张之洞在庚子年的帝王梦——以宇都宫太郎的日记为线索

Zhang Zhidong’s Dream of Being a King in 1900 ——With Utsunomiya Taro’s Diary as a Clue

庚子年(1900年),面对八国联军的武力威胁,中国政局动荡,政坛变幻莫测。张之洞一面公开表示拥护“两宫”,而内心深处却存有独立称王之念。他私下派长子张权前去东京,与钱恂一起在日活动;通过宇都宫太郎向日本参谋本部征求对组织新政府及提供军事帮助之可能。张之洞还希望日本派军事专家来协助练兵,同时还要购买枪支弹药,加紧训练新式军队。与此同时,张之洞对唐才常在武汉地区的自立军活动,在八国联军攻克北京之前,亦采取虚与委蛇的模棱两可态度。直到八国联军攻占北京,慈禧政权尚存,张之洞才放弃组织新政府的念头,让张权归国,并下令对唐才常等残酷镇压。

In 1900, faced with an armed threat from the eight countries＇ union army, the Chinese political situation was in riot and ever-changeable, Zhang Zhidong openly endorsed the Emperor and the Empress Dowager, but secretly had the intention of being independent and to be a king. He privately sent Zhang Quan, his elder son, to Tokyo and took part in the activities with Qian Xun. They required the Japanese military headquarters, via Utsunomiya Taro for the possibility of organizing a new government and military help. Zhang Zhidong also hoped that Japan would send military expert to assistant him training his army, and he wanted to purchase arms for training a new army in an urgent way. At the same time, He adopted an ambiguous attitude towards Tang Caichang＇s independent military move in Wuhan district before Beijing was lost in the hands of the foreign army. Until the eight countries union army invaded Beijing, and the Empress Dowger＇s regime still existed, Zhang zhidong gave up the idea of organizing a new government. He called Zhang Quan back, and cruelly gave order to suppress Tang Caichang and his like.