Real Histories
In May of this year, the boxers revolted and gained strength daily. The court could not decide whether to suppress or appease them, repeatedly sought ministerial advice, hoping for a solution. I asked several high-ranking ministers—Xu Yongyi, Li Shan, Xu Jingcheng, Lian Yuan, and Yuan Chang—for their opinions multiple times, but they all gave evasive answers. The ministers responsible for the unrest took the opportunity to falsely accuse them in memorials, leading to their impeachment and nearly costing them their heads.
However, considering that Xu Yongyi and the others have served the court for many years and usually handle matters prudently, they still have merits. So I decided to vindicate them. Xu Yongyi, Li Shan, Xu Jingcheng, Lian Yuan, and Yuan Chang have all been reinstated to their original positions. Is that clear to everyone? Good.
In May, a Boxer Rebellion broke out in Beijing, and even went to war with foreign powers. Now Yi Xiang and Li Hongzhang are negotiating with ambassadors from various countries in Beijing, and the main contents have been finalized. Think about where this disaster came from; it was all caused by those princes and ministers who were incompetent and arrogant, superstitious, and held the court in their grip. They disobeyed the orders to suppress the Boxers, instead indulging them, fighting recklessly, and as a result, the Boxers became more and more arrogant. They gathered tens of thousands of Boxer rebels right under the imperial government's nose and couldn't control them at all. They even ordered the reckless soldiers to besiege the embassies. After a few months, a great disaster occurred; the Qing Dynasty was on the brink of destruction, the imperial tombs were threatened, and the people suffered. The Empress Dowager and I were in mortal danger; it's impossible to describe. Thinking about it now, I am still terrified, both sad and angry. These princes and ministers, who believed in superstition, indulged bandits, harmed the country, and caused disasters to the people, what do they deserve? The previous two punishments were too lenient; they should receive further punishment, commensurate with their crimes.
Prince Zai Xun, who has already been dismissed from his position, allowed the Boxers to attack the embassy, issued notices that violated the agreement, believed the words of the bandits, and wrongfully killed many people. He was a cruel, stubborn fool. He was ordered to commit suicide, and Ge Baohua, the Imperial Inspector, was sent to supervise. Prince Zai Yi of Duan County, who has also been dismissed, incited the princes and nobles to trust the Boxers, falsely claiming they should go to war, leading to this disaster. There's no question of his guilt. Duke Zai Lan, who has been demoted, issued notices that violated the agreement along with Zai Xun, and should also be punished. They were stripped of their titles. Even though they were princes, they were all sentenced to life in Xinjiang, under guard. Disgraced Governor Yu Xian, who has been dismissed, had previously believed in the Boxers' nonsense while serving as governor in Shandong. He spread this in Beijing, influencing many princes and ministers. While serving as governor in Shanxi, he also killed many missionaries and believers, brutally incompetent in his actions. He was the main culprit behind the crimes. He had already been exiled to Xinjiang, probably near Gansu by now. The order was: execute him immediately, with Imperial Inspector He Fukun overseeing the execution.
Former junior grand secretary and Minister of Personnel Shangshu Gangyi, who sheltered the Boxers and caused a great disaster, also participated in issuing proclamations that violated the treaty. Though deserving of severe punishment, he died before it could be carried out, so his original official position is revoked. Gansu governor Dong Fuxiang led troops into Beijing, whose troops lacked discipline, and whose poor diplomacy and reckless actions resulted in significant issues. Although the siege of the embassy was instigated by those dismissed princes, he also bears responsibility. He should have faced severe punishment, but considering his merits in Gansu and the support of the Han people, he is given a lighter punishment and dismissed. Former Left Censorate Yingnian, when he issued proclamations in defiance of the treaty, had tried to stop it, which is partially excusable, but he failed to succeed, so he is also responsible. He is dismissed with grace and sentenced to be beheaded. Justice Minister Zhao Shuqiao, who usually did not pay much attention to diplomacy, did not shelter the Boxers, but his dilatory actions cost valuable time. He is dismissed with grace and sentenced to be beheaded. Yingnian and Zhao Shuqiao are both imprisoned in Shaanxi. Grand Secretary Xu Tong and former Governor of Sichuan Li Bingheng have both died, but their actions left them open to charges, so they are both dismissed, with their posthumous honors revoked. After this punishment, all friendly nations should understand that the Boxer Rebellion was incited by these culprits, not the intention of the court. I am punishing these culprits severely, not leniently, and the people of the world also understand the significance of this matter. So ordered.
Let me tell you, there are always some timeless truths in the world, but specific laws and regulations are never permanent. The *I Ching* shows how things change, and the *Analects* shows the patterns in that change. Those that do not change are the Three Bonds and Five Constants (the fundamental ethical principles in Confucianism), guiding principles that illuminate the world; while those that can change are like the strings of a musical instrument, easily changed as needed. From ancient times to the present, dynasties have been constantly reforming. Our Qing emperors formulated laws based on the situation at that time, so there are different circumstances. Things changed drastically after we moved from Shenyang to Beijing. Things were very different under Jiaqing and Daoguang than under Yongzheng and Qianlong. In general, too many laws just make things messy, and when laws become problematic, they must be changed, all ultimately for the purpose of strengthening the country and ensuring the well-being of the people.
Since we moved the capital, the Empress Dowager has been working tirelessly, and I blame myself even more, deeply reflecting on decades of neglect and mismanagement that have led to the current disaster. We're negotiating now, and all political affairs must be seriously rectified, working towards prosperity. The Empress Dowager taught me that we must learn from the West to improve China; we must learn from past lessons in order to accumulate experience for the future. Since the Reform of 1898, those hypocrites have been spreading lies, deliberately provoking conflicts between the old and the new. Kang Youwei and his crew did more damage than the Boxers, and there are still people on the run overseas, enticing others to rebel with money and status, pretending to be loyal, sowing discord within the court. They don't realize Kang Youwei's "reforms" were just a mess. These traitors are using my illness to plot against me.
At that time, I begged the Empress Dowager to assume the regency in order to save me from danger and purge the government of its villains. In fact, the Empress Dowager did not agree to completely replace those dishonest officials; as for amending the regulations, when did I ever fully adopt Western methods and entirely deny the old system? I adhere to a moderate approach, choosing effective methods for implementation, with mother and son working together, and the people see this. Now I respectfully follow the decree of the Empress Dowager, wholeheartedly wanting to revitalize the country, harmonizing the old and new systems seamlessly.
The reason for China's weakness lies in entrenched traditions and cumbersome bureaucracy. Those incompetent officials, as well as talented scholars, rarely operate without relying on regulations. The mediocre hid behind it, while the corrupt exploited it for gain. Official business relies on written communication, with no actual results; talent selection is restricted by rigid rules, gradually becoming sluggish. Self-interest is the root of the nation's problems; clinging to precedent is the source of its woes. Now those who study the West merely scratch the surface of Western strength, learning only a smattering of language and a few technical tricks.
Leaders must be tolerant yet decisive, honest in word and deed. If China does not pay attention to these fundamental issues, but instead clings to the old habits of indecision, cronyism, and graft, only concerned with self-interest, then how can the country become prosperous? In conclusion, unless the laws change and old habits are broken, reform is essential for national revival.
I command the members of the Grand Council, the Grand Secretariat, officials of the Six Ministries and Nine Courts, envoys to foreign countries, and provincial governors to carefully study the current situation. We must thoroughly examine all aspects of governance, including court procedures, administration, the people's livelihood, education, the civil service examination system, military affairs, and finance, determining what should be retained, eliminated, streamlined, merged, learned from others, or devised as innovative solutions. In short, we must devise specific plans that will ensure national prosperity, the cultivation of talent, robust finances, and a strong military. Everyone should submit their proposals within two months. Then I will report your suggestions to the Dowager Empress for careful consideration and implementation after perfecting them.
Since I arrived in Taiyuan, I have decreed for everyone to offer their recommendations. After reading many memorials, I found that most current opinions are extreme: some uncritically adopt ideas from newspapers, while others are confined to superficial academic perspectives. They engage in unproductive criticism and mutual dismissal, limited by their own biases, unable to see the pros and cons clearly, resulting in difficulties in implementation. These new officials talk about enriching the country and strengthening the military, but often do not understand the ins and outs of things; while the old-school Confucian scholars only discuss orthodox knowledge, knowing nothing about the actual situation. Ministers, you must analyze these two extremes, discern the valuable insights and discard the irrelevant, and be flexible in your approach, making thoughtful suggestions for me to carefully select.
To govern a country, you need good systems and good officials. Get the right people, and even a bad system can be fixed; get the wrong people, and even the best system will fail. If we can't see beyond the surface, just sticking to the rules and ignoring what needs doing, then those promotions and demotions will create a real mess. We need to be careful from the start and stay the course; it takes more than willpower; you need the skills to back it up. Therefore, after the reform, it's even more important to select talented individuals and keep reminding ourselves. The Empress Dowager and I have been worried about this for a long time; when we hit a wall, we need to change course. The country's fate depends on this. If we keep doing things the same old way, slacking off and taking shortcuts, I won't tolerate it, even with the law on our side! Get the word out. That's all.
I've brought my team to Taiyuan this time. Before leaving, I sent Ronglu, Xu Tong, Kungang, Chongli, Yude, Jingxin, Pushan, Akdan, Natong, and Chen Kuilong, et al., to stay in Beijing to handle political affairs. I also sent Prince Qing Yi 劻 back to Beijing to work with Li Hongzhang to negotiate with foreign countries on various matters.
This Boxer Rebellion is entirely their doing, and now to solve the problem, we must deal with them decisively. The Boxers are especially rampant in Zhili. Before Li Hongzhang took office, the court can't pass the buck. Therefore, the Zhili governor was ordered to crack down hard on the Boxers and ensure their complete eradication. If local officials are still protecting them, or even resisting our troops, commanding officers must decisively eliminate them, quell the unrest, and restore order. That's the plan.
I have read the reports from Li Hongzhang, Liu Kunyi, and Zhang Zhidong, as well as Li Hongzhang's telegram on the 9th. The 21st of July was my fault. Too late for regrets! You guys need to get to Tianjin right away, pick up the seal, then head to Beijing to meet with the foreign ambassadors and get this sorted. The self-blame edict went out on the 26th. You should have it by now. About the rebels, I already told Tingyong to handle it, and I issued a formal order today. All other matters should be handled according to your recommendations. But we need to prioritize things. I am following the Empress Dowager Cixi's decree and am currently two stops away from Taiyuan. I will decide how long to stay after reaching Taiyuan depending on the situation. This is a huge crisis. Your actions will decide whether we live or die. It's all on you. Don't let me down. Get it done! Tell Li Hongzhang and the others via telegram. That's it.
The Empress Dowager and I are heading to Taiyuan. We're still two train stops from Taiyuan. We'll see what's up when we get to Taiyuan and figure out our next move. This is a huge emergency. Your mission is critical – the fate of the country hangs in the balance. It's all up to you guys to turn things around! Don't let us down! Get to it! Tell Duanfang to telegram this to Li Hongzhang and the rest. Got it?
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