Gu Hongming commented on Sheng Xuanhuai: He only knew how to frighten the court with foreigners in dealing with foreign affairs.

Gu Hongming said to Zhang Zhidong about the Hanyang Arsenal: If our country does not run arsenal industry, it is fine. If we want to do it, we must find such an expert. There must be no ambiguity. Sheng Gongbao (Xuanhuai) was in charge of foreign affairs, but he only used foreigners as signboards. He didn't care about cats and dogs. He used them as a dazzler to frighten the court and show off the new policies!

The other side of Gu Hongming, the weirdo in the late Qing Dynasty

Gu Hongming gave people the impression of being a weirdo: He was blamed for wearing a long robe and mandarin jacket all his life, he was blamed for having long braids, he was also blamed for marrying concubines and visiting brothels. One hand holds a woman's little feet, and the other hand writes a thousand words... But Prime Minister Wang Chonghui once praised him and said: "Mr. Hongming, he is knowledgeable in Chinese and Western medicine, and has traveled all over the world. He traveled to Europe and the United States at an early age, and studied various cultural subjects intensively. He is able to capture the best and shine the brightest. , he discovered his secrets and wrote grand treatises. He was awarded the title of doctorate as many as thirteen times. He has brought glory to the country and is famous internationally. After returning to China, he devoted himself to teaching. For decades, he has been engaged in writing in his spare time. He has a unique eye for translation of many ancient Chinese books in Western languages, and he has made great contributions to the cultural exchanges between China and the West. His contribution was very great."

In the late Qing Dynasty, Gu Hongming was regarded as a genius who studied Western learning and political affairs. In 1885, when Fang returned to China from his study tour, he entered Zhang Zhidong's Huguang by chance. Governor-general shogunate, serving as "foreign language secretary" (i.e. foreign language secretary). Zhang Zhidong was the last famous Confucian official in the late Qing Dynasty. Behind his various measures to implement the New Deal, organize and train the new army, and attach importance to higher education, Gu Hongming was the vigorous planner. After that, the two worked together for more than 20 years. , formed an indissoluble bond. In 1910, the second year after Zhang Zhidong's death, Gu Hongming wrote the book "Records of the Zhang Wenxiang Shogunate". In the preface, he wrote: "I have been an official of Zhang Wenxiang, and I have been with Guangdong and Hubei for more than 20 years. Although I didn't dare to treat him as a national scholar, I always treated him with great courtesy. Wen Xiang passed away last year, which is no less than the past."

The Hanyang Arsenal was planned and established when Zhang Zhidong was in Hubei. It was once known as the "Krupp of China". With its large scale, complete equipment, excellent products and strict management, it was second to none in the East. All these meticulous arrangements were planned by Gu Hongming. At the beginning of the preparations, Sheng Xuanhuai introduced a Ward Woolz to Zhang Zhidong, saying that he was a British ordnance expert. Zhang Zhidong was very happy, put him in a hotel, and treated him generously. Two days later, Zhang Zhidong was informed that the foreigner had been sent back to Shanghai by Gu Hongming. Zhang Zhidong was greatly surprised and asked Gu Hongming to ask. When Gu met, he said: "Wurtz and I are juniors in the same school, five or six grades below me. He studied business and now has a foreign bank in Shanghai." He is a businessman who knows nothing about military engineering, so I sent him back." After that, he took out a foreign envelope from his sleeve, took out a letter, and said: "There is William Fox here, who is my classmate. This person studied ordnance industry and is currently the supervisor of the Krupp Arsenal in Germany. If our country does not run ordnance industry, we must find such an expert and we must not be vague about it. , just use foreigners as signs, ignore cats and dogs, use them as a dazzler, scare the court, and show off the new policy!" Zhang Zhidong always relied on Gu Hongming, so he invited William Fox to come to China to help build an arsenal.

To foreigners, Gu Hongming vigorously promoted "the teachings of Confucius", and his eloquent opinions were like the Yangtze River. Once, his foreign friends were having a banquet at home, and he was the only Chinese among the guests. Everyone recommended him to sit at the head of the table, and they sat down while everyone talked about Chinese and Western culture. The foreign host asked him: "What's so good about Confucius' education?" Gu Hongming replied: "You guys just pushed me and refused to take the upper seat. That's how you practice Confucius' teachings. If we follow the principle of competition, the superior will win over the inferior. , I must wait until the victory or defeat is decided, then sit down and raise chopsticks, I am afraid that everyone will not be able to eat this meal."

I feel that China has a civilization of five thousand years and the founding of the country was earlier than that of Europe and the United States. , but due to the abandonment of ethics and the corruption of morals, it was regarded as an "uncivilized country" by Europeans and Americans. Gu Hongming loudly shouted: "There are people today who take the removal of braids and uniforms as an urgent task to save the country. I say that the survival of China does not depend on virtue but braids."

"What he meant was that what could destroy China at that time was not the strong ships and cannons of the Westerners, but our own "failure to teach and cultivate virtue." He believed that the reason why Japan was able to become the leader of East Asia after the Meiji Restoration The only powerful country not only adopts the weapons of European civilization, but also fundamentally retains the traditional Chinese ethics and civilization. He said: "The defeat of Jiejiashen and Majiang changed the overall situation of the world, and the purpose of Wenxiang also remained the same. Change. It means that China cannot be protected by trying to become rich and powerful without following Western methods. If China cannot be protected, it means that it is impossible to protect the famous religion. Although Wenxiang's imitation of Western methods was not European imitation; Wenxiang's ambition was not to become wealthy and powerful. Gai wants to use wealth and strength to protect China, and to protect China is to protect Mingjiao. "

Gu Hongming had a sober view of the turbulent late Qing Dynasty. He said: "It is said that since the beginning of Xiantong, China has been disrupted by 'Guangdong bandits', with internal vacancies and external confusions multiplying one after another. It was difficult to get started because of the many diseases. At that time, a fashionable doctor from Xiangxiang named Zeng (note: Zeng Guofan) came up with a prescription called "Yangwu" Qinghuo Decoction, but after taking several doses, it didn't work. By the time Jiawu arrived, the disease had deteriorated significantly. A Confucian doctor named Nanpi Zhang (note: Zhang Zhidong) came up with another prescription called "Xinzheng" Buyuan Decoction. It was dry and strong in nature, and he feared that he would suffer from side effects if he took it, so the original prescription was omitted. , the name is '***' Heping Tiaowei Decoction. After taking this medicine, Feite's condition has not improved, but his illness has worsened. "In those years, the country was already riddled with ills and faced a hopeless situation. The so-called dog-skin plaster of preparing for the establishment of a constitution could not cure the disease that was riddled with holes. Gu Hongming's words really hit the nail on the head as to the root cause of the terminal illness. This is also his sad opinion. In his book "Records of the Zhang Wenxiang Shogunate", he said: "In the past ten years, we have witnessed the vicissitudes of current affairs and the changes in human nature. I don't know how far they have changed, so I can't help but feel sad. "The deeper his worries, the deeper his pain.

In addition to praising Zeng Guofan and Wenxiang as ministers, and Guo Songtao as a gentleman, Gu Hongming's comments on the people of the world are rare; that is, as follows Zhang Zhidong also criticized Duan Fang, Yuan Shikai, Sheng Xuanhuai and others to the point of being sarcastic, and even said that Duan Fang was "beautiful in nature" despite being humorous in person. Although the way of a gentleman is sentimental, it is also like a woman of a watery nature, who is most likely to violate her conscience." It is said that Yuan Shikai is the most unbearable. "Before the Sino-Japanese War of 1998, Yuan was a poor and rogue in his hometown. He soon became rich and powerful, and came to Beiyang. The ministers then built foreign-style mansions and housed many concubines; and dismissed their posts and lived in the countryside, they rebuilt houses and built gardens. They were extravagant and lustful, and were good at the pleasures of life... People called Yuan Shikai a hero, but I know that Yuan Shikai was really a lowly person. "Growing ears". The scolding was very harsh and vicious, but after careful consideration, it was not without purpose.

With his outstanding wisdom, Gu Hongming defended traditional Chinese culture in the face of the confusion and contempt of people at the time. In his long gown and long braids, , Under the comic appearance, he hides his worries about the abandonment of ethics, the decline of people-oriented thinking, and the insincerity of learning... He should not be simply regarded as Kong Yiji. He is a character with good intentions in safeguarding traditional Chinese culture.