(1794- 1857) was born in Shaoyang, Hunan, which is one of the most isolated areas in China. In his early years, he studied, taught and took part in the imperial examination in his hometown, taking the road that ordinary rich children had taken. He/Kloc-went to Beijing at the age of 0/9 and began to get in touch with society. 1822 was elected and later served as cabinet secretary. He traveled around the world and made friends with a number of politicians who cared about the national economy and people's livelihood, such as Lin Zexu, Gong Zizhen and Bao. 1825, he was hired by He Changling, the political envoy of Jiangsu Province, to compile A Collection of Confucian Classics. This is a huge academic project, with a volume of 120, which is divided into eight categories: academic, governance, bureaucracy, household administration, courtesy, military, criminal and industrial, and systematically cleans up and summarizes the theory of statecraft before Daoguang in Qing Dynasty. It deepened Wei Yuan's understanding of social problems at that time and strengthened his world consciousness, which is of guiding significance for him to compile a comprehensive world geography masterpiece in the future. During the Opium War, he took part in the anti-British struggle in the front line of Zhejiang and had a certain understanding of the Qing Dynasty in Britain. According to the confession of the English prisoner Antud, he wrote English notes. The failure of the Opium War was a great stimulus to this intellectual who had always cherished the ambition of the world. 184 1 year, Lin zexu, who was demoted, asked him to compile a world geography book on the basis of his translation of the annals of the four continents. He readily agreed and compiled a 50-volume Atlas of the Sea the following year. Later, he constantly revised and supplemented it, expanding it to 60 volumes of 1847, 1852 100, with 880,000 words.
A strong sense of governing the country is a distinctive feature of the Atlas of Sea Countries. Wei Yuan wrote at the beginning of the narrative: "What is a book? It is said to attack foreigners, to buy foreigners, and to learn from foreigners to control foreigners. " Because of this, he not only introduced and inspected the historical evolution, politics, economy, culture, religion, customs and habits of all countries in the world, but also specially wrote two volumes of "Raising the Sea" and four volumes of "Raising the Sea", which is not available in other world geography works. The failure of the Opium War was the most direct stimulus to the people of China. Wei is from here, and he attaches great importance to it. In addition to introducing the military situation when talking about countries, from volume 84 to volume 95, he used the whole volume of 12 to introduce the principles, methods and usage of western ships, foreign guns, bombs, batteries and mines. This is also unique in all kinds of world geography works before and after. This practice, which does not conform to the usual style of compiling books, is an embodiment of a particularly strong sense of practicality.
Wei Yuan is a man who wants to show his ambition in politics, but his career is not satisfactory. 1845 Jinshi, 50 years old. After that, the official position was not high. He has only worked as a county magistrate, magistrate and other local officials, with little success. Before the Opium War, he had keenly felt that there were many drawbacks in China's political system. He once lashed out at autocratic emperors as the most selfish people who combined the world's potential, interests and fame. The tyranny of the gap between the upper and lower levels affects the transmission of upper and lower feelings, which is an important reason for the country's weakness. After the Opium War, breathing fresh air from the West, his previously repressed dissatisfaction turned into a compliment to the western democratic system.
When introducing the situation in Britain, he used a lot of pen and ink to discuss the parliamentary system, pointing out that British state affairs must be approved by the Iman Conference in Bali, not the dictatorship of the king. "Even if the king makes a decision, it must be approved by Iman Bali." Any changes in laws and regulations, the creation of official posts, the increase or decrease of taxes and salaries, currency and other matters related to the national economy and people's livelihood are promulgated by the king to the parliament, and some parliaments hand them over to specific departments for implementation. At the end of each year, the parliament will review what officials have done and then decide whether they are eager or not. Parliament adopts the method of "the public can accept opinions from the people, but the public will not accept them". The people have the right to supervise the government, and all opinions can be published in daily newspapers. If officials commit constitutional affairs, people can discuss and criticize them.
/kloc-In the world in the middle of 0/9th century, the biggest contrast with China's autocratic system is the American democratic system. Wei Yuan used five volumes to introduce the United States. In his "American Atlantic Overview", there is no specific description of the United States. It is an American hymn: Alas, the country is strong, and no king is a hero. Twenty-seven tribes dispersed, and hundreds of thousands of people dispersed, angry at the ruthless tiger and wolf in English. They once advocated common hatred, failed to make it a city, and refused to pay for it. So they came back with a strong enemy. ..... Twenty-seven chieftains, east and west, were always photographed by a big chieftain, but the bandits didn't deserve the world, and they were replaced in four years, changing the bureau of ancient and modern palaces, which made people sad, but unfair! Deliberations and hearings, election of officials and promotion of talents all start from the bottom. Cocoa is more, not much, good is more, evil is more, and three is second to none. In other words, the next pre-negotiator will also be elected first, which is not a matter of weeks!
He also praised the "wisdom" of the United States in handling its relations with Britain and France, its "wealth" in economy and its "friendship" in its relations with China.
Wei Yuan praised the United States in politics, economy, military affairs and diplomacy, and dedicated the most beautiful words to the young countries across the ocean in Chinese. Especially in politics, Wei Yuan paid tribute again and again. In his view, the democratic system of the United States, which has only one commander, no king, simple and quick things and no orders, has eternal value and can "hang the world without harming people."
As a complete and systematic work on world geography, during the 40-50 years after the Opium War, Atlas of the Sea Country and Introduction to Yinghuan were the two most influential works. Compared with the two books, each has its own advantages. As Wang Tao commented, "Xu Zhusheng is simple and Shu Weisheng is knowledgeable".
Bo is one of the highlights of the Atlas of the Ocean. In this regard, we just need to patiently sort out the list of materials cited in the book.
China people's works: General Literature of Qing Dynasty, Records of Qing Dynasty, Records of Real Wax in Zhou Daguan, Xie Hailu, Zhang Yi's Examination of Things, Records of Huang Zhonghai, Records of Liu Jianting's Examination, Notes on Yan Sizong's Nanyang, etc. Seventy-one Journey to the Western Regions, Ying Huan Lue, Ye's English Culture Lue, Yu's Taiwan Province Omission, Xiao Yi Ji, His English Map, Kang Qi's Journey, Yu's Qiuci Tong Draft, Ma Huan's West Ji Xiaolan's Notes on Yuewei Caotang, and Wen Bing's Lie Liu Yu's Notes on the Western Ambassadors, Textual Research on Nestorianism by The Journey to the West and Qian Min of Qiu Changchun, Secret History of Yuan Dynasty, Textual Research on the Origin of Mongolia, Yuangui, Jin Bian, Luoyang Ji, Records of the Western Regions, A General Examination of Documents, Tongzhi of Guangdong and Guangxi, Hou and Xintang.
Westerners' works include: The Appearance of Officialdom by Giulio Alleni, The Theory of Kun by Ferdinand ferdinand verbiest, Ling Shao by Francis Bi, Empty Space by Gao Yizhi, Interpretation of the World by Fu, Panorama of the Earth by Michel Benoit, An Tong Shu by Pei Duanping and Yi Yi. In addition, there is On Britain written by Singaporeans.
In addition, the book is accompanied by more than 70 maps, more than 80 pictures of ships and cannons, and nearly 10 tables, such as Table of Differences and Similarities between Chinese and Western Calendars and Table of Religious Schools in Various Countries.
From ancient times to the present, from the middle to the west, from books to paintings, everything is available.
After the publication of "Atlas of the Ocean", it has exerted a wide influence on the intellectual circles in China. The idea of "learning from foreigners to control foreigners" put forward in the book is a pioneer of the Westernization Movement in the future. The introduction and praise of British and American parliaments and democratic systems in the book is of guiding significance to the generation of reform ideas in the future. Of course, the most important aspect of its influence lies in world knowledge. /kloc-In the second half of the 9th century, among the world geography works compiled by China people, it is recognized that the two best books are Atlas of the Sea and A Brief Introduction to the World. A large number of new figures engaged in the Westernization Movement and the Reform and Reform have been influenced by this book. On the left is the preface to the second edition of Ocean Atlas, praising this famous work of Hunan people. Kang Youwei claimed that his understanding of the West and the world was closely related to the influence of the Atlas of the Ocean.
The publication of Atlas of the Ocean soon spread to Japan. 1850, 60 volumes of Atlas of the Ocean were introduced into Japan. Before the Meiji Restoration, it was banned by the conservative Japanese authorities and was not allowed to be sold. 1853, another Atlas of Sea Countries was introduced into Japan, but it was banned for the same reason. The reason is that there is something written in the book about the west, "there are forbidden words." 1854, Japan changed from a closed country to an open country, and the Map of the Sea Country coincided with the time and became the key for Japanese people to understand the world, which was very popular. This year, 15 copies of The Sea were introduced into Japan, of which 7 copies were kept by the imperial court and the other 8 copies were allowed to be sold. From 1854 to 1858. There are more than 20 reprints of various Atlas of the Country of the Sea. Just as in China, books such as "Atlas of the Sea" had a catalytic effect on the westernization movement of spreading western learning to the east and striving for self-improvement, the eastward spread of "Atlas of the Sea" also had a positive impact on the Meiji Restoration in Japan. Chinese and Japanese scholars agree on this. China scholars said: Wei Yuan wrote Flowers on the Sea to reward Chinese people's ideas about the outside world. "The generation of Japanese like Xiangshan, Yoshida Shōin and Saigō Takamori were all stimulated by this book, and they indirectly performed a lively drama advocating reform, and they did not have the next dose of medicine." Japanese scholars said: "Japanese scholars and intellectuals in the late shogunate learned about western learning and general modern culture through the documents imported from China, which is not worse than what they learned through Holland." .
(From Xiong Yuezhi: Western Learning and Society in Late Qing Dynasty, Shanghai People's Publishing House, 1994). )