A letter to Li Hongzhang is less than 300 words

As a representative of the feudal scholar and landlord class in the late Qing Dynasty, his political career had a significant impact on the development of Chinese society at that time. In particular, he has actively carried out and advocated the Westernization Movement from beginning to end. It has greatly promoted the process of China's modernization.

At the same time, as a representative of the Qing Dynasty in long-term negotiations with Western powers. Although he signed many unequal treaties with the West, judging from the objective situation in which China was found at that time, it was impossible to criticize him too harshly. At the same time, it should be noted that under the limited effect of the class to which he belongs, especially the "idea of loyalty to the monarch" is deeply rooted.

He suppressed the Taiping Rebellion and opposed the bourgeois reform movement. At the same time, these actions hindered the trend of China's political development at that time. In short, Li Hongzhang is a historical figure with both praise and criticism.

Positive evaluation of Li Hongzhang is positive, he tried his best to safeguard China's interests and strive for foreign affairs, but he could not change the reality of China's backwardness. He argued for the signing of unequal treaties, but the country was weak and had to accept humiliating demands. He, Zeng Guofan and others led the Westernization Movement, which was a manifestation of his progress.

He also has a record of defending China diplomatically, such as going to negotiate alone after the Eight-Nation Coalition captured Beijing, and finally settled the incident without ceding land; When the First Sino-Japanese War was in an unfavorable situation, he took the initiative to reach a settlement at the lowest cost, which was a favorable aspect of his defense of the country. Negative evaluation The negative evaluation mainly comes from the wrong decisions he made, and later generations have also criticized it. For example, they are willing to sacrifice the whole of Xinjiang and give up Xinjiang defense because they avoid war too much and attach importance to coastal defense; In 1885, the Sino-Japanese Tianjin Conference was signed in 1885 after a complete victory over Japan, giving Japan the right to send troops into Korea. Command mistakes in the Sino-Japanese War with Japan led to the total annihilation of ** in Weihaiwei; After the victory of the Sino-French War, unequal treaties were signed.

Although these unfavorable treaties and practices are subject to various objective conditions, he still bears heavy responsibility for the misconduct of these incidents. In addition, in the early days of the suppression of the Taiping Rebellion, he killed too many people. This also involves the overall evaluation of the Hunan army and the Huai army.

The Westernization Movement and his series of measures did not change China's continued decline, and his contribution was not significant.

"Li Hongzhang's Family Letter" has a letter to his parents, a letter to his brothers, a message to his nephews, and a ...... to his colleagues. Rich in content and intriguing.

Wide, there are those who talk about war, those who talk about human ethics, those who ask to read and study, and those who talk about self-cultivation, all of which are fluent and colorful. He often enlightened his brothers and exhorted his nephews. The reading of history should not be interrupted, and the reading of the Bible should not be generalized, and the gains and losses should not be abnormal.

There is no need to worry about things, especially not to judge success or failure in the exam. In the article "Yu Wen'er - Those who aspire to be officials, do not bully others", pointed out that "everyone who is a good person, a good palace, and a famous general must be a good teacher and a friendly example." In the article "Sending the Fourth Brother - On the Principle of Scholarly Advancement", it is said:

If you can pay attention every day, you will grow day by day. If you pay attention to everything, you will make progress in everything. As a result, over time, why can't you reach others with academic knowledge!

It is not easy to be competent as an official, and to do a good deed, it must be intertwined several times, and then it will be successful. Li Hongzhang used his personal experience to warn his brothers and nephews that it is not easy to be an official and competent, and it is difficult to do good deeds. Such proverbs and warnings in "Li Hongzhang's Family Letters" abound, and it is not without benefit to read them timelessly.