Chapter Thirteen: Chinese Body and Western Application

  It was under the guidance of Tan Zhonglin's thinking that Tan Yanxin's elder brothers were operating family businesses in Hunan, while his nephews who had just started school followed him to see if they had any talent worth cultivating. Those who were eliminated would continue to study, but they took a different path - becoming local wealthy and famous families. If they could make achievements in learning, they would follow the path of Wang Xingyun, establishing schools and gaining fame in their hometown, and as for officialdom, it was absolutely impossible for them.

  "Not in his position, not planning for his affairs", when it comes to official matters, he only preaches to his sons, while his wives and concubines do not have this right. When evaluating the high-ranking officials in the court more deeply, it is also only when facing Tan Yanqing - some things can only be discussed between them as father and son, purely for pragmatic evaluation of gains and losses. With Tan Yanqing's understanding of Tan Zhonglin, the old man seems to have a bit of the style of the Vertical and Horizontal Alliance of the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period. Although the old man has very strict restrictions on his personal life, he himself is actually quite clear-headed, and some words that can be considered "contrary" are also normal when evaluating and discussing between father and son.

  When everyone had left, Tan Zhonglin asked: "Zu An, do you know who was the happiest when this article came out?"

  Tan Yanxian replied: "Among the 12 chapters of 'Quan Xue Pian', except for the chapter 'Qu Du' which talks about the harm of opium, all the other chapters have more or less to do with foreign affairs. I think that China is currently weak and poor, if it wants to become rich and strong, it cannot leave out foreign affairs, only foreign affairs can bring wealth to China; also, only by developing foreign affairs can China have Western-style warships and cannons... Looking at the performances of Zeng, Zuo, Peng, and Hu, they all have a deep connection with foreign affairs, even Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong are no exception. It's a pity that there are always some stubborn people in the court who obstruct them from within. Although I didn't explicitly speak for the officials of the foreign affairs faction in 'Quan Xue Pian', I was also speaking for them. I think the happiest people should be Li Hongzhang, Zhang Zhidong, Liu Kunyi and others!"

  Tan Zhonglin nodded and said: "The 'Exhortation to Learning' has twelve chapters, each of which hits the key points of the times. I have seen many similar articles from your father, but he just sneered at them. The reason is simple - they were too sharp. What makes me praise your article is the two words 'inner restraint'. The concept of 'Chinese learning as substance, Western learning for application' has been around since Feng Guifen's time, thirty years ago, but it was only a proposal. Although people like Zhang Zhidong have written about it in their articles over the past thirty years, none of them are as clear and concise as your 'Exhortation to Learning'. What's more, this article will also win the favor of the 'clear stream' in the imperial court..."

  Tan Yan stood patiently on one side, listening to Tan Zhonglin's teachings without interrupting him. He attached great importance to the old man's words, not only because Tan Zhonglin had control over his own life but also because the old man's words were filled with the experience and lessons he had gained from decades of being an official. Although he had already made up his mind that if things became extremely bad, he would prepare to move abroad, he was still willing to do more good deeds for the people of this land until the last moment. Doing good deeds also requires strategy; it's not just a matter of having a clear conscience. Sometimes, in order to do good deeds, one has to do some things that go against their heart to achieve their goals. Tan Yan understood this principle very well. Regardless of what purpose Tan Zhonglin had in teaching him these things, he knew that the old man's words would have a profound impact on his future. He could use them to plan for the future and make more beneficial decisions by understanding the situation and taking action accordingly.

  "'Chinese body, Western function'! 'Chinese body, Western function'! Zong An, the main reason why I don't want your article to be published is that I still want you to continue improving this manuscript, and use 'Chinese body, Western function' as a key point for further explanation. The topic can be discussed more broadly! After reading through the draft, I think you have grasped some of the main points very well. When writing new content, you must continue to grasp the main points - this main point is beyond the topic, do you understand?" Tan Zhonglin asked with deep meaning.

  "Two cannot be guilty! My son remembers his father's teachings!" Tan Yanqian replied extremely cleverly.

  Tan Zhonglin nodded in satisfaction and smiled, saying: "The way of being an official lies in the word 'mix', doing academic work is also like this. If you want to make your influence more profound and extensive, you must understand 'harmony with the vulgar'. Only then can you go further and make your ideas accepted by more people! Zuan, you should speed up these days, after finishing the draft, give it to me for review. I will recommend this manuscript to the imperial court and other important officials to solicit their opinions, and then re-submit it for publication. At that time, it will be the best choice for you!"

  After this conversation with Tan Zhonglin, Tan Yanxin understood that the old man's reason for not publishing it temporarily was still due to the content of "Quanxue Pian" which was not substantial enough. The idea of "Chinese learning as the basis and Western learning for practical use" had been proposed thirty years ago, and some people in the洋务派 (Western Affairs Movement) had also used this to clarify their political views. Unfortunately, until now, there is still no complete theoretical system. The old man's ideas made him feel extremely surprised - either don't do it or keep doing it until the end, using "Quanxue Pian" to establish Tan Yanxin as a authority in this theoretical system. Although he was still young, since he wrote "Quanxue Pian", he must elaborate on "Chinese learning as the basis and Western learning for practical use" very thoroughly, not like Feng Guifen who created a new concept but didn't carry it out to the end, making himself a laughing stock.

  Tan Zhonglin was a jinshi in the 1856 imperial examination and was appointed as a shujishi of the Hanlin Academy. It was during this time that he met Feng Guifen at the Hanlin Academy, who later completed his "Protest from Xiaofen's Studio" in Shanghai. Feng Guifen later entered Zeng Guofan's and Li Hongzhang's camps as a staff member. As Tan Zhonglin also served as Jiangnan Dao Surveillance Commissioner and Hangzhou Prefect during that period, he was very familiar with Feng Guifen's work. According to Tan Zhonglin's recollection, both Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang were influenced by Feng Guifen in introducing steam engines and later Western-style weapons and ammunition production plans. The earliest foreign language schools established by Li Hongzhang in Shanghai and Guangdong also came from Feng Guifen's hand.

  Feng Guifen did not follow Tan Zhonglin's path to a very prominent official career, but his talent had a profound impact on Tan Zhonglin. Seeing the "Exhortation to Study" that his son is writing now brings back memories of his colleagues thirty years ago. Unfortunately, even if one relies on others, it depends on the master's behavior. Whether it was Zeng Guofan or Li Hongzhang, their temperament and talent were already at the top of that era. However, they also had a very selective attitude towards some of Feng Guifen's suggestions.

  Tan Zhonglin told Tan Yanxian everything he knew about Feng Guifen, and also explained that his initial motivation for supporting Tan Yanxian in establishing the Translation Department last year was because Feng Guifen had also made such an attempt, with the help of Li Hongzhang and Zeng Guofan to set up a foreign language college, and even tried to translate foreign science and technology books. This is the first time Tan Yanxian heard that there was such a person, and seeing the old man so admired Feng Guifen, he was also very curious about this character, but unfortunately, they had lost contact more than 20 years ago, and it is not known whether Feng Guifen is now dead or alive. However, Tan Zhonglin also said frankly: if he wants to re-establish the great banner of "Chinese learning as the foundation, Western learning for practical use", he must first stand firm in academic pursuits, but if he wants to truly establish himself in this field, the road will be even longer - do not follow the old path of Feng Guifen, and in addition to having achievements in academic pursuits, one must also strive to realize it, otherwise, how many people will know that "Chinese learning as the foundation, Western learning for practical use" was first proposed by Feng Guifen?! (Regarding the origin of "Chinese learning as the foundation, Western learning for practical use", I have also read a lot of materials, and earlier in the era of Lin Zexu, Wei Yuan had also put forward similar proposals, but compared to Feng Guifen, it is obvious that there is a big difference, so in this book, the origin of this idea is attributed to Feng Guifen, please do not be too particular about it, thank you!)

  After the long conversation with Tan Zhonglin, Tan Yanke finally knew that the term "Chinese body and Western use" had such a complex origin. He thought that in later generations' textbooks, only Zhang Zhidong was mentioned in this regard. It wasn't until he came to this era that he realized that "Chinese body and Western use" had been called for over 30 years, and Zhang Zhidong was the culmination of it all. Thinking about Tan Zhonglin's final suggestion, he couldn't help but admire the old man's foresight - Zhang Zhidong was indeed a pioneer in this academic field, and his political career also aimed at this goal, so that in the later generations a hundred years later, he would still have a place.

  Perfecting the "Exhortation to Learning" was not a difficult task for Tan Yanxian. In fact, he had many things that were not written out, only this manuscript originally planned to be a scratch ball, and the technical difficulty is relatively high. For particularly sensitive topics, he did not dare to delve too deeply. Historically, Zhang Zhidong's "Exhortation to Learning" was published during the Hundred Days' Reform, at which time Zhang Zhidong, although an enlightened senior official, was not very enthusiastic about the reformers' proposals. In a certain sense, "Exhortation to Learning" was attacking the political proposals of the reformers; otherwise, Liang Qichao, who had some goodwill towards Zhang Zhidong, would not have attacked "Exhortation to Learning".

  For that piece of history, Tan Yanqian only knew so much. In today's context, as long as he was cautious with his words in the book, there wouldn't be any major issues. Tan Zhonglin asked him to improve "Quan Xue Pian", which was relatively easy to handle. The old man cooperated very well with him, and he explained all the anecdotes that the old man knew in detail, including some historical events of the past few decades that illustrated the context of official struggles. Even the "Yang Naiwu and Xiao Baicai" case, which Tan Yanqian was very familiar with, was thoroughly explained, revealing the behind-the-scenes bureaucratic power struggle. This provided Tan Yanqian with a wealth of material support, allowing him to have a clearer understanding of the boundaries when improving "Quan Xue Pian".

  Tan Yanxin concentrated his energy to perfect the "Exhortation to Study", and revised the manuscript several times in a short period of time. He also asked Tan Zhonglin to correct the problems in the manuscript, and was busy for more than half a month. Finally, he completed the final draft before the New Year. The "Exhortation to Study" was still the first time that Tan Yanxin had devoted almost all his energy to completing the manuscript. Although it took less time, it made him extremely hardworking. After Tan Zhonglin finally confirmed it, he was almost drained of his last bit of energy, and his body felt a little dizzy.

  The manuscript of "Quan Xue Pian" has been completed, and the rest is up to Lao Touzi to operate. Tan Zhonglin devoted so much energy to "Quan Xue Pian" also for the sake of Tan Yan's future - although Tan Yan passed the Tongzi exam at the age of 15 and became a Xiucai, the imperial examination road is still long, and Tan Yan has just entered the door. With this "Quan Xue Pian", if it can be reasonably planned by Tan Zhonglin and play its maximum role, Tan Yan will have a higher starting point in the imperial examination than others. Even if the imperial examination is not very smooth, Tan Zhonglin saw another hope on his son - he wanted to break his own rules, when his son's imperial examination was not going well, through donation of official positions, when he still had real power in his hands, promote his son, of course, this is also because Tan Yan's performance was extremely outstanding that made Tan Zhonglin have this idea.

  Tan Yanqian continued to work in the Fujian and Zhejiang Governor's Office within Fuzhou City, and when he had free time, he would go to the drill ground to supervise the training of the guard troops or visit the detoxification center to check on the detoxification situation... Every day was spent like this, basically not contacting outsiders. Compared to before, he could still meet with local scholars to discuss academic matters, but that was before Feng Wenyu possessed Tan Yanqian. After that, Tan Yanqian developed in a way that met Tan Zhonglin's expectations, and to the greatest extent possible, alleviated Tan Zhonglin's worries about him.

  On the twenty-fifth day of the twelfth lunar month, Tan Yanxin saw that the training of the guard team had become quite good and could be put on display. He reported to Tan Zhonglin and began to arrange for the guard team to enter the Governor's Mansion. After a few days of intense study of basic etiquette, this guard team, which claimed to be the "Tan family general", officially took over the defense of the Governor's Mansion on New Year's Eve, replacing the original guards. To give outsiders a brand new feeling, Tan Yanxin specially asked a tailor to make a special uniform for the guard team - this uniform had a very obvious modern military style, different from the regular Qing dynasty uniforms, giving people a sense of being very neat and spirited. With the addition of the guard team's half-year training and improved food and nutrition, when the new guard team marched through the streets of Fuzhou into the Governor's Mansion, the citizens of Fuzhou were attracted by their appearance.

  Tan Zhonglin stood at the gate of the Fujian-Zhejiang Governor's Mansion, looking at the guard team with new-style rifles on their shoulders and pistols at their waists. They were physically strong, marched in unison, and frequently nodded in satisfaction. This guard team also added a few points to Tan Yanqing in Tan Zhonglin's heart. Just by looking at their appearance, they seemed much stronger than any army he had ever seen. Moreover, he knew that although this guard team was not large in number, every member was an excellent marksman. In fact, if two armies were to engage in battle, even if the opponent had the same equipment and several times more men, they would still be unable to defeat this guard team composed entirely of excellent marksmen. With this guard team at the Fujian-Zhejiang Governor's Mansion, any villain would tremble with fear, and the mansion would become a formidable place that inspired awe.

  The Chinese celebrate the Spring Festival, while foreigners celebrate Christmas. The two festivals are basically about two months apart. Just as Tang Yuelong and his family were celebrating the Spring Festival, representatives of the Mauser weapons factory in Germany came to Fuzhou again. This time they brought a final decision to make a last deal with Tang Yuelong, which would decide whether the Mauser weapons factory would introduce the 98-style rifle.

  This time, the representative sent by Mauser Weapons Factory was named Fedler. The other person was still Flinns from last time, but Schmidt did not come along this time. After contact, Tan Yanqian only knew that this Fedler was the eldest of the three Fedler brothers who invented the Mauser pistol. When he was with Ma Biao before, the three Fedler brothers who invented the box cannon were almost grinding calluses on his ears. He did not expect to see the person himself, which really surprised him a bit.

  For the Gewehr 98, the Mauser company was a must-have. When Paul Mauser saw the design drawings of the Gewehr 98, he immediately recognized the value of this new rifle - although the other party's price was quite high, it was absolutely worth it. However, despite this, the boss of the Mauser company still felt that the price could be negotiated further. They keenly sensed from the additional clauses that their opponent might not be very concerned about the amount of money, but rather more interested in smokeless powder and the machinery to produce the Gewehr 98.

  This time, Federle was fully empowered by the Mauser Weapons Factory to decide on the negotiations with Tang Shao-yi, although his boss gave him a great deal of latitude, he would not do everything possible to get the Mauser rifle, despite being a senior technical officer who admired the design of this rifle very much.

  The difference in festivals between Chinese and foreigners is quite untimely for Federer and others, but Tang Yuelong still warmly entertained Federer and Flynn, letting them experience China's traditional festival, and also exchanged sincerity with each other on reaching this deal. Of course, Federer and others did not come empty-handed either, bringing two hundred 98-style rifles made from Tang Yuelong's design drawings, as well as a large quantity of bullets, which surprised Tang Yuelong, who immediately replaced his governor's guard team.