This is a group of old photographs reflecting the powerful ministers of the late Qing Dynasty, who were either imperial families, or feudal officials and members of the imperial court. Although the officials in the photo are in the last days of the dynasty, they can still eat and drink. Not only that, the officials in the photo are full of majesty, the shelves are very large, and the eyes give people a strong sense of oppression.
In the late Qing Dynasty, smoking (including opium smoking) became the standard for officials, which was a form of communication. In fact, opium smoking was the mainstream of the late Qing Dynasty, and the whole country recognized this method, "When relatives and friends meet, they go to the opium smoke house while swallowing clouds and spitting fog, while reminiscing about the past or talking about business." In particular, the richer families generally have opium smoking guns and other equipment, and friends invite each other to come to the house to smoke opium and entertain guests. ”
Yi Xun (奕訢) was a tragic figure, he was the sixth son of Daoguang, and was a half-brother with the Xianfeng Emperor, and when Daoguang died, Yixun rubbed shoulders with the throne. Yi Xian spent most of his life dealing with foreigners, and was known as "Devil Six". Among the many royal families in the late Qing Dynasty, Yi Xuan was still relatively capable, but it was a pity that he was not born at the right time.
[Bao Gong] Suo Qiluo Bao Gong, one of the main leaders of the Western affairs movement, he had a good relationship with Prince Gong Yixuan. Once when Bao Zheng came back from the toilet, Prince Gong asked him, "Where did you leave Bao?" Bao Zheng immediately replied, "Wherever, I am out of congratulations." (Note: Skimming bao is the city of Beijing's nickname for, and here Prince Gong is joking about baozheng)
In 1861, the Xianfeng Emperor decreed the establishment of the Prime Minister's Office for State Affairs, referred to as the Prime Minister's Yamen. The Prime Minister's Yamen was headed by a princely minister or a military aircraft minister, and in imitation of the military aircraft department, there were two levels of officials: minister and Zhang Jing. There are also positions such as Prime Minister, Prime Minister Walk, Prime Minister, Prime Minister, Minister of Affairs.
[Li Hongzhang] Li Hongzhang was the most controversial minister of the late Qing Dynasty, and he signed many treaties with the great powers on behalf of the Qing court, and li Hongzhang still could not build a coffin a hundred years after his death. However, Li Hongzhang has a high evaluation abroad, for example, Ito Hirobumi once gave a high evaluation, "The only person in the Qing Empire who has the ability to compete with the world powers." ”
The headquarters of Prime Minister Yamen was set up at No. 49 Dongtangzi Hutong in Beijing, which was originally the residence of The Qing University Scholar Sai Shang'a. The direct subordinate organs of the Prime Minister's Office are the five units of Britain, France, Russia, the United States, and Coastal Defense, as well as the Office of The Secretary of State, the Clearance Office, the Telegraph Office, and other institutions, and the subordinate agencies include the Tongwenguan, the General Department of Customs and Taxation, and the Ministers of Trade and Commerce of the South and the North.
In this photo, the official's eyes are sharp, giving people a strong sense of oppression. In addition, sitting in the photo is the wife, and on the left side is a concubine. One thing you need to understand is that feudal society practiced monogamy and did not require the number of concubines. As a result, almost all officials took concubines.
Zuo Zongtang is a recognized national hero who has recovered The Hundred Generations of Liufang in Xinjiang. In order to recover Xinjiang, Zuo Zongtang first argued with Li Hongzhang about the Great Qing Temple, and then asked Hu Xueyan to help him raise military salaries from foreigners by borrowing usurious loans. In the early morning of July 27, the eleventh year of Guangxu (1885), Zuo Zongtang died at the age of 74.
[Dong Ke] "Pure sexual behavior, can be competent", "those who are difficult to alleviate the country, the public is responsible", this is the evaluation of Dong Ke in the "Draft History of the Qing Dynasty". Dong Ke went through the four dynasties of Daoguang, Xianfeng, Tongzhi, and Guangxu, and was officially to Hubu Shangshu. As Minister Plenipotentiary, he was instructed to sign treaties of commerce with Belgium, Great Britain, Russia, the United States and other countries.