“八表”之语、“书生”习性与“儒臣”风格——张之洞的一个侧面

A Statement that Concerns “Ba Biao (the Whole Country),” the Propensity of a Scholar and the Way of a Confucian Official: Zhang Zhidong (Chang Chih-tung) Viewed From One Side

“探花”张之洞经不止一任外省考官和学政历练,回到京师后又成为“清流”先锋。光绪七年冬被授山西巡抚,开启了其疆吏生涯。在他初任晋抚的谢恩折中,因有“不敢忘经营八表之略”的语句而备受奚落和讽刺。及至“庚子议和”,又因事被李鸿章指斥其“书生之习”不改。张之洞闻知后大为光火,激愤地以“中堂习气”反讽李氏。刘坤一等人从中斡旋,张之洞久不能平。此乃“官书”所载,无可置疑。由此又衍生出诸多传闻,虽所述具体情节有异,但大旨上也基本相符。考其实际,张之洞终为“儒臣”的风格始终未变。

Served as examiner and educational director successively in several provinces,Zhang Zhidong(Chang Chih⁃tung,1837⁃1909),Tanhua(探花),the third highest ranked in the palace⁃level examination,became a pioneer in the Qingliu Dang(清流Purification Clique,group of conservative Chinese officials who advocated a return to traditional Confucian moral principles)after returning to the capital.In 1882,he was transferred as the governor of Shanxi,starting his career as a provincial official.In his memorial to express thanks to the throne at the beginning of his tenure in Shanxi,he stated,“I never forget to manage the territory of Ba Biao(八表the whole country),”which exposed him to much ridicule and satire.At the negotiations during the Boxer Rebellion(1900),he was reproved by Li Hongzhang(李鸿章1823-1901)for his persistent“bookishness”(“propensity of a scholar”).When Zhang heard this,he was furious,and ridiculed Li back on his“propensity of Lord Zhongtang(Prime Minister).”Even after the mediations by Liu Kunyi(刘坤一)and others,Zhang could not let it go for a long time.The event,kept in the official record,were beyond doubt,out of which some other versions were derived.Despite some differences in plot,they are generally consistent.Looking into the case,it is found that Zhang had never changed his way of a Confucian official.