再论咸丰庚申年西巡之议

Further Thoughts on the Emperor Xianfeng’s Western Tour in 1860

咸丰庚申年(1860)八九月间,面对英法联军的进逼,奕、桂良等京师枢臣与英桂、彭瑞毓等晋省大员吁请身在木兰的咸丰帝西巡西安,受到后者重视。随着中外局势缓和,奕等人转而吁请回銮,但咸丰帝忧虑外人亲递国书及联军威胁,拒绝回銮。同时,咸丰帝又收到祁寯藻、官文等吁请西巡的密折,西巡由此进入筹备环节。西巡之议在地方政局上掀起舆论风波,不少疆臣意图借机谋求私利;也有大员认定西巡必将导致天下大乱,力持不可。随着中外局势转危为安,负责筹办西巡的陕甘总督乐斌与陕西巡抚谭廷襄表示此事难行,来自安徽的反对意见又切中肯綮,且西方势力也深入关中,咸丰帝最终放弃西巡。

In August and September of 1860,ministers in Beijing such as Yixin and Guiliang,along with officials from Shanxi Province Yinggui and Peng Ruiyu,asked Emperor Xianfeng,who was stationed in Mulan,to embark on a Western Tour to Xi’an due to the approaching Anglo-French forces.Yixin and others recommended Emperor Xianfeng return to Beijing as the domestic and foreign situation improved.However,the Emperor,concerned about foreign envoys presentation of credentials and the threat of allied forces,declined to return.Emperor Xianfeng received confidential memorials from Qi Zunzao,Guan Wen,and others advocating a Western Tour,which marked the beginning of the preparation phase for the tour.The Western Tour caused controversy among local officers,with some seeking personal benefits opportunistically,while others,including famous personalities,feared it would result in widespread anarchy and strongly opposed it.With the stabilization of both domestic and external circumstances,Shaan’gan Governor-General Le Bin and Shaan’xi Governor Tan Tingxiang,in charge of planning the Western Tour,acknowledged the difficulties of moving forward with it,the opposition from Anhui also played a significant role.And as Western influence spread further into the center of Shaan’xi,Emperor Xianfeng decided to abandon the Western Tour.