李鸿章致李瀚章家书二通释读

An Interpretation of Li Hong-zhang’s Two Family Letters to Li Han-zhang

李鸿章写给兄长李瀚章的亲笔书信,通常每月有数封,信中将近期经手公务、交往人员、所闻朝野臣僚动态,或应对各事策略,以及子弟教育、家族事务等,无不坦诚直言,反映了他各个时期真实的思想动态和内心世界。可惜这类家书存世甚少。新披露的两封,正可见李鸿章在同光时期处理政务和家事的种种考量,尤其是在子弟教育方面的思想基调,对今天评判李鸿章教育思想仍有借鉴意义。

Li Hong-zhang wrote to his elder brother Li Han-zhang several letters every month,in which he talked about the official businesses he had dealt with,the communications he had had with other officials,the goings on of the the court and the populace,and also the education of children and the family matters.All these letters were a true reflection of his thinkings and inner feelings at different stages of his life without reservations.Unfortunately few of these have survived today.But the two recently discovered letters during the period of Tongzhi and Guangxu egimes clearly demonstrated his various considerations of official affairs,family matters and the keynote of his education of children in particular.Even today it can be of a great help and add to our insight in evaluating Li Hongzhang’s educational thought.