Towards The Republic
''Towards the Republic'', also known as ''For the Sake of the Republic'' and ''Zou Xiang Gong He'' (), is a Chinese historical television series first broadcast on China Central Television (CCTV) in China from April to May 2003. The series is based on events which occurred in China in the late 19th century and early 20th century, and led to the collapse of the Qing dynasty and the founding of the Republic of China. Because the series portrayed historical issues to which the current Chinese government remains politically sensitive, the series has been subjected to censorship in mainland China. Plot The series concentrates on various important events of the late Qing dynasty and Republican era in the late 19th century and early 20th century in China, including the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895), the Hundred Days' Reform (1898), the Boxer Rebellion (1900), and the 1911 Revolution. The series narrates historical events and portrays the private lives of key political figures s ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Zhang Li (director)
Zhang Li (; born 1 April 1957) is a Chinese director and cinematographer best known for his directorial works '' Towards the Republic'' (2001), '' Ming Dynasty in 1566'' (2006), ''Memories In China'' (2007), '' The Road We Have Taken'' (2008), and ''Young Marshal'' (2014). Zhang became a frequent collaborator with director Feng Xiaogang, as cinematographer on his films '' Sigh'' (2000), '' Big Shot's Funeral'' (2001), '' A World Without Thieves'' (2004), and '' The Banquet'' (2006). Early life and education Zhang was born in Tangshan, Hebei, on April 1, 1957. In 1974, before the end of the Cultural Revolution, he became a sent-down youth in Pingjiang County, Hunan. He was also a back man in Xiaoxiang Film Studio. In 1978, he enrolled at Beijing Film Academy, where he studied alongside Zhang Yimou, Gu Changwei, Chen Kaige, Li Shaohong, and Tian Zhuangzhuang. After graduation, he was assigned to Xiaoxiang Film Studio. Career Zhang made his directorial debut ''Jungle Escape'' in ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Empress Dowager Longyu
Yehe Nara Jingfen (; 28 January 1868 – 22 February 1913), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Yehe Nara clan, was the wife and empress consort of Zaitian, the Guangxu Emperor. She was empress consort of Qing from 1889 until her husband's death in 1908, after which she was honoured as Empress Dowager Longyu. She was posthumously honoured with the title Empress Xiaodingjing. She became regent during the minority of Puyi, the Xuantong Emperor, from 1908 until 1912. On behalf of the Emperor, she signed the letter of abdication, effectively ending two thousand years of imperial Chinese history. Life Family background * Father: Guixiang (; 1849–1913), served as first rank military official (), and held the title of a third class duke () ** Paternal grandfather: Huizheng (; 1805–1853), held the title of a third class duke () ** Paternal grandmother: Lady Fuca ** Paternal aunt: Empress Xiaoqinxian (1835–1908), the mother of the Tongzhi Emperor (1856–1875) ** Paternal aunt: ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Qu Hongji
Qu Hongji (; 1850–1918), style name Zijiu (), and art name Zhi'an (), was a politician of the Chinese Qing Dynasty who served in several ministerial positions, most notably being the first Minister of Foreign Affairs. Biography Qu Hongji was born in 1850 in a small town called Shanhua in the Changsha city area of Hunan Province. He passed the highest level of the Imperial Examinations (''jinshi'') in 1871 and went to the Hanlin Academy. During 1875 he took first place in the Daijiang Bachelor Examinations. He was promoted to Neige Bachelor in 1897, and organized Town Examinations of Fujian Province and Guangxi Province. He also supervised local government as Provincial Education Commissioner of Henan Province, Zhejiang Province and Sichuan Province. During the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, Qu carried the Four Troops Assaults plan to the emperor. Then he followed the emperor's royal family when it went hunting in the west, and was raised to the position of the Minister of W ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Li Lianying
Li Lianying (; 12 November 1848 – 4 March 1911) was a Chinese imperial eunuch who lived in the late Qing dynasty. He was a eunuch during the regency of Empress Dowager Cixi, who was the ''de facto'' ruler of China from 1861 to 1908 throughout the reigns of the Tongzhi Emperor and Guangxu Emperor. Names Li's birth name was Li Yingtai (). He was renamed Li Jinxi () after entering the Forbidden City as a palace eunuch in 1856. In 1869, Empress Dowager Cixi gave him a new name, Li Lianying (), which became the name he is best known by. Life Li was born in a poor family in Zhili Province (roughly present-day Hebei) in 1848 during the reign of the Daoguang Emperor. He had been in the Forbidden City for several years but did not have the chance to even appear in the presence of the West Empress Dowager, Cixi. The eunuch serving Cixi at that time, Little An, did not let any one threaten his position. Li loved to gamble and because of his constant losses, he had racked up an ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Deng Shichang
Deng Shichang (4 October 1849 – 17 September 1894), courtesy name Zhengqing, posthumous name Zhuangjie, was an Imperial Chinese Navy officer who lived in the late Qing dynasty. He is best known for his service in the Beiyang Fleet during the First Sino-Japanese War as the captain of the protected cruiser ''Zhiyuan''. He participated in the Battle of the Yalu River on 17 September 1894 against the Imperial Japanese Navy. After ''Zhiyuan'' was sunk in battle, he refused to be rescued and eventually went down with his ship. He was posthumously awarded the position of ''taizi shaobao'' (Tutor to the Crown Prince) by the Qing government and honoured as a hero in the Shrine of Loyalty in Beijing. Early life Deng was born in Longdaowei, Panyu, Guangdong, which is in present-day Haizhu District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. His given name was originally "Yongchang" (永昌) but was later changed to "Shichang". He was born in a relatively wealthy family that ran a tea tra ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Gu Hongming
Gu Hongming ( zh, c=辜鴻銘, p=Gū Hóngmíng, w=Ku Hung-ming, poj=Ko͘ Hông-bêng; 18 July 185730 April 1928) was a Chinese scholar born in British Malaya man of letters. He also used the pen name Amoy Ku. Life Gu Hongming was born in Penang, British Malaya (present day Malaysia), the second son of a Chinese rubber plantation superintendent, whose ancestral hometown was Tong'an, Fujian province, China, and his Portuguese wife. The British plantation owner was fond of Gu and took him, at age ten, to Scotland for his education. He was then known as Koh Hong Beng (the Min Nan pronunciation of his name). In 1873 he began studying Literature at the University of Edinburgh, graduating in the spring of 1877 with an M.A. He then earned a diploma in Civil Engineering at the University of Leipzig, and studied law in Paris. He returned to Penang in 1880, and soon joined the colonial Singapore civil service, where he worked until 1883. He went to China in 1885, and served as an adv ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Zhang Jian (politician)
Zhang Jian (; 1 July 1853– 24 August 1926), courtesy name Jizhi (季直), art name Se'an (啬庵), was a Chinese entrepreneur, politician and educator. He is known as a "new gentry" and official-entrepreneur. Biography Zhang was born in Haimen county, Jiangsu province in 1853. He initially served as a staff member under the general Wu Changqing. After Wu's death, he returned to his hometown where he studied agriculture while preparing for further examinations. In 1894, he achieved the highest score in the Palace Examination, earning the prestigious title of '' zhuangyuan''. Subsequently, he served at the Hanlin Academy. Zhang was obliged to return to his hometown for mourning his father in the same year. After the First Sino-Japanese War, he ventured into investing in and establishing modern enterprises. He later founded Dah Sun Cotton Mill in Nantong, financed by both the imperial court and local merchants. Additionally, he diversified into land reclamation, river conservanc ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Sheng Xuanhuai
Sheng Xuanhuai (; November 4, 1844 – April 27, 1916) was a Qing dynasty Chinese tycoon, politician, and educator. He founded several major banks and universities and served as Minister of Transportation of the Qing Empire. He was also known as Sheng Gongbao (). Biography Sheng was born into a family of officials, and was the eldest of six children. Sheng's father was also a close friend of General Li Hongzhang. In 1870, Li appreciated Sheng's talent, employed him as his aide and soon became his chief economic deputy. Sheng recommended that Li build more merchant ships in order to fund the military ships that the Qing government needed. Sheng's suggestion was accepted and from then on Sheng became well known for his career in ship building. Taking active part in the Self-Strengthening Movement, He actively advocated using Western technology in saving the country from destitution. His influence was mainly felt in the southern part of China, specifically in Shanghai. By 1893, ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Zhang Zhidong
Zhang Zhidong ( zh, t=張之洞) (2 September 18374 October 1909) was a Chinese politician who lived during the late Qing dynasty. Along with Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang, Zhang Zhidong was one of the four most famous officials of the late Qing dynasty. Known for advocating controlled reform and modernization of Chinese troops, he served as the governor of Shanxi Province and viceroy of Huguang, Liangguang and Liangjiang, and also as a member of the Grand Council. He took a leading role in the abolition of the Imperial examination system in 1905. The Red Guards destroyed his tomb in 1966 during the Cultural Revolution. His remains were rediscovered in 2007 and reburied. Other names Zhang Zhidong was also known by other names. An older Wade–Giles form was Chang Chih-tung. His courtesy name was Xiaoda ( zh, first=t, t=孝達, s=孝达, p=Xiàodá, labels=no) or Xiangtao ( zh, first=t, t=香濤, s=香涛, p=Xiāngtāo, labels=no). His pseudonyms were Xi ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Weng Tonghe
Weng Tonghe (; 1830–1904), courtesy name Shuping (), was a Chinese Confucian scholar and imperial tutor who lived in the Qing dynasty. In 1856, he obtained the position of '' zhuangyuan'' (or top scholar) in the imperial examination and was subsequently admitted to the prestigious Hanlin Academy. Weng's father, Weng Xincun, was an official who had been persecuted by an influential faction in the Qing imperial court led by Sushun. Weng Xincun was a tutor of the Daoguang Emperor's sons, Yihui and Yihe. However, in 1861, a coup took place, bringing about the deposition of Sushun and his faction, and the new government, led by Prince Gong, Empress Dowager Ci'an and Empress Dowager Cixi, placed the senior Weng to high office. In 1865, Weng was appointed as a tutor to the Tongzhi Emperor,Kwong, Luke S.K. ''A Mosaic of the Hundred Days: Personalities, Politics and Ideas of 1898'' (Harvard University Study Center, 1984). joining another tutor by the name of Wo Ren,Seagrave, Ster ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ronglu
Ronglu (6 April 1836 – 11 April 1903), courtesy name Zhonghua, was a Manchu political and military leader of the late Qing dynasty. He was born in the Guwalgiya clan, which was under the Plain White Banner of the Manchu Eight Banners. Deeply favoured by Empress Dowager Cixi, he served in a number of important civil and military positions in the Qing government, including the '' Zongli Yamen'', Grand Council, Grand Secretary, Viceroy of Zhili, Beiyang Trade Minister, Secretary of Defence, Nine Gates Infantry Commander, and Wuwei Corps Commander. He was also the maternal grandfather of Puyi, the last Emperor of China and the Qing dynasty. Early life and career Ronglu was born in the Manchu Guwalgiya clan, which was under the Plain White Banner of the Manchu Eight Banners. His grandfather, Tasiha (塔斯哈), served as an Imperial Resident in Kashgar. His father, Changshou (長壽), was a ''zongbing'' (總兵; a military commander). Ronglu was a ''yinsheng'' (蔭生) ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pearl Concubine
Imperial Noble Consort Keshun (27 February 1876 – 15 August 1900), of the Manchu people, Manchu Eight Banners, Bordered Red Banner Tatara clan, was a consort of the Guangxu Emperor. She was five years his junior. She was known to foreigners as the Pearl Consort. Legend has it that she was drowned in a well on the orders of Empress Dowager Cixi. Life Family background Imperial Noble Consort Keshun's personal name was not recorded in history. * Father: Changxu (), served as the Three Departments and Six Ministries#Six Ministries, Right Vice Minister of Revenue ** Paternal grandfather: Yutai (), served as the Viceroy of Shaan-Gan in 1851 ** Paternal grandmother: Lady Gūwalgiya * Mother: Lady Zhao * Three brothers * Four elder sisters ** Fourth elder sister: Imperial Noble Consort Wenjing (1873–1924) Guangxu era The future Imperial Noble Consort Keshun was born on the third day of the second Lunar calendar, lunar month in the second year of the reign of the Guangxu Emperor, w ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |