Great Changes In The Late Qing Yang,

Yangdu a very significant man in modern Chinese history, had great effect on the reform of the Late Qing dynasty. But for a long time, the academic world has ignored him. The works about him are scarcely. In order to reflect the history objectively, this dissertation focuses on the political theory of Yangdu in the changing society during the Late Qing Period. My aim is to expose the veil in Yangdu and tell the reality to people.In this dissertation, I try to review some hermeneutic models of modern history works, pointing out every model have its limit. The pre-existing studies about Yangdu always use the pressure-revolution pattern. The author hopes to Link the macro history up to the micro living of a person. Macro history can expose the background of the transition of the thinking of Yangdu. I hope to analysis his political theory in the context of the society.Firstly, I explain the early life of Yangdu in countryside in Hunan province, showing how and why he turned from a country gentleman into a modern intellectual. Then, Yangdu went into exile and became the director of the Chinese students in Japan, working actively on political affairs .He maintained contact with Liang Qichao. As one of the members of the Constitutionalists, Yangdu was the first designer and propaganda of the parliament. The central disputes between the Revolution Party' and the Constitutionalists were over the questions of the violent revolution and anti-Manchuism. Yangdu opposed and critiqued the narrow nationalism of the Revolution Party, advocating nation-encompassing ideology. He believed that the public opinion could help the Qing dynasty from authoritarianism to a responsible democratic government. Constitutional monarchy was feasible in traditional China. After returning to China, Yangdu took part in the government in order to realize his dream, putting forth constitutional reform. He took part in the Baolu movement and presented the petition in the parliament. His activity contributed to the peace and unity of China, not hinder the development of the Republic of China. But he couldn't find a real impetus to drive the movement toward a constitutional democracy. The core of Yangdu political theory was to make our country thriving and prosperous and resist aggression from foreign countries.Yangdu was a representative Chinese intellectual with rationality and patriotism, but unfortunately, he had being lived in an irrational age.