The Reasons For Being And Changes

Zheng Xiaoxu is immersed in the Confucian thoughts and accepts some Western learning. As an assistant to governors, he promotes and influences some business and political state affairs in the late Qing dynasty. Up to the year 1911, he has become a great man in the politics of the late Qing dynasty with his own system of how to administer state affairs, steady style of political quality and good reputation.After the 1911 Revolution, Zheng Xiaoxu escapes to live in seclusion as an old adherent of the Qing dynasty, from which he has finished his change from a great man in politics to an idle person. In his opinion, revolution can destroy the moral principles and make the social order in chaos. The Qing government fails in its discipline, law and order, so the reform is a must and revolution is unnecessary. The Republic is good but it isn't proper in China. It is because of this that he has been working to restore the Qing dynasty even if the Republic of China has existed for more than 20 years. As a co-leader of constitutionalism in the late Qing dynasty, Zhang Jiang turns to the Republic in the period of revolution. Both of them are similar in the judgment of the situation, but they have different values, thus leading to different roads.As an adherent of the Qing dynasty, Zheng Xiaoxu lives a wide and rich life in the Republic of China. He enjoys great fame socially as a man of letters and poet. He has not given up his political ideal of restoring the Qing dynasty, which can be divided into three periods: before 1924 when he is in the south, from February, 1924 to February, 1925 when he is on his way to Tianjin and between February, 1925 and November, 1931 when he is in Tianjin. As an important minister of the abdicated Emperor Puyi, he deeply influences the whole process of the restoration, developing direction and the consequences.A famous scholar and high official, Zheng Xiaoxu lives a complex life. As a man of letters and statesman he owns different aspects such as great style, easy character, moral principles and so on. His politics, life and philosophy are reflected in his conduct and honor as an adherent. In addition to the cultural identity, he has more of political appeal. Zheng Xiaoxu's thoughts come from the Confucian thoughts and his own background. His lifetime pursuit and political object are to construct a reformed monarchy and leave his name in history as a prime minister to make his country flourish. Self-importance in his personality leads him to finding his place, which makes him unique in modern Chinese history, for his life is shaped by both himself and history. He is constantly in the periods of"changing"and"unchanging"."Changing"means the outer social and political environments with which the corresponding social identity, political life and life consequences are resulted. And"unchanging"means his inner values, political and cultural values, values of life as well as political and life pursuits as a Confucian scholar-bureaucrat.The restoration of the Qing dynasty is a great event of China's political history in the first of the 20th century. In the years from 1912 to 1945, the restoration, as a political force, produces an important result in shaping China's political pattern. Zheng Xiaoxu's political pursuit provides a possibility for China to develop or a possible fate of China. In the inner structure of the Confucian culture exists such a deep contradiction as"way"and"direction". History is perhaps similar in some aspects, but Zheng Xiaoxu's choice and pain, even today, will be of different appearances. How to face and break through this situation still remains a problem. The scholar-bureaucrats in the late Qing dynasty are the final bearers of politics and culture of this dynasty, whose fate and life results are an important change in history. Many life experience and lessons, universal and special significances left by Zheng Xiaoxu are worth analyzing and thinking.