李鸿章传

by 梁启超

本書從李鴻章的早年落拓，寫到他參加鎮壓太平軍、甲午海戰，創辦洋務運動，周旋於世界外交舞臺直至死去的一生。

　　李鴻章從鎮壓太平天國發跡，創辦洋務運動他的聲望達到頂點。在甲午海戰中他苦心經營的海陸軍全軍覆沒。梁啟超深刻地分析了李鴻章在甲午海戰中的種種失誤。指出即使沒有這些失誤，李鴻章的失敗也是必然的，因為世界的競爭是國民智力和創造力的競爭。彼時日本各國已經開化。民眾在世界眼光和參政熱情上已經大大領先，而滿清政府仍然禁錮民智民力，失敗也就難免了。

　　洋務運動的失敗宣告了李鴻章創辦的官督商辦的官僚資本主義必然失敗的命運。官僚既不懂工商業的技術和管理，反而把它當作漁利的工具，不僅企業沒有效率，更壓制了民族工商業的發展，限制了他們的參與熱情，窒息了資本主義工商業的發展和社會的轉型。

　　作者把李鴻章同古今中外要人霍光、諸葛亮，秦檜，曾國藩、張之洞、俾斯麥、伊藤博文等做了對比，指出李鴻章也有鞠躬盡瘁死而後已的心，能夠忍辱負重，但是他沒有長遠的眼光，不知道為後世立百年大計，僅滿足于修修補補。不懂得現代民主政治的特點和國民的地位、國民在現代國際競爭中的作用、政府與民眾的關係，因此在現代國際競爭中處處落於下風。處處受制。總之他的失敗也就是晚清政府的失敗，是晚清政府不瞭解世界大勢，不懂得民主政治的必然結局。

　　最後作者憂慮地說，在晚清政府中李鴻章是最具有世界眼光、最有能力和品格的一個人，尚且不能避免失敗的命運。今後內憂外患的風潮。將要比李鴻章時代還要嚴重數倍，但要想再找一個像李鴻章這樣的人，也幾乎不可能了。想到中國未來的前途，不禁毛骨悚然，不知道最終是什麼局面。

Genres: Biography, Domestic, History

168 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1901

Reviews

[Aderyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Li Hung Chang was a Chinese governor of Kiangsu and commissioner under the last Qing dynasty. He was in charge of foreign affairs trade and coastal Defence. He supervised military training programs which engaged foreign Instructors. Li was ashamed that Chinese munitions are far inferior to the west. He knew that Japan n Russia had already acquired some of the western technology. He visited many countries Japan US and Western European countries. He was impressed by Japan efforts to learn western techniques and even sent young men to western countries to serve as apprentice to learn western technology and even acquired more advance machines that can help farming irrigation, weaving and printing machine pottery making machine etc. He was open minded to confront the reality that china was backward in term of technology and education to the west. However the Chinese and the ruling Qing elite were anti foreigners , labelling them as barbarians with pride that Middle Kingdom needed nothing from the west Nor anything to learn from them. Li differ in perspectives and he urged the Chinese to be humble and bear humiliation to learn the secrets of the barbarian science and technology which was superior in the utilisation of human resources. He retorted if we cannot learn n make use of the superior western technology in ammunition , we will regret it in future. He wrote " if Chinese cud match those of the west, they would not only be adequate to suppress internal disorder but also sufficient to resist foreign aggression. He was aware of china abject poverty in contrast with the west. He noticed the obsolences of the traditional education system of focus on calligraphy n eight legged essay. He called for self strengthening of the country not only in military weakness but also in china system of education n civil service recruitment. He was prepared to have china adopt barabarian ways and to work harmoniously while seeking methods of self strengthening. He concluded that self strengthening called for adjustments in china existing system of education and civil service recruitment, developing railways n telegraph. Li was impressed by Japan efforts to learn western techniques.
Although he has power to craft and influence policy but was subjected to the approval n support of the Manchu ruling elites and empress dowager. The elites Manchu were living parasite lifestyles extorting from the servile Han peasants. Cixi lived in luxurious splendour She embezzled public funds which virtually paralysed modernisation programs n military Defence. She used funds that had been allocated to build a modern navy fleet to built her summer palace. Starved of money the Chinese navy was sank to bottom of sea by by the Japanese war.
Cixi was anti foreign , not open minded to accept foreign ideas of progress but prepared to use foreign power to Squash local rebellions. Using foreigners to kill locals. Using foreign power to solve domestic problems. Li was assigned by empress dowager to supress the boxer rebellion with the help of British forces which resulted in execution of the rebel leader. China under Cixi 's power was torn by rebellions and caught up in foreign wars. Cixi was dominated by superiority complex is too empty and too crammed to discern and learn what is superior western technology. The spirit of her mind was how to manipulate to stay in power. Perhaps the survival of china as a whole do not matter but what matter was her survival to stay in power.

Liang qichao a brilliant scholar blamed Li Hung Chang for china woes of self strengthening movement which collaborating with the European imperialists and suppressing the masses. Labelled Li as a feudalist and a traitor to the Chinese people. Li had a reputation for prowestern n welcoming foreign influence in china.

My conclusion was Li Hung Chang probably was pragmatic that he was already in his 70, one foot underground and had lived a lifestyle of a feudal lord under the feudal system for decades. It is hard to teach "old dog new tricks. " Liang Qichao solicited Li co operation to change the feudal system to western democracy system which Li replied he was of age and a different generation from young Liang qichao to envisage change. Li probably felt his loyalty shud be with country ruling Manchu ruling elite since he was also the benefactor of the system although he was serving a foreign Manchu master. Being a Shrewd and acute Politicians with deep insight and understanding of the operandi modus of country ruling system Under a ruthless cruel manipulative power hungry dowager cixi ruling the country ; Perhaps Li was probably pessimistic they can be positive change for a better future in china. That may be reason he sent many of his descendants for overseas study and they resided there. It was rumoured that Li was a shareholder in an American bank and his descendants are all successful millionaires in US n UK. Liang qichao on the other hand compelled his Son Liang sicheng an American trained architect Ivy League uni to return to china to serve under the Mao era. Sad to learn the truth that Liang sicheng and his Wife were tortured to death during the cultural revolution as they were accused of being rightist. Is this the price Liang qi Chao paid for his Chinese patriotism ? Was Li Hung Chang being a traitor or being a pragmatist because had good foresight of the culture of working in Chinese politics that he envisaged that china future will be deteriorated that why he invested his wealth n descendants future out of china. ?

[Hao · Rating 4 out of 5]

李鸿章，一个很有正能量的伟人，不管他做了什么，在近80岁，生命最后一刻还在为国家奋斗这一点又有几个人能做得到。一个在中国近史中，最低谷时期，站在最前面的那个人，看自己的国家一步步走向失败，该是会多不甘心。如果他能看到今天的中国，应该会很欣慰吧。

很易读的自传，里面大概的介绍了他的政治生涯开始到人生的最后。附加了很多有用的信息，比如条约内容。作者也加入了自己的见解，个人感觉还是很公正的。作为一个对历史不是很感兴趣，也不了解的人，还是几乎一口气读完，当然这跟这本书相对来说比较短也是很有关系的。

[Babe Gladwaller · Rating 4 out of 5]

西哲有恒言曰：“时势造英雄，英雄亦造时势。”梁启超认为李鸿章是时势所造之英雄，非造时势之英雄也。要而论之，李鸿章有才气而无学识之人也，有阅历而无血性之人也。彼非无鞠躬尽瘁死而后已之心，然彼弥缝偷安以待死者也。彼于未死之前当责任而不辞，然未尝有立百年大计以遗后人之志。后此内忧外患之风潮，将有甚于李鸿章时代数倍者，乃今欲求一如李鸿章其人者，亦渺不可复睹焉。念中国之前途，不禁毛发栗起，而未知其所终极也。九州生气恃风雷，万马齐喑究可哀。我劝天公重抖擞，不拘一格降人才。

[WaldenOgre · Rating 4 out of 5]

全书始于“天下惟庸人无咎无誉”，终于“念中国之前途，不禁毛发栗起，而未知其所终极也”，可谓精炼。然归根结底，“我四万万人放弃国民之责任者，亦且不复自知其罪也。”

[Alex Xu · Rating 3 out of 5]

见识还是短。

[王佳欢 Jiahuan Wang · Rating 4 out of 5]

唔，读完了。感觉很过瘾，本来以为这本书只是译本，之后才发现原来后边还有原文，真是很体贴。文言文在大多数普通读者包括我在内还是看着有些难以阅读。

李鸿章的一生这的可谓是经历了整个清政府的衰亡，从太平天国到八国联军。这个时代在中国所发生的所有大事，李鸿章都参与其中而且发挥着不小的作用。看完后我感觉李鸿章真的是一个经典中国英雄在面对前所未有的外来思想事物冲击下所具有代表的人物。如果把他放在几十，几百年前，他很有可能成为一代名相，是名臣因为他所做所表现出来了的一切都是过去中国知识分子所能够表现出来的。经过几千年儒学忠君思想的宣传，李鸿章这样的中国式经典名臣已经迈步不出像曹操、霍光、王莽那样的魄力步。是他所学的儒家思想将他带上人生之巅峰，也是他所学的儒家思想将他只能困在那个高处不胜寒之处，进退不得。

可悲可叹，可怜可悯，他只是生在了错误的时代，或者说是他具有顽固的思想，僵硬的以为中国变法洋务只要其表，而不知什么事情如果不能够由内而外，不就是现在所说的豆腐渣工程吗？

梁启超作为同一时代的人，写这本评论李鸿章的书绝对是公允的，他要比我们这些百年后的人看的更清晰更透彻，不过就是多了点感情色彩罢了。看着书的背面，想不到一百年前的大人物，一百年前左右中国的世间到现在基本上很难敲出回响了，真是是非成败转头空，维留后人笑语声。

[Blues · Rating 4 out of 5]

读了新星的版本