We usually say that people can't judge until they die. But for Zhang Zhidong, it is difficult to draw a conclusion about his life. The affirmators said that he praised the painting and made great contributions, while the critics said that he was extravagant and squandered the state treasury. Some people say that Zhang Zhidong was an honest official and had no money at home after his death. Some people say that he loves a false name and values his reputation more than national interests.
Among them, the most acute criticism of Zhang Zhidong is that he is a political speculator, a fence sitter and has no political opinions. Behind Zhang Zhidong, Ta Kung Pao published a mourning article. The article mentioned a critical voice to Zhang Zhidong, saying: "Zhang Guo Xiang has no purpose, no political views, goes with the flow and is proud of flattering the Lord."
This kind of criticism sounds a bit excessive, but looking at the facts, it is not all false. Zhang Zhidong's political career is characterized by drifting with the tide.
At the beginning of his career, Zhang Zhidong edited and edited for the Hanlin Academy. In the early days, he was attached to the Qing school headed by Li Hongzao, opposed the Westernization Movement, and often impeached the Westernization School. He is one of the famous "four admonitions of Hanlin".
Liu Qing Party was initially supported by Empress Dowager Cixi to contain the influence of Prince Gong. Later, Prince Gong was expelled from the military plane, and Liu Qing lost its use value and its status declined. At this time, as soon as Zhang Zhidong was released from office, he became a master of Westernization, and kept silent about his past comments criticizing Westernization.
Li Hongzhang, an old colleague, looked down on Zhang Zhidong's behavior and commented:
"Once upon a time, there were many officials who were famous for their rhetoric. Later, I released the foreign minister, and I was in charge of the real thing. Once upon a time, I was too restrained to say a word. When you are promoted, you hate this official, even more than others. "
It is not all false to say that Zhang Zhidong is proud of flattering the Lord, although it is a bit excessive. Especially on some important issues in some countries, Zhang Zhidong is often hesitant and capricious in order to please his master, Empress Dowager Cixi.
For example, after the coup in late Qing Dynasty 1898, Cixi intended to depose Emperor Guangxu in order to consolidate her power. At that time, people of insight opposed the abolition of the emperor in order to stabilize the political situation and prevent the excessive expansion of Cixi's power. Liu Kunyi, then governor of the two rivers, asked Zhang Zhidong to jointly play, expressing his opposition to deposing Guangxu. Zhang Zhidong agreed at first, but he was reasonable and afraid of offending Cixi. Finally, he asked someone to take back the report, deleted his signature, and did not express any opinions on this matter, so as not to offend people.
Another example is the change of the Boxer Rebellion. Empress Dowager Cixi overreached herself and declared war on eleven countries, which led to Eight-Nation Alliance's entry into Beijing and the escape of the two palaces. At that time, the southeast provinces announced that they would not comply with imperial edicts, implement mutual insurance in the southeast, and would not go to war with foreigners without authorization. Zhang Zhidong has been undecided about whether to join Southeast Mutual Insurance. It was not until later that Sheng Xuanhuai forged the imperial edict of Cixi and sent a telegram to Zhang Zhidong, and Zhang Zhidong was relieved to join the Southeast Mutual Insurance, thus stabilizing the overall situation. Liu Kunyi said that he was "brave in small matters and timid in big ones", which can also be said to be right.
Due to the serious lack of political views, compared with many other famous officials, Zhang Zhidong is not a real politician, but a technocrat who decides his head. Whether dealing with the Westernization Movement, the Reform Movement or many other things, Zhang Zhidong has no prejudice and goes with the flow. If Zhang Zhidong served as a literary attendant in the prosperous times, his achievements might be better than Ji Xiaolan's. However, in view of the post of Prime Minister of Xinjiang, Zhang Zhidong can only make technical contributions and rarely make political achievements.
Therefore, some people commented on Zhang Zhidong: "The name of Zhang Zhidong is also new, and later generations are old. ..... Whoever takes the old and the new in the name of one person is not in China. However, the view of sitting on the wall will delay the end of the world. The so-called newcomers dare not be new, and the so-called old people dare not be old. Although I have known each other for a long time, I am embarrassed to die. "