Gong Zizhen’s son Gong Banlun led the British and French forces to loot the Old Summer Palace. Later he served as the translator for the British minister, negotiating with Prince Gong on behalf of Britain and creating difficulties in every possible way. Prince Gong said angrily: "You have been favored by the country in this life, but you are willing to work for the tiger and become a traitor!" Gong Banlun said: "We are good people, but our way forward is blocked by you, and we are exploited by corrupt officials and have insufficient food and clothing, so we have to beg for food from foreign countries. Now you call me a traitor, but I think you are a traitor to the country."

The atmosphere of Kyushu relies on wind and thunder, and it is sad that thousands of horses are silent. I urge God to cheer up and send talents of any kind.

The sun is setting in the daytime in the majestic sorrow of separation, and the whip is chanting to the east and pointing to the end of the world. Falling red is not a heartless thing, it turns into spring mud to protect flowers.

These two poems were written by Gong Zizhen, a great poet of the Qing Dynasty. Express your own ideals and ambitions. He cared about the fate of the nation and was very patriotic, which is why he was admired by later generations.

However, such a poet who was admired by the people had a son who was called a traitor by future generations because his son did something that made future generations angry - leading the British and French forces to burn Old Summer Palace.

Gong Zizhen’s son is named Gong Cheng, and he is Gong Zizhen’s eldest son. Gong Cheng named himself "Ban Lun". What does half-lun mean? In traditional Chinese society, people have five types of human relationships: monarch and minister, father and son, brothers, husband and wife, and friends. These are the five ethics. Loyalty, filial piety, brotherhood, tolerance and kindness are the principles of these five ethics.

But Gong Cheng himself is a bohemian. He claims that there are no such five ethics in his world. He only loves one of his concubines. This is half ethics, so he calls himself Gong Banlun.

Gong Banlun had a talent that was definitely a rare resource at the time, and that was good English. Gong Banlun worked in Shanghai with British diplomat William Wade in his early years. Gong Banlun learned English well from him, read many books, and learned both Chinese and Western languages. It can be said that he is an all-rounder of Chinese and Western cultures. When the British and French forces entered Beijing, Gong Banlun also came to Beijing with Weituma.

After the British and French forces arrived in Beijing, the first thing they did was to go to the Old Summer Palace to rescue the 39 hostages previously held by the Qing government. In the end, they found that only 19 were still alive and 20 were dead. Elgin, the commander of the British and French forces, was extremely angry and believed that the Qing government must be taught a lesson. At that time, some people said that the Forbidden City should be burned. Elgin disagreed. Elgin said: Burning the Imperial Palace is equivalent to burning the city of Beijing, and since the Old Summer Palace is where hostages are held, place, then burn the Old Summer Palace.

However, the Old Summer Palace was located in Haidian, which was still a suburb at that time, and the coalition forces did not have navigation, so it was difficult to clear the road. At this time Gong Banlun came out and led the coalition forces to the Old Summer Palace.

Old Summer Palace ruins

There is a description in "The Romance of the Qing Dynasty". It is said that when the Old Summer Palace was in flames, there was a Chinese who directed the arson among the foreigners. The Qing officials saw him and asked him who he was. The man said: "Who doesn't know me, Gong Banlun? Please ask me carefully!"

Prince Yi? stayed in Beijing to negotiate with the British and French forces. Gong Banlun served as a translator in the coalition army. Gong Banlun was very unhappy when he saw the Qing officials and helped Elgin make things difficult for the Qing government. Now Prince Gong Yi? couldn't stand it anymore, and he was so angry that he cursed Gong Banlun and said: Your Gong family has enjoyed the country's gifts for generations, and now you are here as a traitor and an aide.

Gong Banlun did not give in, but retorted and said: We were originally good people, but your way of advancement was blocked by you, and we were exploited and exploited by you corrupt officials. We did not have enough food and clothing. You think I am a traitor. I think I am a traitor. You are a national traitor!

Why would Gong Banlun do such a thing?

The Oil Painting of the Old Summer Palace Burned by the British and French Allied Forces

He had already explained it very clearly in his conversation with Prince Gong. In fact, when the British and French forces burned the Old Summer Palace, Gong Banlun was not the only one who facilitated the British and French burning of the Old Summer Palace. Wang Kangnian, a media person in the Qing Dynasty at that time, had a book called "Remember the Burning and Robbery of the Old Summer Palace by the British and French Allied Forces", which recorded that when the allied forces first entered the Old Summer Palace, they looted it first and did not burn it. However, there are all kinds of people nearby, including some people who are not doing their jobs properly. They think that this is the royal treasure land of Yuanmingyuan, and there must be many treasures. They came one after another, so they gave their ladder frames to the British and French forces, and they all climbed into the wall to grab them together. Later, the allied forces ordered the burning of the Old Summer Palace, but found that there was no fire starter. "The armies had no firearms, only buckets and water pots." It seemed that the fire could not be set off. As a result, many unemployed and famous people took the initiative to hold fire lines and straws. When everything that can be lit comes, help provide fire for the coalition forces. After the coalition forces set the fire, the fire spread.

Just like this, a large royal palace in the Qing Dynasty. After more than 150 years of establishment and operation, the exquisite architectural scenery was burned to ashes by a fire. Almost nothing remains.

Although history has become history, we must remember that only when the motherland is strong enough can it not be bullied.