By Zheng Chun, Contributing Writer

In the second half of the nineteenth century, the self-styled "heavenly dynasty" of the Manchu Qing Dynasty showed its original form of corruption and decay, the emptiness of the state treasury, the degeneration of the army, the numbness of the people, the corruption of the officials, the confinement of the ideology, the hardship of life and so on has exceeded our imagination, and the works of Lu Xun's Medicine, Kong Yi Ji, as well as the works of other writers reflected the reality of that time in graphic terms. the reality of the time.

 A group of bloodthirsty literati began to ponder over the country, the nation and life, and the way to save the country and the people (sorry, the uneducated are still waiting for the educated to wake up). As the saying goes, if you have been in the toilet for a long time, you don't realize the stench of it. When the domestic officialdom was still talking about moral articles to deceive themselves and others, a young man intuitively came to the conclusion that studying in the West would change his destiny. --He was Yung Ma-te, who by chance became the first Chinese to study in the United States.

Yung Ma-teung came from a poor peasant, because he couldn't afford to study in a private school, his father had to send Yung Ma-teung to study in a foreign school run by a missionary, which no one studied at that time, from the age of seven until the age of eighteen. Look at other people's father's insight, you didn't make it? Go home and blame your father!

Opportunity comes from persistence. The principal of the Yale-graduated foreign school was going back to China for health reasons and wanted to take a few students to the United States for further study. In this way, without money and without any background, Yung Ma-te drifted to the other side of the ocean. Again, I have to praise people's parents, at that time, staying in the ocean is equal to life and death.

Imagine the change in the mind of a young man who secreted hormones in large quantities and was educated for seven years in the all-abominable American imperialist society. "Throughout my college years, the deplorable state of China often came to my mind with a heavy heart," Yung recalled in his later years. "I decided to make the next generation in China enjoy the same education that I had. In this way, through Western education, China would be revitalized and transformed into an enlightened, rich and powerful nation."

Study abroad to save the people and education to save the country. Through enlightening people's minds, improving their knowledge, learning science and technology to modernize the nation and the country. Yung Hong is a simple man, but his heart to serve the country can be seen on earth and in heaven. This is a correct and necessary path. Missionaries can change the destiny of a few, dozens of Chinese people, to change the destiny of the nation to achieve a large number of young people to study abroad, can only be organized through the government to promote.

Will court officials at all levels actively contribute to this great good for the country and the people? Take a look at the behavior of government officials who are heading for the end of the road:

First, ignore it.

After graduating from Yale University in 1854, Yung returned to China and appealed for many years. As we all expected, the late Qing officialdom gave him a gentle inaction - no one cared about him. It is evident that whether or not someone listens to you has nothing to do with whether what you say is correct or wrong, but it has something to do with who is saying it, the so-called people's words are light; and it has something to do with where you say it, you are a cynic if you are complaining in the neighborhood, and you are a pillar of the temple if you are talking about it in the temple.

Under the imperial system, all officials in a dynasty were the emperor's domestic slaves. Being an official is the career of an official, the salary is linked to the rank of an official, and the promotion of an official (the amount of salary) depends on the superior leader or even the emperor. Under this kind of political ecology, officials are concerned about how to pander to their superiors, and their concern for the country's economy and people's livelihood can only be found in one situation, that is, when the superior officials or the emperor are concerned, the subordinate officials will be proactive. Otherwise, as Yung Ma-teung encountered, the officials turned a deaf ear.

 Secondly, the closed channel of speech

Opportunity still comes from persistence. In 1863, after nine years of traveling, Yung Ma-tek, who had studied abroad and was familiar with the West, had become famous and was recognized by Zeng Guofan, who wanted to strengthen his country. Tseng Kuo-fan personally wrote to Yung-Ma-teung, "I am anxious to meet him. Yung was recruited under Tseng Kuo-fan, responsible for purchasing machines in the United States, and was given a fifth-grade official. Tseng Kuo-fan, the pillar of the nation, could decide the direction of the country with his ideas.

At this time, Yung Ma-tek was already very close to realizing his ideal, but close is not reach. First, although already under Zeng Guofan, but the official hierarchy, Yung did not have much opportunity to meet with Zeng Guofan, through Zeng Guofan to promote the idea of studying abroad there are still obstacles. Secondly, the Qing Dynasty stipulated that only officials above the fourth grade had the right to report to the imperial court. Yung himself was not able to directly appeal to the court to suggest sending students to study abroad.

Let Zeng Guofan to play the fire is not enough, and he has no right to play. Rong Ma-tek helpless, they try to make friends with the governor of Jiangsu Ding Richang, please ask him to help the court. Ding Richang said, no one in the dynasty to help you, on the folding also drowned. Look, want to do a good thing, practical to the difficult. If a society does not have a good, practical environment, this society is a worse than rotten society, from the change of dynasty is still far away?

Ding Richang was an enlightened official who really wanted to make this happen. On the surface, he rejected Yung Ma-teung, but privately he was waiting for the opportunity. Just have the enthusiasm to do nothing, in the right time to find the right person to do in order to succeed. Ding Richang is waiting for a suitable time to persuade Zeng Guofan to play this matter. This wait is three years. Three years later, Ding Richang will be the young children of Yung Ma-tek to stay in the United States proposal to Tseng Kuo-fan report, Tseng Kuo-fan said three words: "wait a little longer".

Yung Hong, Ding Richang, Zeng Guofan three people are extremely smart people, all want to facilitate the country to study things, in the handling of this matter fully demonstrated their wisdom. Yung Hong running appeal, Ding Richang follow the trend, Zeng Guofan God see the head and not see the tail.

What is Zeng Guofan waiting for? It turns out that although China and the United States have diplomacy, official study abroad but no treaty basis.

Opportunity is really simmering. After the expiration of his term as U.S. Minister to China, he was asked by the Qing court to serve as China's ambassador to Europe and the United States. On behalf of the Qing government, Puan Anchen signed the Treaty of Puan Anchen with the United States. Section 7 of the treaty reads, "The people of both countries shall be admitted to the official schools of the other, and shall be treated with favor; and both sides shall be allowed to establish academies in the other." This provision provided the legal basis for China to send international students to study in the United States. The date of November 23, 1869, was November 23, 1869, when China and the United States ratified the exchange of letters of the treaty.

In 1870, Zeng Guofan went to Tianjin to deal with the "Tientsin Education Case", and Yung Ma-teung acted as an interpreter. Yung proposed a study abroad program. Zeng Guofan was very much in favor of it. The study abroad program came to fruition. Tseng Kuo-fan and Li Hung-chang jointly submitted a report to the court about the study abroad program. With these two brothers and sisters in the court speaking out, the court "follows the suggestion. Admire this." How, now understand who makes history, right?

As if by divine providence, Zeng Guofan died in the winter of 1871 after doing this.

Third, mutual constraints

Since 1872, the curtain of China's study abroad history has been opened. Yung Ma-teung has been struggling for this for nearly twenty years.

Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang planned to send 120 foreign students to the United States, mainly to study science and technology, engineering and other subjects that were urgently needed for foreign affairs. Taking into account the language problem, decided to choose 10 to 16 years old children to go abroad; from 1872 onwards, 30 students were sent each year, until 1875 to send the end of the year; study abroad for 15 years; funds are paid by the Qing court.

Under the recommendation of Zeng Guofan, Chen Lanbin was appointed as the commissioner of students studying in the U.S. with the title of Zhengqing of Taishang Temple, and Yung Ma-teung as the deputy commissioner. August 11, 1872, appointed Chen Lanbin as the supervisor, Yung Ma-teung as deputy supervisor, led the first batch of 30 students to study in the U.S., the supervision of major issues to say.

See the mystery? That's all that matters, and the leadership arrangements have to check each other and make sure that the courtiers have the final say in decision-making. Before it even started, the stage was set for the demise of the study abroad endeavor.

Fourth, loyalty is greater than heaven

The original intention of the Qing government to send students to study abroad was to make use of secondary school as the body and western learning to learn the advanced technology of the United States and realize the dream of a strong nation while maintaining the tradition of feudal culture politically and ideologically. Therefore, they strengthened the ideological education for the young foreign students. The young children had to concentrate on learning Chinese and write a composition every week, and if they failed to write it, Mr. Chinese would spank them. Every time they learn Chinese, they must first make a pilgrimage to the Emperor of Qing Dynasty with their faces facing towards China, and then kowtow to the portrait of Confucius and greet their teachers. If you are a little disobedient, you will be punished.

The reality is Western bourgeois education, American-style living, and young children learning about Western science and technology while also being fully westernized. Young children do not want to wear Chinese clothes and are often dressed in American style. Believing in Christ, falling in love, and participating in various social activities, many young children simply cut off their pigtails, and then put on a fake pigtail when they met with the Qing court officials. These changes in the young children, Yung Ma-teung was very enlightened and did not think it was worth making a fuss about, but in the eyes of the Qing court, it was treasonous.

In 1876, Chen Lanbin recommended Wu Zideng to replace himself as the supervisor of the children in the United States. As soon as he took office, he severely reprimanded the young children, highlighting the feudal morality and etiquette education, and ordered the expulsion of two believers. To cut off the braid of the person severely punished, and even caning. A time to stay in the U.S. young children complained a lot, in the hearts of the young children, but also provoked a kind of rebellious psychology, to Wu Zideng words just do not listen to, only to obey Yung Ma-teung a person. This made Wu Zideng furious and regarded Yung-ma-te as his enemy.

Wu Zideng frequently wrote to the Qing court, often to Li Hongzhang letter, how to stay in the United States how the young children "Americanization", how not to listen to the discipline; how to talk about how Yung Hong indulgent young children, how empty-minded, how dereliction of duty. Yung Hong never thought to write to Li Hongzhang to explain the situation. A long time, the Qing court that Wu Zideng words believe in the truth. Even such an enlightened official as Zeng Jize thought that it would be difficult for a young boy to be successful in the United States. So when Wu Zideng asked the Qing court to withdraw all the children in 1881, it was quickly approved. From August 21, 1881, all the children were divided into three batches and sailed back to China.

Except for those who died of illness and those who managed to stay in the U.S. without returning, 94 children arrived safely in Shanghai and were locked up like prisoners in a school, not even allowed to go out on the Mid-Autumn Festival. After several days of "detention", finally waited for the governor's lecture, and randomly assigned them to work. For example, Zhan Tianyou, who studied engineering, was sent to Guangzhou to teach English. These students were later very good, there is the first premier of the Republic of China Tang Shaoyi, there is the first president of Tsinghua University Tang Guoan, there is the father of China's railroads Zhan Tianyou, there is the founder of China's postal and telecommunication business Zhu Baoqui, and so on.

Study abroad career halfway, later people criticize Chen Lanbin and Wu Zideng, but these two people are not as bad as we think. Chen Lanbin and Wu Zideng are both graduates, Chen Lanbin is a very positive official in the late Qing Dynasty, Wu Zideng is a famous mathematician, the two brothers are the late Qing Dynasty officials who are truly virtuous and talented. That is to say, in this matter, Chen Lanbin and Wu Zideng did not intend to make bad, or cynical, they are very righteous bad.

Let's put ourselves in their shoes and see if we can understand what they are doing.

Chen Lanbin on the issue of sending students to study abroad, both the imperial court was instructed to cultivate both moral and talent to moral first talents, he vigorously strengthen the ideological education of young children is also inevitable. Otherwise, the young children how to resist the erosion of bourgeois decadence? Precisely because in this regard he has a different position from Yung Ma-teung, so, when he left office, he continued his mentor Zeng Guofan's idea of employing people, did not use Yung Ma-teung, but let the follower Wu Zideng on the throne.

All of Wu Zideng's measures were logical, either to train people according to the wishes of the court or to cancel study abroad.

From the point of view of loyalty to the court, Chen Lanbin and Wu Zideng were both very competent. But it is the young children study abroad business to stir up. The ass decides the head, this puts aside who have to do so, I spend money do not cultivate a group of enemies not? Therefore, the success or failure of the matter is another matter, loyalty to the court is a matter of great importance, in order to be loyal, I will be spoiled, how it!

After that, Yung Hong's dream of serving his country was broken, and he left China in disappointment, married a beautiful woman, and died in the United States of America.

Over the past one hundred and fifty years, the closed China was opened by Yung Ma-te with study abroad, a window of openness, brain-opening, subversive new ideas such as the floodgates of the water surging, ignorant as a dead soul of the nation began to wake up. But this window opened and closed, has been affecting China to the world. 

The question is, first, why a group of "good officials" can not do good things? Obviously there are flaws in the Qing Dynasty in the appointment and removal of officials and incentives system design, loyalty to the king is the first standard of selection and hiring, then loyal or make the leadership look loyal to become the first priority of the officials. Since the attention of the officials is on the people (higher leaders), naturally, it does not matter whether things are done well or not. This is also the most confusing place for the turtles: you want to return to your country to do a thing with passion, but it is in the midst of all the clamor that no one cares about your business.

Secondly, why do Chinese people always want to virtualize a moral high ground to restrain human nature? Why do they foolishly believe that Western thought will "poison" the Chinese? Why was the Manchu court so afraid of opening up? On the contrary, the Chinese who immigrated to the West over the past hundred years have not been poisoned. The closed-door Chinese, like Lu Xun's characters, have been poisoned to the point of being pathetic. Has the spirit of the Qing dynasty been dispersed?

Third, you can't reason when the truth is on the side of the few. So, should we insist on reasoning? History has shown that the literati became martial when pushed. Yung Ma-teung changed from initially favoring improvement to supporting revolution. Manchu court did not understand, with their own reasonable people that are "their own people", if you do not cherish, it is born a batch of young talent pushed to the opposite side. Forced to the Liangshan is really not what the book said, Yung Hong later rebelled, Yung Hong's good friend Sun Yat-sen also rebelled. The officials of the whole dynasty just did their best to cultivate a team of rebels, and finally played the court out of existence.

Fourthly, why can China not retain its elites? The heart of Yung-Ma-tek to serve the country can be seen by the sun and the moon, but he was forced to leave his hometown. From the surface, the exodus of Yung-Ma-te is "squeezed" out by the dark superstructure at that time. Inside, the state and the government have formed two skins. What Yung-Ma-te is reporting is the country, and the country represents the long-term interests of the people and the nation. What the officials were trying to protect was the immediate interests of a few vested interests such as the Manchus.

Therefore, the dialog between Yung and the bureaucrats is a different semantic expression of the same word concept, how can it be put together? "Can't talk" and "Can't communicate" have become the common complaints of returnees. Returnees have to wave goodbye to their homeland in tears after their passionate blood has cooled down. Elite flow is a national development of the expected indicators, "May Fourth" movement before the return of a large number of elite students directly gave birth to China's modernization. The sad departure of Yung Ma-te is an indication that China was in the dark period before the dawn.

The pain point of Yung Hong is that his relatives have become outsiders and his benefactors have become enemies, and his heartache is not enough to be told to outsiders. Starting from Yung Ma-te, China has started a spectacular wave of elite exodus in its modern history, with a group of outstanding young people choosing to flee from their motherland. The phenomenon and the reason for it are thought-provoking, and there must be a positive correlation between the return of elites and the strength of the country.