蔡廷干与清末民初政局

Tsai Ting Kan and the Political Situation in Late Qing and Early Republic of China

蔡廷干是根据容闳留美教育计划派遣去美国的第二批幼童中的一员,回国后起初服务于海军,但因个人出色的英文能力、与外人的良好关系及袁世凯等当局者的信任和提携,在清末民初的政治和外交舞台上扮演了重要的角色。辛亥革命前后,蔡廷干担任袁世凯的重要助手,为促使清帝退位、助袁出任临时大总统和定都北京做了大量的工作,特别是在袁的对外宣传和争取外国人支持等方面起到了重要的作用。蔡廷干还参与了遣送敌侨、修改海关进口税则、处理五卅惨案善后等许多涉外工作。他的所作所为,顺应了中国从专制走向民主的潮流。在外交活动中,他有意识地维护中国利益,尽力挽回利权和宣传中国,付出了艰辛的努力。蔡廷干是留美幼童中少数能够在政治和外交舞台上一展才能的人物之一。具有留美经历的蔡廷干,受到过西方思想和社会风气的熏陶,对外部世界有较深的了解,有强烈的民族意识和高远的人生抱负,政治上有敏锐观察力,在诡谲的政局变异中能够作出准确的判断,故而在复杂的环境中一再有机缘贡献自己的才智。

Tsai Ting Kan,a member of the second group of the foreign-educated students sent to the United States according to YungWing＇s education program.He served in the Navy after his return.He played an important role in political and diplomatic area in late Qing dynasty and early Republican China because of his excellent English,great individual ability,good relations with foreigners and the trust and help of authorities.Between the 1911 Revolution,Tsai Ting Kan,as an important assistant of Yuan Shikai,did a lot of work to make the Qing emperor to be abdicated,to help Yuan to be the provisional president and to capital in Beijing,especially in the campaign for Yuan＇ government and enrolling support from foreigners.He also participated in repatriateing alien enemy,amending the Customs import tariff and handling the aftermath of May Thirtieth Incident.He consciously safeguard China＇s interests and tried to restore the rights and publicized China in his diplomatic activities.Tsai＇s actions conformed to the trend from dictatorship to democracy in modern China.Having experienced in America,accepting the Western ideas,Tsai had been a man with a strong national consciousness and lofty aspirations and a keen political insight.Therefore,he could contribute his talents in the complex environment.