題金陵渡

李鴻章(1823～1901年)

Li Hongzhang，亦拼作Li Hung-chang。

中國政治家，代表中國在中法戰爭（1883～1885年）、中日戰爭（1894～1895年）和義和團事件（發生於1900年）結束之後，進行一連串屈辱的談判。李鴻章在其生涯早期，即協助鎮壓太平天國之亂（1850～1864年），以及平定捻亂（約發生於1852～1868年間）。當時，李鴻章接觸到西方人（尤其是英格蘭人戈登）和西方武器，於是轉而深信，中國如果想要維護自己的主權，就需要擁有西方式的軍火。1870年，李鴻章被任命為首都所在地的直隸省的總督，他建立了兵工廠、開設軍事學校、建立兩座現代的海軍基地，購買戰艦，並從事其他「自強」的措施。李鴻章希望透過現代化來儲存傳統的中國，然而就在傳統的中國之中，他的創新未能獲得充份發展，而李鴻章本人也受到他所企圖保護之體系的致命傷害。

English version：

1823～1901年

Li Hongzhang

Chinese statesman who represented China in the series of humiliating negotiations at the end of the Sino-French War (1883-85),Sino-Japanese War (1894-95),and Boxer Rebellion (1900). Much earlier in his career,Li had helped with the suppression of the Taiping Rebellion (1850-64) and had put down the Nian Rebellion (c. 1852-68). At that time,he came in contact with Westerners (notably England's Charles George Gordon) and Western weapons and became convinced that China needed Western-style firepower if it wanted to protect its sovereignty. In 1870,when Li was appointed governor-general of the capital province,Zhili,he was able to build arsenals,found a military academy,establish two modern naval bases,purchase warships,and undertake other “self-strengthening” measures. Through modernization he hoped to preserve traditional China,but within traditional China Li's innovations could not develop fully,and he was fatally hampered by the system he was trying to protect.

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