Guoxue master Liang Qichao once commented on Li Hongzhang, “I respect Li’s talents, I cherish Li’s knowledge, and I feel sad for Li’s encounter. But since then there have been people who attacked Li. Since then, the times have changed, and so are those who are heroes. Since the change, I should not forgive myself for the reason why I forgave Li." Li Hongzhang's life is full of countless controversies. He has not been able to conclude a conclusion after his death for a hundred years.
In February 1896, Li Hongzhang took part in the coronation ceremony of Russian Tsar Nicholas II and visited Europe and the United States. This is Li Hongzhang's last visit abroad in his life. It lasted more than six months, spanned three months, and traveled more than 90,000 miles. On August 28 of that year, Li Hongzhang arrived in New York Harbor by boat.
In order to welcome Li Hongzhang and his entourage, President Cleveland directly cancelled the holiday, and the Qing Dynasty Dragon Flag was hoisted all over New York. Li Hongzhang is worthy of being the first person in the Qing Dynasty diplomacy. He said to the American officials who came to welcome the US officials as soon as the steamer stepped off, “At the end of the European visit, someone advised me to return home from the Suez Canal from the Mediterranean, but I refused. I said, I want to visit the United States. ." A simple sentence made the Americans feel Li Hongzhang's extraordinary.
Li Hongzhang and his entourage were arranged to stay at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York, which was a landmark building in New York at that time and a world-renowned hotel. For the Americans at the time, Li Hongzhang and his entourage made them very curious, which is why everyone scrambled to watch Li Hongzhang.
At the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Li Hongzhang accepted a joint interview with American journalists. One of the problems here makes people embarrassed. "The New York Times" reporter asked, "Then your Excellency, what do you see and hear in this country interest you the most?" Li Hongzhang's answer is like this:
"I am very interested in everything I saw in the United States. Like it, everything makes me happy. What surprised me the most was the skyscrapers of 20 stories or higher. I had never seen such high-rise buildings in Qing Dynasty or Europe. These buildings seemed to be very strong and resistant. Any gusts? But the Qing country cannot build such a high building because the typhoon will quickly blow it down, and it is also very inconvenient for high-rise buildings without your good elevator facilities."
Everyone, this is the first time Li Hongzhang has seen it. When he arrived at the skyscraper, Li Hongzhang suspected that he might be blown down by the gale, which was sad. What Li Hongzhang did not expect was that the gross industrial output value of the United States at that time was already the world's largest and represented the direction of advanced productivity. For example, at the time Americans attached great importance to education, and school-age children had to go to school. A reporter from
asked Li Hongzhang about education, "Your Excellency, do you agree that ordinary people in your country receive education?" Li Hongzhang replied very truthfully, "Our habit is to send all boys to school. (The translator interjected, "In Qing Boys are the real children.”) We have very good schools, but only rich children who can afford tuition can go to school. Children from poor families have no chance to go to school.” Z2z
may feel that the gap between the Qing Dynasty and Western countries is too great, and Li Hongzhang was 74 years old when he visited, and he became increasingly desperate after returning to China. In the end, Li Hongzhang even commented on himself as the "wallpaperer" of the Qing Dynasty.
