Why did the Eight-Power Allied Forces spare the Forbidden City when they destroyed the Old Summer Palace?

The greatest disaster that the Old Summer Palace suffered was during the Second Opium War. After the British and French forces captured Beijing, on October 18, 1860, the leaders of the British and French forces, Elgin and Grant, ordered 3,500 people to rush into the Old Summer Palace. Arson burned down the Old Summer Palace, known as the "Garden of Ten Thousand Gardens". The fire raged for three days, and the entire city of Beijing was enveloped in smoke for many days before dissipating.

Plundering treasures in the Old Summer Palace

The treasures in the Old Summer Palace are no less than those in the Forbidden City in Beijing. The treasures in the Yuanmingyuan are mostly gold, silver, jade, silk and ceramics. The treasures in the Forbidden City are mostly antiques, calligraphy and paintings. In comparison, the British and French forces believed that there were far more treasures in the Old Summer Palace than in the Forbidden City.

On October 7, 1860, when the British and French forces entered the Old Summer Palace, they saw it was full of jewels, so the army lost control and looted the entire Old Summer Palace. The ordinary soldiers of the British and French allied forces who entered the Old Summer Palace at that time fought for treasures that could last a lifetime, and the generals plundered countless wealth.

The British and French forces retaliated against Emperor Xianfeng

After the British and French forces captured Tianjin, Emperor Xianfeng sent people to negotiate a peace. However, problems arose in the peace talks between the two parties. Seng Gelinqin kidnapped the negotiations between the British and French forces. There were 39 people including the envoy Park Li. This order was issued by Emperor Xianfeng.

After kidnapping 39 people including Parkes, the Qing government tortured them. Except for Parkes, the rest were escorted to the Old Summer Palace. When the hostages were rescued, only 19 survived.

At this time, the British and French forces decided to retaliate against the rulers of the Qing Dynasty. So two options were adopted. One is to burn the Forbidden City, and the other is to burn the Old Summer Palace.

Choose the Old Summer Palace

After discussion, the British and French forces decided to burn the Old Summer Palace.

Firstly, the Forbidden City is nominally the center of national power and a symbol of the country. On the other hand, the Old Summer Palace is the royal private garden.

Secondly, it is impossible for the British and French forces to occupy the territory of the Qing Dynasty, so what they need is a weak Chinese agent. Burning the Old Summer Palace could act as a deterrent without losing the bargaining chip as a threat (the Forbidden City).

On the other hand, if the Forbidden City was burned down, it would probably arouse strong resistance from the Qing government and the people, which would be detrimental to the ultimate interests.

Third, the crime of looting the Old Summer Palace can be obliterated. And in name only, he was avenging his own messenger.

Fourth, one of the reasons why the Forbidden City survived was that the Anding Gate of the Forbidden City opened its doors and surrendered when the British and French forces invaded. At that time, the Forbidden City was surrendered, and international public opinion could not oppose the surrender. The city uses force. On the other hand, the Old Summer Palace resisted when the British and French forces invaded, thus giving the British and French forces an excuse.

The word "waste" is quite evocative. Forgive me, I saw the word coming in.

The Eight-Power Allied Forces was the Gengzi Campaign in 1900. To be honest, did the Eight-Power Allied Forces ever harm the Old Summer Palace? I have never heard of this.

The fact is very simple. When and who burned down the Old Summer Palace? That was the disaster caused by the Battle of Britain and France in 1860 to the British and French Allied Forces. How can it be blamed on the Eight-Nation Allied Forces?

This bit of common sense should really be popularized, because there are so many jokes.

A classic joke is as follows:

One day the history teacher asked Xiao Ming who burned the Old Summer Palace. Xiao Ming said in confusion: I didn’t burn it!

The teacher angrily called his tycoon father: Your son has been so shameful recently. I asked him who burned the Old Summer Palace, and he actually replied that he didn’t burn it!

The next day, Xiao Ming’s father called the teacher: I’m sorry, teacher! I gave him a good beating last night and he admitted that he had the fever! No matter how much, we will pay!

On the third day, the history teacher told the joke to the principal. The principal heard it and said: Burn it, burn it. His father is a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, a well-known entrepreneur, and a celebrity around the mayor. Sponsored Many have passed our school, forget it! Oh, by the way, what is the Old Summer Palace for? Burn it and ask his father to build another one!

On the fourth day, the history teacher, who felt helpless and angry, called the director of education. The latter was very nervous when he heard this: *** Hurry up and don’t let reporters know that it was a student from our school who burned it. That classmate arranged for him to transfer to another school first...

On the fifth day, the mayor came to the school in person and scolded the principal: You son of a bitch, you caused such a big mess for me! Let me ask you, has the fire been controlled? Are the fire fighters coming? What are the casualties?

You can keep making jokes, but if they go too far away from the topic, you won’t continue (those who are talented will continue!).

Back to business. In 1900, the Eight-Power Allied Forces did not burn the Old Summer Palace. It did not cost much because the Old Summer Palace was already an abandoned garden and had no value in burning. As for the newly built Summer Palace, the Eight-Power Allied Forces also harassed it.

As for the Forbidden City, it was controlled by the Eight-Power Allied Forces, but it was not destroyed and only one military parade was held (a great shame). After that, the Forbidden City was closed and protected.

Of course, in the more than a year after the occupation, some officers and their families visited, and there were also cases where small treasures were stolen under the melons and plums. This can be seen from various memoirs. Found clues.

Generally speaking, the Eight-Power Allied Forces in the Gengzi Year looted the capital, but did not cause any major damage to the Forbidden City. This is also a historical fact.

The reasons are, firstly, the civilized awareness of cultural relic protection, and secondly, the fear that Sino-foreign relations will become stalemate, which may not be worth the gain!

By the time of the Qing Dynasty in 1860, the Western powers had made China's territory and "market economy" a mess. Soldiers, cargo ships, gunboats, and missionaries were running rampant everywhere. What's even more hateful is that blue-haired and blue-eyed women always spit in the faces of Chinese men, which made the leaders headed by Xianfeng lose their face. They couldn't bear it anymore and finally broke out in a drinking party, majestically announcing to the world that they were beaten. you!

Britain and France were shocked and quickly contacted their friends. After watching the people in Beijing wearing their clothes for a few minutes, the Congress resolutely announced: Fight!

The Second Opium War broke out.

But as soon as the war started, coach Zeng Gelinqin panicked and lost the city and ground. After several disastrous defeats, the multinational coalition led by Britain and France captured Tianjin and invaded Beijing. Emperor Xianfeng hurriedly took his family and fled to Rehe.

His escape was not a matter of urgency. The invading army could not find a target for violence, so they focused on the Old Summer Palace, which was known as the "Garden of Ten Thousand Gardens" in the world at that time. In order to vent their anger, they carried out crazy destruction and looting of this world-class garden. The fire burned for three days and three nights. Many bandits and stragglers in their own territory almost ran away when they saw the emperor. They couldn't afford to see so many treasures fall into the hands of outsiders, so they joined in. It didn't matter. This world-famous garden was destroyed in one fell swoop. , wrote "Burn the Old Summer Palace" in the "glorious" textbook of my country's modern history.

However, since they destroyed this "fairy mirror", why did the invaders stop in front of the Forbidden City (Forbidden City)!

In fact, it was not their conscience that discovered it.

Because they know that if they destroy this place, they will obviously destroy their country and their species.

The upper and lower ranks of the Qing Dynasty, as well as the army and the people, will inevitably share the hatred of the enemy and fight to the death. In this case, the coalition forces will be dragged into the abyss of war and there will be no room for them.

It was only the leaders of the British and French armies who committed atrocities, and the other coalition forces did not take action. After coming back to their senses, the leaders of the various coalition forces hurriedly stepped forward to stop them, so that Xianfeng and the Qing Dynasty could sit down at the table to negotiate and compensate for their "losses". And protected the Forbidden City with a benevolent and righteous attitude. In the end, the goal was achieved, Xianfeng agreed, and unequal treaties that were humiliating and humiliating the country were issued. Many good places were gone! The powerful ships and artillery of the Eight-Power Allied Forces were put to rest, and from then on, the concession was born.