Instalment 13 (1895)

Scene 1: On the street

Sun Yatsen is standing on the street giving a speech. He claims that the reason for Japan’s victory over China is not only the inability of the corrupt Qing Court, but the system itself. Therefore, he states, it is necessary to topple the Qing and that he is ashamed to be one of their subjects. Rather, a revolution must be stirred. While he is speaking, a dozen Qing soldiers arrive and brutally beat him up. But he keeps talking. Covered in blood he takes out a pair of scissors and tries to chop his queue. The soldiers prevent him from chopping it by beating him even harder and stepping on his hand. Sun masters all his remaining energy, gets up and finally chops his queue off – a symbol for his independence of the Qing government – and throws it into the air. All those present rejoice. (However, it seems a little bizarre that the Qing soldiers do not try to arrest him immediately. And indeed, this is a freely invented scene.)

Scene 2: In front of the Censorate

The official examination candidates and intellectuals from various provinces who have come to take the palace examinations in Beijing, have assembled in front of the Censorate. They are holding up banners with slogans saying “Return Taiwan to us” or “Li Hongzhang has to be punished forcefully”. They are all very upset because of the terms set out in the Treaty of Shimonoseki. (The banner about Taiwan does have a distinct contemporary political ring.)

Scene 3: At Weng Tonghe’s residence

Weng and his students have gathered at his home to discuss the situation. Zhang Jian concedes that Li Hongzhang is to some extent guilty, but that it would not be fair to shift the entire blame onto him. Weng, though, assures all present that he is not bothered about personal revenge or power struggles, but that all his concerns are only directed at the good or ill fate of the nation and the state. Therefore, he believes, Li Hongzhang needs to be finally gotten rid of. Only then could they be able to have their say in political matters, help the emperor lead the coutry well, and thereby save the state. (Evidently, Weng is after all only interested in his personal well-being and conservation of his power. The emperor merely serves him as a pretext.)

Kang Youwei is standing in front of Weng’s residence. Weng is informed that Kang wishes to see and speak with him, but Weng refuses to admit him. The servant tells Kang to try handing in his memorial to the Censorate, gives him back his name card and closes the door. In the same instant, Liang Qichao and two other students of Kang arrive hastily and report to Kang about the protesting assembly of the examination candidates. Kang thinks this is a good opportunity that should be seized to promote his ideas.

One of the Taiwanese examination candidates is holding up a banner saying “Give Taiwan back to me” (the scene optically clearly recalls the 1989 demonstrations), and shouts that he would prefer dying as an honest, loyal citizen, rather than continuing life as a (Japanese) slave. Kang’s students are mingling with the crowds and pronouncing that their teacher wishes to address all present. Everyone suddenly turns silent and Kang gives his speech. He claims that it will not be long before the nation will perish. But until now the Court has taken none of the necessary steps to prevent this. Kang continues to state that he has composed a 10.000 words letter („Wan yan shu“) in which he proposes four measures to save the nation: send out an imperial edict for general encouragement, relocate the capital to create a new strong basis, train soldiers to strengthen the country and carry out system reforms to reorganise the state. Everyone is very enthusiastic about Kang’s propositions and thus Kang calls on them to sign the letter. An official from within the Censorate comes out (unlike in 1989!) and says that he will forward the letter and also two of Kang’s books (which are specified only later).

Weng and Zhang Jian are reading Kang’s letter and his two books. Zhang asks Weng if he will forward the letter to the emperor, but Weng replies that although Kang is right, he is still “too unrestrained”. The letter would only confuse the emperor. However, Weng also states that the opinions and measures brought forward in the two books will have to be realised in future.

Weng is reading the memoranda offered to the emperor by various officials and intellectuals. Some accuse Li Hongzhang of being a traitor, others request that the emperor not sign the treaty, and yet others call for Li’s death. Weng also reports to the emperor about Morrison’s newspaper articles which state that the Court has no other choice left but to sign the treaty (here again, The Times reporter Morrison has to provide the “objective” stance). The Guangxu emperor retires to the backroom and sends for his seal and the treaty. Dismayed and angry he signs the contract with his seal. But then he beats his own hand with the seal so hardly that it bleeds. Holding his bleeding hand he steps in front of his ancestor’s portrait and sees that tears are flowing down his face.

Meanwhile, Cixi is hearing a Beijing opera. The main actor Yang San, though, dies on stage after having taken poison to voice his political protest. Simultaneously, two scrolls are unbound on which it says: “Yang San is dead and there is no clown from Suzhou anymore. But that Li Er is a traitor.“ (Li Er refers to Li Hongzhang). Cixi is very surprised by this patriotic action but gives orders to have Yang San buried properly. She admits that she had estimated that everyone would feel distressed. Moreover, she consents to have the emperor punish Li.

Li Hongzhang is sitting in a train bound for Tianjin. He is about to arrive when his servant tells him that the situation outside is not in his favour. Li believes that he did the best he could and that he was unable to change anything, but he thinks that Cixi will understand him. Nevertheless, he tells his follower Ma Sanjun that he will travel to Beijing directly now without stopping at home. Ma Sanjun is to pack the necessary things for Li in Tianjin instead. Li insists on having his Western furniture brought to Beijing, as well as his cutlery for eating fish (all typical Western utensils). He also tells Ma to ask Hong’er what she would like to take along. Moreover, he has Ma wrap up the peacock feather and the mandarin jacket which were bestowed onto him by the emperor (two items which are bestowed onto meritorious officials by the emperor). (Thus, it is evident that Li is aware of the situation he is about to face). Once they have arrived in Tianjin train station, they are met by a eunuch who carries an imperial edict. Li Hongzhang has in fact been dismissed from all official posts, and he is stripped of his peacock feather and the mandarin jacket.

Yuan Shikai, who has lost his position in Korea during the war, visits a brothel to look for Ms Shen. But he is informed that she has already left the brothel because she wants to remain “faithful” to Yuan.

Yuan Shikai tells his friend and scholar Xu Shichang that he wants to publish a book about his experiences in Korea. But he argues that since his ”handwriting is poor” – Yuan had received only a limited education – he would like to ask Xu to write the book for him.

Yuan Shikai pays Weng Tonghe a visit. Yuan seems to think that, following Li Hongzhang’s dismissal, Weng is now the most powerful person. Weng’s servant hints to Yuan, who refers to Weng with the title “zhongtang”, that only a person who is both a Minister as well as Grand Secretary may be addressed as such. Which is why Weng cannot be called thus at the moment (being no Grand Secretary yet, though Li Hongzhang still is).

Li is listening to Hong’er singing when Yuan comes to pay him a visit. Li tells Yuan that he is the first to call on him since his dismissal from office. Yuan pretends to still be on Li’s side and tells him that the government wronged Li. In his opinion, Li should also reject the title of Grand Secretary out of protest. But Li sees through Yuan’s intentions and understands that Yuan only said this in order to help Weng take up that title as well. Li is very upset and swears at Yuan.

While the Guangxu emperor, Weng Tonghe, Xu Tong and the Qing Prince are discussing how to best collect the funds to pay the reparations, Cixi enters. This time she is very friendly and mild to the emperor and he does not know how to react. Then they continue discussing these financial matters. Cixi listens to everything and is very pleased by the emperor’s manners and appearance. The conversation also touches upon the question how the army should be reconstructed. The emperor and Cixi both believe that a reconstruction is necessary. But they are uncertain who is to be appointed commander-in-chief.

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