Zeng Jize

Zeng Jize

Zeng Jize (December 7, 1839 - April 12, 1890), a famous diplomat in Qing Dynasty, was also the second minister abroad in modern Chinese history. He was also known as "Guo Zeng" together with Guo Songtao.

Zeng Jize was the second son of Zeng Guofan (the eldest son of Zeng Guofan). He attacked the marquis in 1877 (the third year of Guangxu). In 1878 (the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), he served as the minister in Britain and France. During his mission, he deeply understood the history and national conditions of various countries, studied public international law, and inspected the industrial, commercial and social conditions of Western European countries. In 1880 (the sixth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), he was also an ambassador to Russia. He negotiated with Russia to take back Ili. On February 24, 1881 (the seventh year of Emperor Guangxu), he signed the Sino Russian treaty to take back the land and part of the rights of the Turks River Basin in Ili. It is considered as a relatively successful diplomatic action in the late Qing Dynasty. In 1883 (the ninth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), the Sino French war broke out. In addition, the six strategies of preparing for the imperial court were also discussed. He returned to China in 1886. In 1890 (the 16th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), he died and was awarded the posthumous title of "Huimin" to Prince Shaobao.

Zeng Jize is well versed in Chinese and Western learning, works in poetry, calligraphy and seal cutting, is good at landscape painting, especially lion painting. He is the author of peiwenyun laigu Bian, Shuowen chongwenbu Kao, qunjing Shuo, etc., and later compiled as Zeng Huimin's complete works.

(source of picture in overview)

Life of the characters

Early experience

On December 7, 1839 (the 19th year of Daoguang), Zeng Jize was born in huangjintang, Heye. He was the second son of Zeng Guofan (if not Zeng Jidi, he was the eldest son). Zeng Jize had received strict education since childhood, and was familiar with classics, history, poetry, and Actuarial Science. Later, influenced by the Westernization Movement, he studied English and Western science and culture. Therefore, those who know it are often praised as "well versed in Chinese and Western learning".

In 1870 (the ninth year of Tongzhi), wailang, a member of the Ministry of household, studied in the Shaanxi Department of the Ministry of household. Soon, because Zeng Guofan was ill, he asked for leave to serve his father in Beijing. Zeng Guofan also served as governor of Liangjiang.

In 1872, Zeng Guofan died. During his tenure, Zeng Jize began to learn English by using the Bible and English pronunciation as teaching materials.

In 1874 (the 13th year of Tongzhi), Zeng Jize became a Marquis of first-class courage after his father's funeral. On the way, he heard of his mother's funeral, so he returned home and continued to watch the funeral.

In 1877, Zeng Jize entered Beijing again. On August 24 (July 16), she was summoned by Empress Dowager Cixi, Empress Dowager cian and Emperor Guangxu.

Envoys' career

In 1878 (the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), he sent envoys to Britain and France to order ships and guns in Britain. He made up for Shaoqing of Taichang temple and transferred to Shaoqing of Dali temple. Before the mission, he received an interview on September 24 (August 28) and pointed out: "the difficulty in handling Westernization affairs lies in the fact that foreigners are unreasonable and the Chinese do not know the situation. It goes without saying that Chinese subjects should hate foreigners, but they have to strive for self-improvement. If they can help themselves, they will not have to destroy a church or kill a foreigner to avenge themselves. " During his mission, Zeng Jize deeply understood the history and national conditions of various countries, studied public international law, and investigated the industrial, commercial and social conditions of Western European countries. In addition, the embassy was changed from leasing to self construction, and was personally responsible for the purchase of books and utensils, so that the size of the embassy did not lose the demeanor of a big country, nor was it extravagant. They are strict with foreign affairs, save public expenses, abandon corruption, and advocate honesty, which is respected by foreigners.

In 1879 (the fifth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), Brazil contacted Zeng Jize through his envoy to Britain, seeking to establish diplomatic relations and trade with China, and recruiting Chinese workers to reclaim wasteland. Zeng Jize suggested that the Qing government should agree to the recruitment of Chinese laborers, but please refuse because of the abuse of coolies by American countries.

In 1880 (the sixth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), Zeng Jize concurrently served as Minister of mission to Russia. As an imperial minister, he negotiated with tsarist Russia to amend the Treaty of rivajia, which Chonghou had made without authorization. After he arrived in Russia, Zeng Jize held tough negotiations with Russian Foreign Minister Nikolai karlowitsch de giers and Russian Minister to China Eugene de butow.

On February 24, 1881 (the 26th of the first month of the seventh year of Guangxu), the Sino Russian Treaty of revision (the Sino Russian Treaty of ILI) was signed, which successfully restored the territory of the Turks River Basin south of Ili. On June 14, Zeng Jize moved to the Prime Minister of Zongren's mansion, and on August 5, the Qing government granted the post of the left Deputy censor of duchayuan. On August 19, the exchange of the treaty was completed.

On January 27, 1882 (December 8, the seventh year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), he received a decree to continue to serve as Minister of the three countries in Britain, France and Russia for three years. On May 3, they protested against the French occupation of Hanoi. On May 6, they further demanded that the French withdraw from Hanoi. On May 31, the French Ministry of foreign affairs made a reply that the French Vietnamese incident did not need China's intervention. On June 14, Zeng Jize refuted it, saying that it was "rootless". On December 4, he met with the British foreign minister to seek mediation in the Sino French Vietnam conflict.

In 1883 (the ninth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), he was ordered to negotiate with Britain about the Levy of opium tax. After the outbreak of the Sino French war, Zeng Jize constantly protested against the provocation of the French government. He advocates "insisting on not letting go" and "if one war is not successful, one will try to fight again; if another war is not successful, one will try to fight again and again". It is always tenacious to argue with the legal person. He also sparsely raised "six strategies for preparing the imperial court". Although he was ill, he still stuck to his post and fought.

In April 1884 (the 10th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), due to Li Hongzhang's suggestion, Zeng Jize was removed from the post of minister in France. He was handed over in May and remained minister in Britain and Russia. On November 20, he was awarded the right Minister of the Ministry of war.

In 1885 (the 11th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), after the great victory of zhennanguan, Zeng Jize focused on the objective gap between the national strength of China and France, changed his view of the main war, and sent a telegram to the Qing court to discuss peace, so as to end the Sino French war with dignity as soon as possible. In June, the Qing government ordered Zeng Jize to leave his post as Minister of British and Russian envoys and return to Beijing to serve, and Liu Ruifen replaced him. Before the handover, Zeng Jize continued to perform his duties and ordered Zhiyuan and Jingyuan ships in Britain. On July 18, he signed an additional clause to the Sino British Yantai treaty with the British Prime Minister and foreign secretary, Robert Arthur Talbot Gascoyne Cecil, and agreed on a treaty on the concurrent levy of foreign drug taxes, stipulating that for every 100 Jin of opium transported to China's ports, 30 liang of import tax and a minimum of RMB (RMB) should be paid Since then, there has been no tax on tobacco sales in the mainland of China, which means that the Qing government has increased tobacco tax by millions of taels every year.

Striving for wealth through self-improvement

In 1886 (the 12th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), he was ordered to discharge his duties as Minister of Britain and Minister of Russia, and returned to China at the end of the same year. On the way, he met with the German Emperor Wei Lian I and others. On December 11 of the same year, he arrived in Beijing and helped Li Hongzhang to set up the Beiyang Navy. He became the Minister of the Ministry of arms and joined the premier's national affairs office. In the translation department, he firmly opposed Portugal's occupation of Gongbei area, and won great success. At the same time, he is still assisting in naval affairs in the Department of maritime affairs. He once worked with Li Hongzhang and others to formulate the "Northern Navy charter" and devoted himself to the issue of naval funds.

In January 1887 (the 13th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), Zeng Jize's theory of China sleeping before waking up was published in the Asian quarterly in London. On February 15, he transferred the right servant of the household department to take charge of the affairs of Qian FA Tang. On June 12, I went to Tongwen library to test six people who are recommended to travel abroad.

On July 28, 1888 (the 14th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), he served as the Minister of the Ministry of household administration of the three treasuries. On October 10, he was also the right servant of the Ministry of punishment. On November 30, Shangzuo asked to continue the construction of the railway line from Tianjin to Tongzhou, but encountered resistance.

On January 30, 1889 (the 15th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), he once again played in the name of the Department of maritime affairs, refuting the argument that the construction of the Tianjin TongZhou railway was stopped, pointing out that the railway was beneficial to national defense, river transportation, commercial goods, minerals, travel, etc.; later, Zhang Zhidong proposed to build the Luhan railway instead. He also urged Beiyang to send personnel to attend the founding meeting of the "World Congress for the protection of seagoing vessels" held in Washington in March that year. On March 30, he was appointed to manage the affairs of Tongwen library and improve the teaching order during his term of office. On August 31, he was also the Minister of the Ministry of official affairs.

die young

On April 12, 1890 (the 16th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), Zeng Jize died of illness in the residence of Taiji factory in Beijing. On April 14, the imperial court gave him the title of Prince Shaobao. According to the example of the servant, he was given a compassionate gift, and then he was given the posthumous title of "Huimin".

Main achievements

Take back Ili

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< sub > China Russia treaty

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After Zuo Zongtang marched into Xinjiang to eliminate the akuba regime, Ili was still occupied by Tsarist Russia. In 1878 (the fourth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), the Qing government sent Chonghou to Russia to negotiate the Ili issue. In July, under the threat and deception of Russian officials, Chonghou signed the "Treaty of rivajia" to sell his national interests. China ceded a large area of land south and west of Ili and made an indemnity of 5 million rubles to Russia. Russian businessmen went to Xinjiang, Mongolia and other places to do business tax-free, and allowed Russia to go through Xinjiang to Tianjin, Hankou and Xi'an by land ILI, an empty city surrounded by Russia on three sides. After weighing, the Qing government dismissed Chonghou and handed him over to the Ministry of punishment for severe punishment. Instead, Zeng Jize, a British and French envoy, went to Russia to renegotiate with the Tsarist government.

In 1880 (the sixth year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu), Zeng Jize concurrently served as Minister of Russia, negotiating with tsarist Russia to amend Chongyue. He attached great importance to the importance of Ili and weighed the three aspects of "boundary, trade and compensation" before the negotiation with Russia,

Chinese PinYin : Ceng Ji Ze