Song Yuren

Song Yuren

Song Yuren (1857-1931), an early bourgeois reformist thinker in China, is known as the first person in Sichuan history to "see the world with open eyes" and the advocate of Chongqing reform movement. Yunzi, who was named Daofu in his later years, was born in Fushun, Sichuan Province. He was a Jinshi in the 12th year of Guangxu (1886). He was granted the title of a scholar in the Imperial Academy, and changed his post.

In 1894, he served as minister counsellor of Britain, France, Italy and Belgium, intending to investigate the western social, economic and political systems, actively planning the reform plan, and advocating democracy and Republic. After returning to China, he participated in the reform organization "strong society" and gave lectures on "the study of China's self-improvement".

brief introduction

In 1896, he went to Chongqing to preside over Sichuan commercial mining. Set up the Bureau of Commerce, set up foreign candle, kerosene, coal mine, glass, white wax, cigarette, medicinal materials and other companies, and became the leader of gentry and merchants in Sichuan. In 1897, Chongqing daily, the first patriotic magazine in Chongqing's history, was founded. It was also one of the earliest vernacular newspapers founded by the Chinese bourgeoisie. It set up the banner of reform propaganda and raised the first ideological liberation trend in the modern history of Sichuan and Chongqing. He is the author of current affairs and caifengji. His tomb is located in Xingfu Meilin, Jinjiang District, Chengdu City, with his former residence Dongshan thatched cottage.

Personal resume

In 1894, Song Yuren went to Europe with Gong Zhaoyuan. During his stay in Europe, Song Yuren was determined to investigate and study the political, economic and social conditions of foreign countries, accepted celebrities, and often went to the British Parliament, schools, and business circles. He wrote four volumes of caifenglu, which introduced western politics, religion, and customs, and further explained and enriched his reform thoughts.

Life

When the Sino Japanese War of 1894-1895 broke out, Song Yuren was in London, serving as counsellor of Chinese envoys to Britain, France, Italy and Belgium. As Gong Zhaoyuan returned to China to report on his work, Song Yuren temporarily took up his post. Song Yuren wrote a letter to the Qing court, pointing out that "the Japanese soldiers were few and the money was scarce, and the lasting time was enough to make them sleepy.". After learning of the Qing army's defeat in Pyongyang and the Yellow Sea war, Song Yuren had a bold idea, hoping to fight back the defeat. At present, he immediately negotiated with the embassy counsellor Yang Yizhi and translator Wang FengHao to purchase five British warships sold to Argentina and Chile, and ten torpedo speedboats. He recruited 2000 Australian sailors to form a Navy brigade. Under the pretext of protecting the caravan, he went north from the Philippines to attack Nagasaki and Tokyo. This plan seems fanciful, but also has a considerable degree of feasibility. Because "Australia is a British territory, the Western Chamber of Commerce originally had the right to collect naval officers to protect the business trip. Since the Sino Japanese War, Australia was recently far away from Nanyang. The chamber of Commerce proposed to hold a territorial naval brigade to protect the territory. The house of the secret union of Angie Wat, the (British alternate) gentry, held a discussion with the party leader. In this way, the name (pseudonym) of the brigade purchased by the chamber of Commerce of Australia was still listed in the United Kingdom The exit of the flag is no doubt outside the Bureau, but the trace is not revealed "(quoted from the book of borrowing chips).

At that time, Song Yuren and others reported to the imperial court for approval, and at the same time contacted Liu Kunyi, Zhang Zhidong and other governors of Liangjiang to obtain the support of these feudal officials. At the same time, Song Yuren, retired major general of the U.S. Navy, and manager of the United Kingdom's Connecticut bank, greenmill, agreed that China and Connecticut bank should make a contract to borrow 2 million pounds and another 1 million pounds to pay for the purchase of warships. After a series of efforts, the ships he bought were equipped with guns and weapons, and the fighters at all levels had been properly recruited to form a powerful navy, ready to be led by former Beiyang navy commander Lang Weili.

It was about to be a success. At that time, it was "the end of the gun collection" and ready to go. Due to time constraints, the Qing government had not yet obtained his activities in Europe through formal channels. At this time, Gong Zhaoyuan, the minister, had returned to his post. Gong Zhaoyuan found out about it, so he telegraphed to the Qing court. Because the Qing government had made up its mind to make peace with Japan, Li Hongzhang firmly opposed the practice of Song Yuren and others. Cixi also thought that Song Yuren "made an accident in vain" and immediately ordered to cancel all matters such as purchasing ships and recruiting soldiers. At the same time, he called on Song Yuren to return home as soon as possible. In March 1895, the Qing government signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki with Japan, which was a humiliating treaty. The plan of recruiting overseas navy to attack Japan was stillborn. Song Yuren had been defeated because of his "potential teacher's attempt to abolish". He could only "comfort the fake and cry in private, and look at the foreign countries and sigh". He was really sad for a long time. On the way back to China, he wrote the book of borrowing funds, which recorded the process of the event in detail to show his unfulfilled ambition.

The failure of the reform movement of 1898, the success of the revolution of 1911 and the return of the later state were all unacceptable historical changes for Song Yuren, who advocated reform and constitutional monarchy. Blood and fire are not his future. Among the "Six Gentlemen of 1898", Yang Rui and Liu Guangdi from Sichuan Province were his comrades and good friends, while the latter was also his hometown of Fushun. His grief is hard and humane. He gradually withdrew from the political arena and became one of the "five old and seven virtuous men" in Chengdu. In 1914, Song Yuren went to Beijing to compile and preside over the affairs of the National History Museum; in 1917, he was the president of Sichuan Guoxue school; in 1920, he was the president of Sichuan Guoxue society; in 1921, he was the general editor of Sichuan Tongzhi Bureau. In his later years, he lived in seclusion in the "Dongshan thatched cottage" of Shizishan in the eastern suburb of Chengdu. He devoted himself to compiling chronicles and writing books. Regardless of the world, he compiled the first draft of general chronicles of Sichuan and Fushun County chronicles.

Song Yuren died on December 5, 1931 and was buried in the bamboo forest opposite Dongshan thatched cottage. Before that, he had printed a number of "notes of borrowing and raising", and on his deathbed, he asked to present the book to those who came to mourn. In 2006, Sansheng township government rebuilt Dongshan thatched cottage in the area of today's "happy Meilin" and set up a stone statue of Song Yuren, adding a historical and cultural atmosphere to this famous leisure place. In September 2008, "Dongshan thatched cottage" was destroyed by a fire caused by lightning. Fortunately, the tomb Pavilion of Song Yuren was not damaged.

Bumpy official career

After the war, the Qing government intended to further deal with Song Yuren, but this amazing feat involved too many people, including important officials of the imperial court and foreigners. The people who knew about this matter were more sympathetic to his experience. Therefore, the imperial court also had some concerns about handling this matter, and did not go into it any further. Instead, it took away the second grade crown Dai that he had given him when he was sent as an envoy, and still demoted to the original position of the fourth grade crown to serve in the Imperial Academy.

evaluate

More than 100 years have passed since the incident, and most of the historical books about the Sino Japanese War of 1894-1895 have not recorded it, so they have almost been forgotten. As the 150th anniversary of Mr. Song Yuren's birth is approaching, I hope more people will know about his borrowing and financing, and make him feel relieved. (Liu Ju Su, Huang Zong Kai / Department of history, Sichuan Institute of Technology)

Chinese PinYin : Song Yu Ren