Li Hong Zhang’s Germany Visit and Policy

After Germany won the war against France in 1870/71, news of the military success immediately spread to Qing officials. Their success at war made the Qing officials so curious about German‟s technology that they thought to have their support in China‟s military modernizations. At that time Li Hong Zhang knew that the strong power of Germany and he was looking forward to have more relations with Germany and the other European countries.

First and foremost Li Hong Zhang saw Germany as an example and partly also as an ally, as ten years previous France together with England had conquered and burnt the summer palace of the emperor. Under the framework of the Self-Strengthening movement and on Li‟s initiative, a group of seven sergeants were sent to Germany.²⁷⁷

In Berlin, the young Chinese received about three years of training at the Prussian Military Academy in Spandau under the supervision of the German colonel Lehmeyer, who had been working for three years with the Krupp envoy in Tianjin.

276 Quoted from Qing Dynasty History web site, Jottings from the Granite Studio’s web site:

http://granitestudio.org/2006/10/28/patriotism-li-hongzhang-and-the-foreign-threat/

277 This part was Cited from Dr. Hong Meng‟ study and amended by the author, Chinese in Germany at the end of the Qing-Dynasty, J. of the GCPD, Vol. 7, No. 1, October 2003, pp. 33-36. For Pdf version of his study please visit: http://www.gcpd.de/publication/wuli03/meng.pdf

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The inevitable opening of China to the world led to increased private travel of Chinese to Germany from the middle of the 19th century onwards. According to recent archive studies the first Chinese student was enrolled in a German university as early as 1873. Rankin H., from the port city Ningbo, enrolled in Easter of 1873 for one semester at the faculty of philosophy in the Leipzig University. It was only in the winter term of 1898/99 that another Chinese from Beijing called Xu Shen started to study Law at the University of Berlin. Prior to that he had been teaching Chinese at the faculty for oriental languages since 1891. One year later two other graduates of the Chinese public academy for foreign languages “Tongwenguan” (同文馆) started to study in Germany.²⁷⁸

The famous visit of the Chinese viceroy Li Hong Zhang at the end of the 19th century was a special event for the citizens of Berlin. Li Hong Zhang was famous for his “Construction plan for China and his negotiation skills with regard to foreign affairs.” At the Court of Prussia he was even called the “Bismarck of the East”.

On 13th June 1896 Li Hong Zhang has arrived in Berlin, coming by train from Russia. The reception that awaited him was very extraordinary. Reichs-Chancellor Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst went through the suburbs on special order of Emperor William II in order to escort Li in a pompous decorated four-wheeled coach, pulled by six horses, into the Capital of the German Reich. In Berlin, Li enjoyed the special attention of three German China Experts. On the second day of his visit Li was invited

278 Cited from Dr. Hong Meng‟ study, Chinese in Germany at the end of the Qing-Dynasty, J. of the GCPD, Vol. 7, No. 1, October 2003, pp. 33-36. For Pdf version of his study please visit:

http://www.gcpd.de/publication/wuli03/meng.pdf

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by Emperor William II to his palace where he was awarded the decoration of the

“Großkreuz des Roten Adlerordens”. ²⁷⁹

In his visit to Berlin, Li Hong Zhang has met several other politicians, he visited some factories for military equipment as well as some shipyards in Potsdam, before going to Friedrichsruhe to meet Bismarck ( 奧 托 馮 俾 斯 麥 ), who was eminently respectable in China. When Li Hong Zhang met with his counterpart Bismarck, China and Germany were having very limited relations. Bismarck has warmly welcomed him and said:

“I am very happy to see you in my country, it is for me very great pleasure to welcome China‟s most celebrated statesman.` After hearing this words Li Hong Zhang replied very softly and in a gentle manner `Now I have seen your Serenity‟s eye, I fully understand your greatness. I know today I see a hero of many successes. When they began to talk about China Li Hong Zhang asked Bismarck” How can we best reform in China? We want to have a modern and stronger army. We have the men but not enough trained as we want. Now I am here for to ask your advice and support. We must reorganize and we must do it with the

279 The Order of the Red Eagle was an order of chivalry of the Kingdom of Prussia. This medal was awarded to both military personnel and civilians, to recognize valor in combat, excellence in military leadership, long and faithful service to the kingdom, or other achievements. As with most German (and most other European) orders, the Order of the Red Eagle could only be awarded to commissioned officers or civilians of approximately equivalent status. However, there was a medal of the order, which could be awarded to non-commissioned officers and enlisted men, lower ranking civil servants and other civilians.

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help of Prussian officials and on the Prussian model. Bismarck replied “Army need to be distributed all over the country.” After they talked a while the topic turned to German questions and foreign politics. Bismarck started to talk about the Prince Hohenlohe whom he had been friends for 30 years. He said he always interested in China. He then continued to talk about their daily life and took pictures with the other officials. Later, Li Hong Zhang wrote to Bismarck‟s album in Chinese; `After hearing with admiration for more than 30 years of the fame of the greatest statesman of the present century it give me very great pleasure to see Serenity Prince Bismarck at his country, during my extraordinary mission in Europe and to write my name in this book in commemoration of this happy event.” Prince Bismarck accompanied the Viceroy Li Hong Zhang to his carriage, and they bade each other a hearty farewell, amid the cheers of the bystanders. ²⁸⁰

However, two years later however German troops, for Li the archetype for the Chinese troops, occupied the Chinese Bay of Jiaozhou, and Qingdao became a German Colony. When Prince Chun visited Berlin in 1901 the atmosphere in the German Court had changed to against the Middle Kingdom.

Due to the assassination of the German envoy in Beijing, von Ketteler during the boxer-uprising, the younger brother of the Chinese emperor not only had to pay huge reparation, he also had to apologize on behalf of the Qing Government. The

280 The New York Times, published in July 12 1896.

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exotic young prince however was able to gain the respect of the Germans because of his excellent literature and negotiation skills; his politeness was also highly appreciated. Not only he did bring precious gifts for the German emperor but he also distributed presents among the attendees of invitations and receptions or awarded decorations. He visited German companies and cities where he was warmly welcomed with “Hurrah”.

In Danzig, Emperor William II awarded him later with military decorations.

The excitement of the German population for the Chinese prince made it possible for Chinese living in Germany to wear their traditional Chinese costumes again. After Chun‟s visit to Germany, the German government changed its colonial policy towards China. Instead of military measures, Germany placed emphasis on cultural policy.

China introduced broad reforms within the so-called “New Policy”. Between the two countries a productive approach took place, not only in the economic sector but also in political and cultural aspects.²⁸¹