| The Reform Movement of 1898 was a social reform with significant influence in modern Chinese history. Among them, governor-general of HuGuang , Mr. Zhang Zhidong who had local power at hand and was viewed as rising star in Westernization Movement, had been of crucial importance in the success of the movement. As for the function of Zhang Zhidong in the Reform Movement of 1898, there are two different point of views: one group believes that Zhang Zhidong represents westernized party together with diehards and demolishes reform and modernization; Another group holds the idea that Zhang Zhidong had given great support to this reform movement and belongs to reform camp. According to the history, these two points both have their one-sideness, Zhang Zhidong showed up in the capacity of a representative of westernized party and a speaker in WuXu Reform Movement and his thoughts and ideas not only had a side complied with reform and modernization, but also had divergence contradiction. This is decide by his relationship with reformists which is both close and distant; or both cooperative and conflicting. Zhang Zhidong in wave of reform The rising of reform and modernization has a close relation with the failure in Sino-Japanese War in 1894-1895, China's devastating defeat in the war and national crisis and Qing Dynasty ruling crisis caused by the war defeat stimulated voices of worrying sense and cry for reform from all levels of classes and all walks of life, from ordinary person's submitting written request, letter of appeal, military training, reform to all levels of officials' calling for study, arms, finance, and senses of reform are widely spread out. Under the increasing situation appealing for reform westernized groups headed by Zhang Zhidong and reformists set off a new mass fervor of reforming.The signing of "MaGuan Treaty" had totally broken Zhang Zhidong's dream to depend on foreign invaders peace and abolishing treaties and let him gradually realize the serious effects brought by the War and aroused his hard desire to enforce the country and devoted himself into the movement in pursuit of wealth and power. His achievement was remarkable among those governor-generals. Not only did he draw loud applause from the reformists, but also made those reformists pin their hopes on him. Zhang Zhidong tried to manage this big trend for reform, so he didn't take any hostile attitude towards them, but to support them in order to put the reform under his control which led to the cooperative relation at the preliminary stage.Zhang Zhidong in the preliminary stage of reform The founding of "Hard Study Association" in Sept.1895, but in Beijing, Zhang Zhidong wasn't flushed with success and he turned to sponsor the "Hard Study Association" in Shanghai and set up a newspaper called "Times" since most of the early published articles in "Times" were those opinions in favor of reform, it didn't do any harm to Zhang Zhidong and which had no obvious thought for civil rights and reform. And Zhang Zhidong called it " the first beneficial newspaper" On the contrary, when the opinions of the newspaper touched his sore spot, they broke out, eventually he and Liang Qichao were both discriminated out of the "Times" and ended their cooperation.Zhang Zhidong and Hu Nan New DealThe New Deal in Hu Nan was the typical one in local areas in time of Reform Movement which was also the result of the cooperation between reformists and new westernized parties.As for the early stage new deal in Hu Nan based on benefits, Zhang Zhidong had given his great support with condition. This is it must not go beyond the limits.The New Deal in Hu Nan was the severe contest between Westernized party and reformists which started based on cooperation and ended by separation. Both parties wanted to control the New Deal according to their own will, in the struggle, Westernized party formed alliance with the diehard which showed that identity in essence.but the westernized party was quite different from diehard. The Westernized Party did...
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