to understand the "foreign feelings and hypocrisy".
(2), the past and present lives of the Qing Dynasty and the World Expo
Since the World Exposition was held in London in 1851, although the Chinese Qing government has been invited many times, it has refused to participate in the World Expo because it does not know much about foreign expositions and has doubts, so that it despises them as "dazzling treasures and treasures".
In 1872, the Austrian envoy to China once again invited the Chinese government to participate in the Vienna World Exposition, and the Qing court excused that there was no additional financial budget, and the Chinese business community was indifferent and did not intend to participate.
However, Hurd, who was working in China's customs at the time, considered the need to strengthen the publicity of China's image in the Western world and promote friendly relations between China and Western countries, so he urged the Qing government to participate. Therefore, the Qing government ordered the General Taxation Department to host the exhibition. Hurd appointed Bao La as his overall director, leading four other customs and tax departments to organize the first participation in the 1873 Vienna World Exposition on behalf of the Chinese government.
(3) The huge exhibition fully demonstrates the charm of China's rich products and exquisite and gorgeous culture to the Western world
The Chinese government organized the participation of the Vienna World Expo (also known as the Expo), and after hard work, this huge exhibition fully demonstrated to the Western world the charm of China's rich products and exquisite and gorgeous culture. Native products, including: Manchu military uniforms, Jiangsu and Zhejiang Ayara silk satin, ancient ceramics, traditional furniture, wood carving, musk, incense candles, mint oil, fireworks and firecrackers, Chinese medicinal materials, animal specimens, etc., as well as more than a dozen kinds of well-known tea leaves and 5 different styles of paper fans.
During the exhibition, it received dignitaries and guests from all over the world, held a grand concert, and tried its best to promote Chinese products and culture, making the grand visit to the Chinese Pavilion unprecedented, and the princes and nobles of European countries and senior government officials who came to visit were endless, and Bismarck also came to visit. They were deeply attracted by the Chinese exhibits, praised the traditional Chinese culture, and felt that the Chinese "sensitive mind". China's participation in the Western world has had a great positive effect, and a learned column in the United Kingdom devotes half a page to the Chinese pavilion, specifically talking about the significance of China's participation in the World Expo.
(4), in fact, participating in the American Exposition, Cixi also has her own small abacus.
Subsequently, on March 4, 1904, Pei Zi Pulun led a delegation of the Qing Empire to attend the St. Louis World Exposition in the United States.
In fact, participating in the American Exposition, Cixi also has her own small abacus. Because Cixi had previously been hostile to foreigners, in Western newspapers, Cixi's image has always been a vicious woman with a fierce heart and a murderous eye. At that time, foreign newspapers all imagined Cixi as an unsightly and obedient dictator, and the American Minister's wife thought that if she painted a portrait and sent it to the United States for exhibition. In this way, the scandal of her in the newspapers is not self-defeating. Cixi felt justified and ordered Pei Zi Pulun to lead a delegation of the Qing Empire to leave Beijing to attend the St. Louis World Exposition in the United States and preside over "all matters attending the meeting."
In addition to participating in the World Expo activities, Pulun also conducted many inspections and meetings in Washington, New York, Chicago and other cities.
The portrait went well, and on April 19 the portrait was placed in a frame designed by Cixi herself. Empress Dowager Cixi was satisfied, and soon had her men take the portrait to the St. Louis Exposition in the United States.
After the Exposition, the Qing Dynasty envoy specially gave the portrait to Roosevelt as a gift from the Chinese government. Rossford intended a solemn acceptance ceremony at the White House, after which the portrait was placed in the collection of the National Museum of America.
(5), Pulun has a charming style and has won the welcome and admiration of all walks of life.
PuLun was responsible not only to attend the opening ceremony of the Expo, but also to stay in St. Louis for two months, staying at the George Washington Hotel at the intersection of the King's Express and Washington. With the status of the prince's prominence, the Expo attaches great importance to it, and has invited him to participate in various celebrations many times. Prince Pulun also presided over many large banquets and warmly entertained guests from all over the world. According to the records of the locals, Pulun has a charming style, is approachable, and is deeply welcomed and admired by all walks of life.
The exhibitions of China participating in the World Expo are widely appreciated by tourists, and the exhibitions are roughly divided into three major items. An exquisite Chinese palace imitating the Pulun Beijing Summer Palace, all the building materials and cultural relics are from China and built by Chinese workers themselves.
The Chinese government attaches great importance to the Expo, and has specially selected a large number of exhibits to be sent to St. Louis and displayed in the "Palace of Liberal Arts and Sciences", and the psychology of wanting to show its great power style is very obvious. The exhibition is wide-ranging, some are handmade products, some are from machines, of which bronze, porcelain, silk fabrics, wood carvings, etc. are indispensable, and even 4,000 fans of different colors and forms, a hundred kinds of Chinese ships of different sizes, etc. After the Expo, many of the artifacts were purchased by Saint Louis and returned home.
In the "World's Pinnacle" area, a realistic Chinese village is set up to introduce visitors to Chinese culture and entertainment, and this event is hosted by the China Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Philadelphia. The village has a theater, temple, tea shop and market. The fifty-foot-long dragon dance, fantastic magic and fire-eater are particularly impressive.
(6), but Chinese to participate in the United States World Expo, a very humiliating thing also happened
In the process of "looking east" in the West and "looking west" in the East, both Chinese and Western concepts have experienced the collision of Eastern and Western cultures. However, with the deepening of contact, observation and understanding of different worlds, they all increasingly understand and appreciate each other's cultures, and eventually they all practice what they preach and actively promote the exchange of Eastern and Western cultures. They made contributions to the mid-to-late 19th century in the east and west and the west.
However, Chinese participated in the United States World Expo, a very humiliating thing happened, that is, among the exhibits brought by the delegation, there was a set of exquisite smoking utensils for smoking opium. When a Chinese student studying in the United States saw this set of exhibits, he angrily approached the Chinese officials present, saying that this was a symbol of national shame, and how could it be displayed to a civilized country in a dignified manner? Pu Lun and others felt that this exhibit was indeed inappropriate, so they ordered the smoking utensils to be removed from the display cabinet. American historians have written down this episode in the book "History of International Relations in the Far East". Chinese, who have just embarked on their journey to modern society, are still very confused in their values, and they are always unaware of the beauty of ugliness.
In 1904, Pu Lun (royalty), minister of agriculture, industry and commerce, attended the World Expo in St. Louis (a large city in eastern Missouri, USA).