I have seen the front photo of Prince Gong's heart. He sat in a plush chair with his right hand on the handle and his left hand on his knee. Clear face, solemn expression; Frown furrowed, lip line clear. Cautious posture, sad and melancholy. Nalan Xingde, a famous poet in the early Qing Dynasty, once wrote "Huanshaxi", saying that "the remnant snow condenses and draws a cold screen. It was already midnight when Meidi fell. Nowhere is the moon bright. I am a melancholy guest in the world, and I know why you are crying. I remembered my life in the sound of heartbroken. " Like Prince Gong, he was born in Tian Huang's noble family, the eldest son of Pearl, and a university student in Wuyingdian. In the 15th year of Kangxi (1676), he was twenty-two years old and the seventh in palace examination. Give him a Jinshi origin, a third-class bodyguard, followed by a first-class bodyguard. In terms of time, Prince Gong was more than 200 years late. Moreover, the former is in the heyday, and the latter is facing the embarrassing situation of imperial decline for most of his life. Or it is far-fetched and unreasonable to make such a comparison, but I think this word can be used as a footnote for Prince Gong in his later years, especially for the ten years of Jietai Temple. The root of Prince Gong Zhong's melancholy is that he sees the times too clearly and sees things too thoroughly. Imagine a person who sees the current situation clearly, loses, and is difficult, but he still has to seek hope in it to turn the tide. As the pillar of the last days, he is walking on thin ice and struggling. It is hard to imagine that in such a picture, he can always maintain the heroism of his early youth. First, understand people's melancholy. Prince Gong is the sixth son of Emperor Daoguang of Xuanzong and his biological mother Empress Xiaojing. From an early age, he was smart and versatile, and won the appreciation of Daoguang. When he was a teenager, he was high-spirited and sharp-edged. A young man thinks highly of himself, and he has the capital of being favored and arrogant. Therefore, although Prince Gong is not his own son, his expectation and confidence in the throne can be imagined. However, due to his inexperience, he was not good at reading the psychology of the old emperor, and he was defeated by Emperor Xianfeng trained by Du Shoutian in the battle for the throne. According to historical records, Xuanzong has been hesitant about who will inherit the unification of his second son. Two things played a decisive role in the decision of the heir to the throne. One is from the "Clear Draft": "Wenzong entered school at the age of six and must take the right path, after more than ten years. In his later years, Xuanzong had not yet decided to take literate Sect as his virtue to spread the great cause. The school hunted Nanyuan, and the princes followed. Prince Gong got the most birds, but literate Sect missed one shot. When asked, he said,' When spring comes, birds and animals breed and can't bear to hurt lives.' Xuanzong said,' This is the word of the true monarch!' The establishment of the reserve is closely determined, and it is also assisted by the field. "The other is based on unofficial history's annotation" Anecdotes of the Qing Dynasty ",saying:" During the Daoguang period, Xuanzong fell ill and called the second prince one day to reserve a place. The two princes each asked the teacher for instructions, and Zhuo () taught the public king. If you have any questions above, you should know everything and say everything. Du Fu said that Emperor Xianfeng said,' Brother is like the old government, and his knowledge is not as good as that of Sixth Master. There's only one way. If the emperor says he is old and ill, he will come soon. My brother will only cry on the ground to show his sincerity to the child. "The so-called emperor is happy, that is to say, the four sons of the emperor are all people of benevolence and filial piety, and the storage position is decided." In fact, from these two stories, we can see that Yixin was originally a person who relied on practical talents and ignored policies, and calculating strategies in the power field was also a magic weapon to win. This may also be a blow to him. In the twenty-sixth year of Daoguang, Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty set up a letter storage box. Only a box of two letters. In his will, the old emperor named four princes Crown Prince and Prince Gong respectively. It is said that the word "Gong" is a warning that he can do things respectfully, maintain obedience to the emperor and protect himself. The highest title in the Qing dynasty later made him show his talents on the political stage in the late Qing dynasty. History cannot be rewritten. We can say that it is the lack of the throne that makes "Prince Gong" become "Prince Gong". As for whether this regret has laid the foundation for his life, he can only speculate and cannot prove it. As mentioned above, the root of Prince Gong's melancholy lies in his indifference to the times. The further we go, the more treaties we have, the more failures we have, and the more clearly we can see that we are repairing the A Qing dynasty. Judging from his enthusiasm for westernization and cooperation with foreigners, he was nicknamed "Ghost Six", so it can be considered that he has always worked hard in the direction of self-improvement and rejuvenation. But even if he is not completely desperate, he is always worried. The earliest Baliqiao fiasco has made him wake up from a big dream and start to feel disappointed. The British and French allied forces launched an attack on Baliqiao, the throat artery of the capital. He commanded operations in Sanglinqin, Xiangezhuang. Fiasco He truly and desperately saw the weakness of cold weapons in the Qing Dynasty in the face of foreign guns. Even if he is ambitious, he is firmly bound by objective weaknesses. Such helplessness may be tantamount to a blow to a person who intends to display his talents. Privileged status can make him maintain a sense of superiority at home, but he is completely helpless in the face of foreign invaders. Sign the China-Britain-France-China-Russia Beijing Treaty; As the representative of the powerful ruling class of the Qing Empire, Prince Gong can imagine the pain of giving his land and interests to foreigners in exchange for a respite. He was also in charge of the affairs of the Prime Minister's yamen for a long time. He existed for 40 years before and after the establishment of 186 1 1.20 yamen, and Yixin served for 28 years. The Prime Minister's Office is in charge of foreign affairs, finance, military affairs, education, mining, transportation and other foreign-related aspects. It is not difficult to imagine what difficulties he will face in mediating and handling affairs with foreign countries. In fact, he took advantage of the opportunity of being in charge of the Prime Minister's yamen to fully support local officials such as Li Hongzhang, Zhang Zhidong and Ding Richang to learn from western advanced science under the slogan of Qiang Bing and Guo Fu as a powerful country. Although the movement was unsuccessful, it was a bold attempt, and it was not easy to cultivate talents like Zhan Tianyou and a number of national industries for the country. They were frightened when the British and French allied forces advanced on Beijing. Ten years ago, on the eighth day of August (September 22), they used the right plan (Peng was forced to step down because of the failure of He Guiqing and others in Jiangnan in February of that year and succeeded the attachment of the foreman's military minister; Su Shun, Zai Yuan, Wang En and Zheng Qinwang basically controlled state affairs. They fled to Jehol (Chengde) in the name of "sitting in Beijing" and "preparing for the governor's personal expedition". At the same time, Yi Xin was appointed as a "special envoy to stay in Beijing, to supervise and discuss the bureau, to act honestly and to be an imperial envoy" to stay in Beijing to deal with the aftermath. Judging from all previous events at home and abroad, this so-called "plenipotentiary acting cheaply by an imperial envoy" is actually a means for Su Shun to crowd out Yixin, which puts Prince Gong in a dangerous and unpredictable position. He wanted a peaceful respite, but at the same time he was called a traitor. People who know the current situation should fully understand that it is meaningless to call again then. Signing a contract is not a personal choice, but a historical choice. This understanding is not to exempt them from their responsibilities. In fact, it is a misunderstanding to blame the failure of the diplomatic field in the late Qing Dynasty entirely on the lethargy and peace of mind of individuals or ruling groups. However, due to the personal compulsion in the historical torrent, it is difficult for future generations to get as close as possible to the origin of historical figures. Prince Gong's melancholy is a fatalistic melancholy to himself. When I was a teenager, I was in high spirits and missed the throne. When I was middle-aged, I struggled in the troubled times of Chengwei. As for the old place, it was desolate. People see the outside world too clearly, deeply understand the hardships of mediation, compromise and helplessness, and have to rely on corrupt officials to try the helplessness of westernization and the disasters suffered by their families. This experience is enough to make his depression go deep into the bone marrow. "It's hard to compete with luck when you lose your butterfly dream through the ages." There are two sentences in his own "Golden Seal", which are clearly lamenting that he can't consciously fight against fate. This seems to be a law. In any era, people who are completely carefree are often like people in their dreams. Only they can be in troubled times without knowing it. And if a person wants to be carefree, it is best not to look forward, not to recall, but to have a sense of the present. Therefore, Yixin's melancholy is also forward-looking, reflecting his deep anxiety that he can't see the bright future of the empire and his dying struggle to turn the tide. Two, Jietai Temple for ten years, Xianfeng eleven years (186 1), Xianfeng emperor died in Jehol. Eight ministers headed by Su Shun and Gu Ming were in charge of state affairs, and Cixi was deeply influenced by this political crisis and even the death of Cixi. Cixi used the game to successfully launch a palace coup, completely cut off the eight ministers of Gu Ming, wiped out her political opponents, and mastered the supreme sovereignty of China. Cixi named Wang Shang Shu of the Ministry of War, while Zong Renfu was Shang Shu of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and battalion commander. At this time, the game is a combination of military, political, diplomatic and imperial powers, and its status is only under Empress Dowager Cixi. The increasingly powerful game has become a big worry for Cixi, which poses a great threat to the ruling foundation of Cixi. In the spring of the 10th year of Guangxu (1884), Cixi took the opportunity to cancel all her duties under the pretext of the defeat of the Qing army in the Sino-French Vietnam War. The imperial edict said, "... Prince Gong and others were cautious at first, but later entrusted the honor to the snake. In the new year, they become more and more respected. Because it is partial to Japan, every time it meets in the imperial court, it is biased and refuses to pursue its strength. " ..... Yixin still left the hereditary work to the prince, rewarded the prince with double salary, left all the errands, removed the grace and double salary, and recovered at home ... "(Ten years of Guangxu in the History of Qing Dynasty) At that time, Yixin was really in poor health. This kind of internal and external double imbalance, plus he is 5 1 year old at this time, can't let go of too many things. How can he have the pleasure of retirement? Yi, who lost power and influence, knew the cunning and malice of Cixi. In order to avoid being killed, he left the political whirlpool on the grounds of illness and hid in Xishan Jietai Temple for ten years. Even if he stayed away from the chaotic officialdom, he was far from thinking of the decline of the country. Therefore, this decade is definitely not a decade in which Prince Gong meditates, reads poems at night, swims leisurely and is refined. On the contrary, the ten years in Jietai Temple is probably a lonely decade, a decade in which he is isolated from the fate of the current situation but still has hope, and a decade in which he has tasted the pain of meeting his relatives. Even if these ten years have occasionally given him short-term seclusion and leisure comfort, it must be based on his melancholy about the Qing Dynasty. Jietai Temple is located at the foot of Ma 'anshan in the west of Beijing. Founded in the Sui Dynasty, it is called "Huiju Temple". There is an altar built by Liao Dynasty in the temple, where Master Fajun of Liao Dynasty set up an altar. The altar of Jietai Temple is known as "the first altar in the world". Because Emperor Qianlong once wrote the poem "Six Rhymes of Jietai Temple", it is commonly known as Jietai Temple. There are five famous pines in Jietai Temple (Wolong Pine, Zizai Pine, Meihua Pine, Jiulong Pine and Baota Pine), all of which are leaning against the wall, proudly like emperors. Wolongsong's famous memorial tablet is easy to write. When he wrote this monument, it was inevitable that he would be touched by the scene at that time and hoped to return to the imperial court. There must have been a struggle during this period: on the one hand, he faced the natural and quiet temple and hoped to seek his own tranquility and purity. He said to himself, "Tan Xin is a symbol of quality, and several temples are fragrant. Yushu is slim and graceful, and there are pieces of silver flowers. Joan, who's with Wu? The moon is the precursor. White as ice and snow, pure fragrance does not touch dust. "On the other hand, it is impossible for him to know nothing about the Qing court, otherwise he would not reappear as an old man when the Sino-Japanese War broke out in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895. Having tasted a great deal of honor and disgrace, you can naturally sigh that "gold and purple cover foreign things, and the article has a reputation throughout the ages." ..... banging on the railing and chasing after it, a dream of spring is unknown. "However, embarrassing and involuntary times often push people to an embarrassing and involuntary situation. It is also the righteous experience and the identity of the initial distribution that makes it difficult for him to care about the fate of the absolute dynasty. It should be emphasized that his identity is always a member of the ruling class. He wrote magnolia so refined that it was split to some extent. There is bitterness in his refinement and helplessness in his arrogance. Third, in the 21st year of Guangxu (1894 August 1), the Sino-Japanese War broke out on the first day of July. From Pyongyang to Weihai, beiyang fleet was losing ground. Emperor Guangxu, who has been in charge of the main battle, asked for the game of Prince Gong, a veteran of the Three Dynasties. Personally, I think Guangxu is a little naive at this time. He probably thought that Yi was still the Prince Gong who had to bear all the responsibilities before being deposed and could compete with the Western Empress Dowager. In fact, 6 1 year-old Yi is no longer competent. He made peace with the Japanese Lord, but he became a shortened name among his ministers. In the following three years, he failed to play any practical role in the Qing court. A cursory glance at "Chronicle of the Qing Dynasty" rarely reveals his words. This is a joke of fate and easy to open, which makes a dying human eye watch the decline of the country, but it can only lead to its own death in helplessness. On April 10th, the 24th year of Guangxu (1898 March 2nd), Prince Gong Yi passed away. Guangxu mourned for him for five days, and Chongqing "Wang Zhongcheng, who knows the opportunity, should take the king as the law." "Prince Gong Zhong". During the 267 years of the rule of the Ten Emperors in Qing Dynasty, many imperial clan kings participated in politics, and the kings who participated in politics won the posthumous title for their previous achievements. Among them, only two people have won "loyalty", namely Prince Dourgen of Zhong Rui and Prince Gong Zhong. The two were at the beginning and end of the anniversary dynasty, and it was very interesting to echo the laughter and loyalty for decades. The night was clear and the mountains and rivers were picked up, and the work was high and the sun and the moon were immortal. Honest and dedicated, willing to establish westernization, build mountains and seas, and achieve brilliant future generations. "This is an elegy to pay tribute to him. Either because they are close friends and live in the last days of mutual appreciation, or because of the need of etiquette, this couplet may be disreputable. Look at Baoqi, a Manchu with a white flag. His family is poor and his ancestors have no official. Eighteen years of Daoguang, Jinshi. In the second year of Xianfeng, he was promoted to a bachelor's degree in cabinet. The following year, he was transferred to the assistant minister of does, and the official was the second product. In the third year of Xianfeng, the Northern Expeditionary Army of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom advanced on Beijing, and the Governor's Office was temporarily located in North Korea. He was appointed as one of the ministers of yamen. So he planned with the military affairs minister at that time and Prince Gong, who presided over the governor's department, and became good friends. This person is honest and frank, so his elegiac couplet is still of reference value. As a prince, prince, king of deliberation and military aircraft, he was in power for 3 1 year. When it's true, the powers are under siege and eyeing up, and the people are constantly rebelling, and smoke is everywhere. The national building of the Qing Empire will collapse, and it is difficult to support one tree. In times of crisis, he was ordered to turn the tide, manipulate the current situation, reverse the crisis and delay the fall of the Qing Dynasty. This was abstracted from the speech by Prince Gong.