李鸿章大人

Li Hongzhang (1823-1901) was a Chinese general who ended several major rebellions, and a leading statesman of the late Qing Empire. He served in important positions of the Imperial Court, once holding the office of the Viceroy of Zhili 直隸總督. He was best known in the West for his diplomatic negotiation skills and the strengthening of Beiyang Navy 北洋水師. After the founding of the People's Republic in 1949, Li had become a literary scapegoat for China's embarrassments in the late Qing Dynasty.

1895年甲午战败和马关条约的签订，使李鸿章成为众矢之的，暂时退出权利中心。他于1896年先后访问俄、德、荷、法、比、英、美、加诸国。这第二张照片就是李鸿章在出访英国时拍的，与 Lord Salisbury 和 Lord Curzon 的合影。岁数大的那个洋人就是 Salisbury 爵爷，老谋深算，是大英的当朝首相。那位小爵爷叫 Curzon， 也不简单，出身贵胄，是外交部的干才，很快就要做印度总督了。

夹在这一只老狼一只幼虎中间，李大人安之若素。这位老爷子面相威严，身长一米八多，多次在虎口狼牙下抢救中国的权益。大清已经日薄西山了这是事实。其实，大英的殖民地统治何尝不是江河日下，风雨飘摇？

Curzon 日后就体验到印度总督也不好当了。老天有眼，做虎做狼也不能太舒服。

© by Dun Wang (王敦). All rights reserved. 著作权拥有者：Dun Wang (王敦)。