Instalment 10 (1894)
Scene 1: At the Imperial Court
A fierce debate is on its way between Li Hongzhang and some court officials. The Guangxu emperor believes that war with Japan is unavoidable. Li proposes that China should prepare for war, but that one should also request England and Russia to mediate between China and Japan at the same time. When the Guangxu emperor asks Li if China stands a chance of winning such a war, Li replies that there are only eight battleships of the Beiyang Navy that could be directly employed to engage in war actions. The other ships are merely transporters. The other court officials are of a divergent opinion and claim that China and Japan’s navy powers are equal. But the Beiyang Navy, they continue, is subordinate to Li and therefore not directly to the Court. They thus accuse Li of merely wishing to preserve his own military power and therefore opposing a war against Japan. Li is very annoyed by the officials’ reactions. He explains that the battleships of the Beiyang Navy were purchased earlier than those of the Japanese Navy and that therefore the Japanese battleships are technically more advanced: they can reach higher speeds and their canons are faster.
The battleships of the Beiyang Navy are very large and thus well equipped for defence purposes, but not for an attack. The official Zhang Jian, one of Weng Tonghe’s protégées, criticises Li for failing to see that China can claim to be morally in the right in any war action against Japan. Therefore, China can bank on the entire world’s aid which will ultimately lead to China’s victory. Li drily replies that the Bei-yang Navy has no ammunition since there have been no funds from the Ministry of Revenue. The emperor, who had originally ordered funds to be allocated to the Navy, asks his former tutor and present Minister of Revenue Weng Tonghe why the funds were never distributed. Weng replies that he has been very frugal and that furthermore there are no funds left to be distributed. Thereupon, the emperor wishes to give the Beiyang Navy the three million Liang silver which had been reserved for Cixi’s anniversary celebrations in order to purchase battleships and ammunition. But it is already too late.
Scene 2: In Cixi’s private quarters
Cixi is counting the birthday presents she has received from influential officials such as Zhang Zhidong, Liu Kunyi and Ronglu. An accompanying letter by Zhang Zhidong clearly states that if China should lose against the West it would denote a failure and insufficiency of Chinese technology. But if China lost against Japan, the government would also risk losing the sympathy of the people. Cixi is annoyed that she has to listen to something concerning military affairs on her birthday. Moreover, she has not even received a present by Li Hongzhang who is immersed in making preparations for a war against Japan.
Scene 3: At the residence of the Qing prince
The Qing Prince Yikuang asks England and Russia to mediate between China and Japan. The two ambassadors agree, but only upon fulfilment of their individual demands: the Russian ambassador asks for trade rights and rights to free passage in Northeast China; the English ambassador demands the same for central China.
Sun Yatsen visits Li Hongzhang to convince him of carrying out fundamental policy reforms in China. Li, though, is not at all impressed by Sun’s opinions, warns him to be more careful with his utterances and sends him home. (Sun is depicted as a dreamer here, whereas Li remains a realist).
It is the day of Cixi’s 60th anniversary. Everybody kneels in front of her and congratulates her, which pleases here greatly. The ground on which Li Hong-zhang kneels is uneven because the chief eunuch Li Lianying roughened it up to make it especially hard for Li Hongzhang to kneel down. It was Li Lianying’s way of taking revenge for the dishonour he felt he had to suffer under Li Hong-zhang at the military parade. However, Cixi kindly allows everyone to rise. On this day, Cixi first wishes to proceed to the Wanshou Mountain (in the Summer Palace) to free birds from their cage (a Buddhist gesture). She then wants to listen to a Chinese opera staged in the Summer Palace. Nobody is allowed to discuss politics or military affairs at the occasion.
In the middle of the anniversary celebrations, the emperor receives a telegram sent by Yuan Shikai informing him that Japanese war ships have entered Chinese territorial waters. The emperor feels very uneasy. Together with other high officials he leaves the theatre to discuss the oncoming war. Cixi is enraged by the absence of the emperor and the officials. She sends for the emperor and since he is very afraid of her, he steps onto the stage and personally plays the drums for her. His drumming becomes faster and faster and soon he is bathed in sweat, feeling deeply distressed by the prospect of war. Finally, the Sino-Japanese war really breaks out.
On July 25, 1894 (year Jiawu following the Chinese lunar calendar), the British Times journalist Morrison reports on a surprise attack which hit a Chinese ship and which was carried out by the Japanese. Weng Tonghe persuades the emperor to personally take up command of the Beiyang Navy. Li Hongzhang, the actual commander of the Beiyang Navy, however, gives orders to only defend the city of Haikou and not to attack until a good moment arises. The emperor, though, believes that Admiral Ding Ruchang is wasting precious opportunities for victory by not attacking. The emperor thus threatens to have Ding punished. The divergent orders from the emperor and Li Hongzhang lead to a dispute between generals of the Beiyang Navy who are trying to decide whether they should defend or attack. Finally, Ding follows the emperor’s orders and attacks.
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