The British Library, which houses such a set of Great Qing prints, has been treasured since its acquisition in 1895.
Absolutely stunning subject matter! What genre? The Sino-Japanese War, and it was the whole process!
Of course, the question is: Who is the author? The answer is: literati painters at the end of the Qing Dynasty.
In an era when there was no picture, no truth and no video to prove it, the creation of this group of literati painters could be called real news works in that year. If this painting shocks you, I believe you will be in a trance, eager to flatten the relevant people from top to bottom.
In the late Qing Dynasty, this was a set of "sacred" paintings!
Why? Because they paint a very important war! In Japanese history, it is also known as the Sino-Japanese War.
This group of paintings depicts how the Qing warriors fought heroically, defeated the Japanese army, and japan surrendered to the Qing after its defeat, but in fact we all know that the war was lost by the Qing, and this time it came to an end.
So, how does this set of "propaganda posters" reverse the facts, how does it come about, and what are the results?
Let's look at a set of diagrams first:
North Korea won the battle of Jetu
Ye Junmen water and land lianjie map
Victory in the Battle of Weihaiwei
The various countries will discuss with Li Fu and make peace
You may not believe it, but half a year after the end of the Sino-Japanese War, many mainland officials did not know that the war had taken place.
The Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War, which began on July 25, the 20th year of the Qing Dynasty, ended in the defeat of China and the total destruction of the Beiyang Marine Division.
When the news came, Manchao was shocked.
In order to deal with the aftermath, at the request of the Japanese government, Empress Dowager Cixi sent Li Hongzhang and her eldest son Li Jingfang to represent the Qing Dynasty in Maguan Port, Japan, and signed the Treaty of Maguan with Ito Hirobumi.
The Heavenly Dynasty is defeated! At a time when the message was extremely underdeveloped, it was only spread in the form of gossip.
However, the spread of gossip still posed a fatal threat to the Qing Dynasty.
In order to continue to fool the people, and also for the sake of the so-called long-term peace and glorious image of the Great Qing, Cixi passed down a secret decree to completely block the news of the defeat of the Beiyang Marine Division.
At the same time, this Lafayette also ordered the start of all propaganda machines to vigorously publicize the heroic deeds of the Qing Dynasty in the Battle of Jiawu and create a grand scene of Japan's surrender to the Qing after its defeat.
How can the empress dowager be offended?
At that time, various Chinese newspapers were forbidden to report the truth of the fiasco of the Qing Dynasty, but continued to preach the great merits of the Qing army and the invincibility of the world.
For those English-speaking newspapers that were not under the jurisdiction of the Qing court, the officials sent soldiers to buy all the newspapers covering the Sino-Japanese War at high prices along the streets, so as to ensure that not a single newspaper could flow into the market.
The Qing government spent money on the "blade of the knife", did not hesitate to bribe overseas media, actively publicized and operated through foreign media, reported on the Sino-Japanese Naval Battle, and highly praised the Qing court for its strategic planning and the bravery and good fighting of the Qing military and people.
"Map of the Surrender of the Uighur Kingdom"
After hard work, the imperial court finally controlled the mainstream of public opinion, but various rumors were still spreading among the people.
How can we make the empress dowager satisfied and do it without leaks?
The local scholars and government officials set their sights on the local talents, asking them to unify their voices and fabricate the prosperity of the Qing Dynasty to deceive the people.
But to their disappointment, these talents were not only knowledgeable, but also quick-witted, coupled with their extensive travels and well-informed information, they knew the truth of the Battle of Jiawu and Were not willing to help the officials falsify for the sake of honor.
One by one, they refused, for many reasons, the most common of which was "sick."
Since the talent does not accept the call, the rogue is put to use.
After a simple training, he acted as a public opinion guide, constantly preaching that the Qing dynasty's military strength was the first in Asia and second in the world, and that little Japan was defeated by our Heavenly Dynasty army in the Battle of Jiawu, and even fabricated that Li Zhongtang personally went to Maguan, Japan, accepted Ito Hirobumi's surrender, and signed the "Maguan Treaty."
Under the guidance of these public opinion guides, the "Maguan Treaty", which lost power and humiliated the country, presented a different scene: the Qing government won a complete victory!
Believe it or not? unbelief? There are pictorial newspapers created by painters at the end of the Qing Dynasty as evidence——
"Full Map of the Victory of the Goryeo Moon Night Battle bull array"
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"The Law of Arrest and Interrogation of Adulterers"
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"Restoring North Korea"
- The Qing army drove out the Japanese army and restored the territory of Korea
《YeJunmen Land and Water Approach Map》
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"Yalu River Shuai Shui Jie Bao"
Japan, which suffered a defeat in Korea, ran to northeast China, only to be hit again at shuaishui on the Yalu River
Night Battle of Pyongyang
- The Japanese army was beaten to the point of losing its armor
"Song Liu Er Shuai Ke Fu Jiu Lian Cheng"
- Song refers to Song Qing, and Liu refers to Liu Yongfu
True to false is also true.
In the feudal period of divine right of kings, the official release of news was authoritative, how can the common people not believe?
As a result, the famous Yangliu Youth Paintings also published "Map of the Surrender of the Uighur Kingdom", "Li Zhongtang Town Wo Tu", "Little Japan Pilgrimage to the Empress Dowager" and so on. For the Qing government, it was full of positive energy.
The effect of propaganda is unlimited. For a time, the whole country was full of colorful flags, gongs and drums, and the common people praised the empress: wise and wise, Hong Fuqitian.
Defeated, still so festive? With such a disturbance in the Qing Dynasty, Japan, as a victorious country, was confused for a while.
They can't help but wonder: Are they not really victorious?
After the signing of the Treaty of Maguan, the Qing court had to give Japan huge compensation, and this money was eventually spread over the heads of all the Qing people, so there was such a strange phenomenon:
On the one hand, the people of the Great Qing dynasty sang the praises of the rise of the Great Qing with all their might, and on the other hand, they constantly tightened their trouser belts.
At this time, some people also began to wonder, have we not won the victory, why is life getting more and more difficult, and why do we still have to pay reparations to the defeated countries?
The explanation of the public opinion guide is beyond doubt.
They put it this way:
Is it difficult, only temporary; is the future bright forever?
The money we give to Japan is not, it is poverty alleviation.
This Sino-Japanese War has beaten little Japan badly, their people are not happy, how can the Heavenly Dynasty and the Kingdom of Heaven not see death and not save, watching them perish the country and the dead species.
Therefore, the government decided to give some money to help them rebuild after the war, which not only showed the civilization and prosperity of the Qing Dynasty, but also highlighted our principles of humanity.
Let's tighten the belt of the pants a few times, for the sake of daqing's face, we have to hold on to it no matter how bitter it is.
The common people now understood, and after shouting slogans in high spirits, they carried baskets to dig wild vegetables.
It is very funny that this kind of thing happens, and the whole world knows that the Qing Dynasty was defeated, and only the people of the Qing Dynasty were immersed in the feeling of happiness after the victory.
The New York Times, the most credible media outlet at the time, wrote that this was a strange people, very good at fornication, and could reach a climax in fantasy even against a stone pillar.
However, after all, paper could not contain the fire, and in the Sino-Japanese War, Japan captured Lushun and carried out a brutal massacre, and the survivors escaped and escaped the pursuit of the imperial court.
They cried everywhere about their tragic experiences, and finally made the truth come out, and the media that had been suppressed for a long time also took the opportunity to follow up, pushing the fierce public opinion to a climax.
After the Iron Curtain was lifted, it could no longer be pulled up, and Cixi saw that the situation was not good, so she pushed the charges of lying about military information and fabricating battle achievements to the ministers of the military department and the official department, and at the same time arrested the public opinion guides on the charge of reversing black and white to create rumors.
Finally, it was announced that the Battle of Jiawu and the Great Qing were indeed defeated, and those rumors that had fabricated the victory of the Great Qing in the past were all mischievous by the public opinion guides. Now they have been punished for concealing the truth, but the war reparations are still there, hoping that everyone will tighten their belts and help the imperial court tide over the difficulties.