庚子之役中总理衙门交涉补证

Supplementary Information on the Negotiation of Tsungli Yamen in the Battle of 1900

本文利用新发现的中外交往信函,对义和团运动中总理衙门和清朝上层的外交进行补充说明。总体而言,相对知晓外情的总理衙门大臣在庚子之役中的主张是较为温和的,与外人信函的措辞也是和婉的。这当然有着最高统治者的授意,总理衙门可看作是清朝高层对外的另一手,但统治者决不允许总理衙门走得太远。在1900年7月31日使馆战事再起、五大臣先后被杀的背景下,总理衙门要求保护本国教民以及外国公使的信函,非常有可能是诱骗之局,即劝其离开使馆区,作为清朝高层的手中人质,换取中外谈判的资本。然而,并未得到对方回应,最高统治者也没有采取更为激烈的态度,仍由总理衙门在一定条件下满足使馆区物质供应的要求。庚子之役中,最高层态度一直摇摆不定,使得总理衙门这一外交机构发挥缓和中外的作用极其有限。

Based on the letters between China and foreign countries,this paper gives additional information about Tsungli Yamen(总理衙门) and upper class of Qing dynasty in the Boxer Movement. In general,the attitude of ministers in Tsungli Yamen is comparatively mild,including the wording in letters with foreign countries. It concludes that the irresolute attitude of the ruling class in the battle of 1900 made Tsungli Yamen become its implementer and therefore played quite limited role in relaxing the relation between China and other foreign countries.