Representations - Welcome!

Instalment 19 (1898)

Scene 1: In the offices of the State Council; a fierce argument between conservatives and reformers

The emperor now has appointed Tan Sitong, Lin Xu, Lin Guangdi and Yang Rui – who all form part of the reformers’ faction – State Council ministers. This leads to a fierce argument between the old and the new ministers because the old ministers are not willing to accept their demotion.

Scene 2: At Tan Sitong’s lodgings; Tan Sitong and Kang Youwei are having a talk

Kang Youwei advises Tan Sitong to suggest to the emperor to carefully try to erudite Cixi’s opinion about a possible complete dismissal of Li Hongzhang. The reformer faction wishes to utilise Li Hongzhang’s dismissal from all offices and stripping of all honours as a cover to test whether Cixi is in fact really willing to let go of all power and allow the emperor to decide on all matters.

Scene 3: In the gardens of the Imperial Court; a cricket fight

Upon learning of the planned complete dismissal of Li Hongzhang, Cixi, who has actually handed over the power to the emperor and has now retired to live in the Summer Palace, has invited the emperor to a cricket fight. Before the game, she names one of the crickets presented to her from Southern China after the representative of the reform faction, the Cantonese Kang Youwei. The other cricket’s name, having been presented by Gangyi, is “the diamond club defending the law (of the ancestors)" and is supposed to represent Li Hongzhang. An impetuous battle between the crickets follows with Gangyi continuously en-couraging his cricket to “kill Kang Youwei” (driving the emperor nearly mad). Cixi takes this fight to elucidate to the emperor that the monarchy is about to be shaken at its core. She criticises him for sending away old loyal servants of the Imperial Court and for replacing them all with members of the reformist faction. Kang’s political reforms have led the political system which has been preserved over generations into chaos. Since the emperor even intends to employ the Japanese former premier Itô Hirobumi as a political advisor for the reforms of the Qing government, Cixi makes her views utterly clear: she will not permit to let China’s arch-enemy meddle in China’s internal affairs! The emperor voices his protest and reminds Cixi that he is now in charge of affairs. The scene closes with a profound estrangement between Cixi and the emperor. Cixi realises that it is not possible for her to stay clear of politics any longer and enjoy her last years in retirement.

Scene 4: In the garden of Zhang Zhidong’s residence; Zhang Zhidong and Gu Hongming are engaged in conversation

Zhang Zhidong advises his former pupil Yang Rui to remain neutral in the conflict of the new and old factions at the Imperial Court. Yang is to avoid identification with either of the factions. Zhang then speaks to Gu Hongming about the fundamental difference between his reforms and those reforms which Kang Youwei and his followers are trying to push through at the Imperial Court. Zhang’s own reform ideas are based on his concept of "use Chinese knowledge as base and Western knowledge as application", i.e. on the one hand the Chinese culture is to be preserved in its fundamental aspects, but on the other hand, Western culture is to serve as an instrument for the improvement of certain structures. In Zhang’s opinion, both parts cannot be separated. Only if both unite can they be of mutual profit to each other. This, Zhang contends, is the ideal solution in the conflict between old and new.

Scene 5: At Kang Youwei’s lodgings; the reading-out of the secret edict

Cixi has taken over political power again. In a secret edict to Kang, the emperor, whose life is in grave danger, requests Kang to help him out of this political crisis. After Yang Rui has read out the edict in Kang’s residence he retains it himself instead of handing it over to Kang (the normal procedure) since he knows that this is a dangerous and life-threatening document for the emperor. But Kang Youwei has Liang Qichao make a copy of the document from memory immediately.

Scene 6: Tianjin; the Xiaozhan garrison

Yuan Shikai and his loyal subordinates of the Xiaozhan garrison are delighted to hear that the emperor has summoned Yuan to an audience in the Forbidden City. Meanwhile, Ronglu welcomes the Japanese premier Itô Hirobumi, who is on a visit to China, in Tianjin. Ronglu introduces Yuan to Itô and Yuan accompanies the Premier to Beijing.

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