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The opening of new air routes has provided impetus for the progress of the whole world, especially in the melting of things or the Europeanization of the world. Since then, China has faced a once-in-a-lifetime change, met a once-in-a-lifetime enemy, and launched a humiliating history that began with the Opium War.
In my opinion, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. From the failure of Macartney's visit to China to the second visit to China by Britain during the Jiaqing period, from the establishment of the 13th Guangzhou Trade Port to the failure to recognize the equality, etiquette and ceremonies of other countries-apart from cultural differences, "we hold the concept of' China governing all countries' and do not recognize the international community, while the West has gradually introduced international life and the management and public law it needs in modern times. It is enough to prove that China will never automatically accept Western technology. "
For thousands of years, from the defending power of the Silk Road to the prestige of "Tiankhan" under the rule of Zhenguan, and then to Zheng He's voyage to the West, feudal China boasted about all the great powers in China, treated diplomatic relations with unequal treatment, and regarded vassal states as the gateway of China's foreign defense. Unexpectedly, under this complacency, a myth of "the sun never sets" suddenly appeared at the dawn of western modern civilization, which dimmed the light of the East. Mr. Ding Fu said: "In the world, all countries that can accept modern civilization will become rich and strong, and those that cannot accept it will be defeated." Then, the invasion of western powers is precisely to awaken the closed-door feudal China and explore modernization and prosperity.
This book is the best book about the modern history of China that I have read so far. One word is good, two words are good and three words are good.
A meal here means that you can buy it with the money of eating a meal and read it while eating a meal. This booklet is very thin. Just 13 yuan on Dangdang. There is even a version of 8.8 yuan on the Internet. It's not cheap, but after reading it, it can make people suddenly enlightened and gain a hundred times the price. The high cost performance is simply outrageous! Friends who like modern history must not miss this classic!
In fact, the modern history of China is very difficult to write, because how to write it seems to be biased. In fact, it is natural for the mainstream to turn left. Anyway, the Qing court has long since ceased to exist, and Li Hongzhang and Yuan Shikai have been dead for many years. No matter how bad the hat is, no one will pursue it. China's history is dusty because of this irresponsible mentality. Even if what happens at this time, even if the author is in the game, he may not be able to see the truth under the complicated appearance. However, after a thousand years of change, how dare you write so-and-so in the textbook, and how can you convince people?
Then, when the left wind prevailed for a long time, some people came out to do something unconventional and began to correct the ancients with modern eyes, so there were sympathizers, critics and cynics. But God's perspective itself is ridiculous, and such condescension is easy to overcorrect.
Mr. Jiang is a history major who has experienced half a modern history. This book was written in 1938. During this period, Mr. Jiang was not close to the red and blue parties, and his position was fair and objective. His writing style is rigorous and clear, and he also has a rational understanding of the world pattern with his educational background of learning from China and the West.
The biggest feature of this book is that there is no large amount of statistical data, and there is no time and place of various historical events. But clearly combs the context of modern China from a relatively high angle. From the initial frustration of peaceful diplomacy in Britain to a series of diplomatic failures and war failures, this paper rationally tells the cause and effect of China becoming a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, and the new social situation brought about by the collision between Chinese and Western cultures, from ideology and cultural traditions to science and technology.
In fact, the modern history of China is the process of modernization in ancient China. Paying attention to this changing process from many aspects and angles is the key to correctly understand the historical trend. The Modern History of China by Mr. Jiang is a masterpiece to help us understand the changes and cycles of modern history.
History is not a number or a person of an era, but an irreversible trend, the result of the interaction of all people, and all the inevitability and contingency of Paul. This wonderful law is the charm of history.