Select New Technology To Protect Old Tradition:Shen Baozhen’s Persistence And Pain

In resurgence famous official of the Late Qing dynasty, Shen Baozhen was a very individualized one because of his thrifty and self-control, strict with attendant officers, causticity and treated others harshly. He got the Jinshi degree and then advanced in the Hanlin Academy during his early years. Therefore, he had profound learning and cultivation. His figure looked like Zeng Guofan, but as a mainstay during the Westernization Movement, he had a better friendship with his classmate Li Hongzhang. In order preferably to understand him, we must put him in his era background, acquaint with the era’s particularity:compared with the storm and stress phenomenon, which was the result of the sharp reform between1901-1911, we maybe understand Shen Baozhen’s pain and value of protect Chinese tradition in a higher degree. Be oppose to the theory of evolution (advocates to abolish the old and establish the new), Shen Baozhen’s main viewpoint was select the new to protect the old. Therefore, In aspect of military science and technology, Shen Baozhen strongly advocated "learning occidentals’skills", try his best to manufacture warships, build barbettes, construct electric wires, and coal mining; However, in his futher insight, he cared common people’s vital interests rather than benefits. The demolition of Woosung railway is an important manifestation. His strength to reform was not as strong as Li Hongzhang:Li even want to abolish stereotyped writing, but Shen just want to promote math as an additional subject in the imperial examination. In general, grew up under the Practical statecraft ethos during the reign time of Jiaqing and Daoguang emperor, Shen Baozhen was an official both has strong Neo-Confucianism background and excellent capability of solving practical affairs, an extremly steadfast diligent man of action. Located in the dramatic situation never seen during the past2000years, confronted with the world outside experiences, his thought was not restricted with new knowledge or traditional doctrine, swallowed anything and everything. He paid great attention on aspects of diplomacy, coast defense, internal affairs, and useful education. He was a pioneer in the cause of China’s modernization, and also the successor and lover of China’s tradition. He was not stubbornly conservative, but at the same time stressed Chinese Culture. His persistence and pain, his selection and abandon between new technology and old tradition, west and china, were deeply ironed the imprint of his era, still contain the content which can initiate us to ponder thoroughly.