A foreigner has been in charge of China Customs for 46 years. Why was he hunted after his death?

On the morning of April 30th, thousands of envoys from more than a dozen western countries, courtiers from various ministries of the Qing court, celebrities, comprador and people from all walks of life gathered at Beijing Railway Station to pay tribute to their friends? Hurd, General Administration of Customs and Taxation, saw me off. The band repeatedly played the national anthems of various countries, and the atmosphere was heavy and sad. Hurd said goodbye to the people who saw him off in the music of Auld Lang Syne, and his gray eyes were full of depression.

Who is Hurd? He was an Englishman who ruled China Customs for 46 years during the turbulent Qing Dynasty. In middle school textbooks, Hurd was denounced as a representative of the British invaders and an out-and-out traitor. But when the bad guy left China, why did so many people from China go to see him off? Are all traitors?

The real situation may not be that simple. Hurd can make so many dignitaries in the Qing court reluctant to part because he has done a lot of good things for China. Customs became the earliest modern institution in China.

Hurd 1835 was born in Northern Ireland, England. 15 was admitted to the famous Belfast College. 1854 in the early spring, the British foreign office recruited staff for the consulate in China. Hurd, who is studying for a master's degree, resolutely gave up his degree and applied to China.

When he first arrived in China, he was just an insignificant temporary translator, but he was soon promoted to assistant translator and later served as the second assistant of Guangzhou Consulate. He speaks fluent Chinese, self-made, calm and smooth, and is familiar with China officialdom etiquette and scholar-bureaucrat habits. He often made positive suggestions on taxation, westernization and diplomacy, so he won the praise of Prince Gong and other court officials.

The year before Hurd came to China, that is, 1853, a knife uprising took place in Shanghai. Britain, the United States and France controlled China Customs on this ground, and since then, the General Administration of Customs and Taxation of the Qing government has been controlled by the British. Horatia Nelson Lay, the first director of the General Administration of Customs and Taxation, was arrogant and didn't respect China's rights and interests, and was quickly dismissed by the Qing government. Hurd, who was only 28 years old, succeeded the General Taxation Department of China Customs in the Qing Dynasty, and stayed in this position for 48 years.

Although the old customs system in Qing Dynasty was independent, it was backward and incompetent, and was notorious for fraud, bribery and bad rules. Before the Opium War, the annual tax revenue of the customs was only 6.5438+0.5 million yuan, which was insignificant compared with the agricultural tax, the main income of the Qing government at that time.

After Hurd took office, he adopted the advanced administrative system in the west and exercised vertical unified leadership over the national customs. From the declaration, inspection, tax assessment, audit, tax collection, payment and customs clearance of ship goods, there are institutional guarantees to prevent fraud. Every recruit must pass the exam. Even with Hurd's introduction, it is no exception. Those who commit corruption and fraud will be dismissed immediately. At the same time, it also implements high salary and honesty, so that everyone can work with peace of mind and hard work. The customs of the Qing dynasty soon took on a new look.

The decline of customs sovereignty is a shameful record of a sovereign country. Ironically, in the sluggish and corrupt administrative system in the late Qing Dynasty, the customs managed by Hurd was the most efficient and clean institution, and there was little fraud for decades. This institution and system was completely inherited by successive governments in China, and it has been running until 1949.

Hurd once warned his subordinates: we must remember it unequivocally and often; The Customs and Taxation Bureau is a China institution, not a foreign institution? , all members are? Servant of the China government? . For this purpose, the customs collected a large amount of taxes for the Qing government.

1860 After the Second Opium War, the Qing government was forced to compensate Britain and France16 million taels of silver, which was paid by the customs and paid off in full after six years. During the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom War, the Customs also provided huge financial support to the imperial court. The Qing government appreciated this very much.

1875, the customs tax revenue reached120,000 Liang, 1885 increased to14.5 million Liang, 1902 reached 30 million Liang, accounting for about13 of the total fiscal revenue. The humble customs has become the most important, stable and reliable financial source of the empire in less than 20 years.

Hurd and China Modernization

Hurd lived in an era when traditional China gradually began to modernize. For the weak Qing government, westernization and western learning are all empty talk without money. The customs under Hurd provided very valuable funds at this time. At that time, there were nine fortresses, including Jiangnan General Manufacturing Bureau, Jinling Machinery Manufacturing Bureau, Fuzhou Ship Administration Bureau and Ship Administration School, Tianjin Machine Bureau, Tianjin Military Equipment School, and the Yangtze River estuary to Xiaguan, Nanjing. Later, foreign exchange programs such as children studying in the United States and students from Fujian and Guangzhou studying in Europe were all funded by the Customs.

And Hurd directly participated in the Westernization Movement in China. 1865, he presented a book entitled? Watching? The report puts forward a series of reform suggestions, except for the constitutional monarchy, which covers almost all the changes in the Westernization Movement and the Reform Movement of 1898. This report broke the situation that Westernization was covered up in the Qing government, and attracted the highest attention of the Qing court. It was ordered to be discussed by government officials, which played a key role in promoting the beginning of the Westernization Movement.

Hurd once had a mantra: Do as much good as possible for China? . Under Hurd's management, the Customs has become an extremely important institution with a surprisingly wide scope, in charge of maritime affairs, port, quarantine, water diversion, meteorology and other affairs, and even handled patents, copyrights, trademark registration and other matters.

1868 the customs was ordered to open the wentong museum. Besides studying English, French and Russian, students also study astronomy, law, geography, arithmetic and other natural sciences. Hurd participated in the management of Wentong Museum, personally asked about the teaching quality and treatment, and recruited natural science teachers in Europe. It is the first university in China to introduce western science, technology and scholarship. Since its establishment more than 30 years ago, Wentong Museum has trained the first batch of talents in western language translation and cultural exchange between China and foreign countries. From 65438 to 0902, it was merged into the first modern university in China? Shi Jing University Auditorium.

1866, the Qing government entrusted the customs with the mail delivery task of embassies in China. The customs introduced advanced postal operation system from abroad, which not only ensured the fast and safe delivery of mail, but also networked with foreign countries to send mail to all parts of the world. China's first set of stamps? Dragon stamp? It was born in the customs. Before Hurd returned to China in April, 1908, there were 44 post offices in China, including branches and agencies, totaling 2,803. Postal mileage, postal route and route 20 Wan Li. After 19 1 1 year, China Post was independent of the customs.

1868, the customs established a maritime department, started the basic construction of maritime facilities and customs weather stations, surveyed and dredged navigation channels, drew navigation charts, formulated navigation laws and regulations, and built navigation AIDS such as lighthouses. Also responsible for port planning and management, navigation meteorological support and other tasks. At the same time, there are quarantine stations in the port to monitor the epidemic situation. After careful management by the customs, the maritime level of some coastal ports in China has reached a fairly high level. Before the Japanese invasion, many of the most modern lighthouses and radio signal lights along the coast of China were recognized as world-class.

1874, Li Hongzhang proposed to allocate 4 million taels of customs revenue every year as coastal defense funds to build the Beiyang Navy. As a middleman, Hurd helped the Qing court buy eight warships, which became the origin of Beiyang Navy. Hurd also recruited a British naval officer, Lang Weili, for Li Hongzhang as the chief inspector of Beiyang Navy, responsible for the crew on the training ship. After the tense situation in Xinjiang, the Qing government used the money to pay Zuo's military expenses in the northwest.

Our Hurd?

An institution specialized in foreign affairs and trade affairs in the Qing Dynasty? The Prime Minister's yamen 186 1 was just established and lacked experience. From negotiating treaties to resolving territorial disputes, people often listen to Hurd's opinions and ask for his help. The first diplomatic mission in modern China was in Hurd? Start? And then what? Initiative? The establishment of diplomatic envoys abroad is also the result of Hurd's promotion. There are more than 10 unequal treaties between China and foreign countries planned by him openly or behind the scenes. Although Hurd was an Englishman, he always tried his best to protect China's interests and help the Qing government resist foreign unreasonable demands. Prince Gong therefore affectionately called him? Our Hurd? .

1868 Sino-British negotiations on amending the Tianjin Treaty. As a representative of the Qing government, Hurd attended the talks, helped the Qing government explain China's difficulties, and persuaded the British side to make concessions on some issues. Alec, the British ambassador to China, told Hurd privately that he didn't like the newly revised treaty because of it? Too protective of China? . British businessmen also strongly oppose the newly revised treaty, thinking that it is not as good as the original treaty. As a result, the British government had to refuse to ratify the revised treaty under the pressure of public opinion from British businessmen. At that time, the British media said that Hurd was on China policy? Bound the hands and feet of the British government for a whole generation? .

1885 during the sino-French war, the French navy attacked keelung and Fuzhou. Hurd strongly condemns you. China declared a truce after partial victory. Hurd actively mediated to prevent France from provoking a new and bigger war and promote Sino-French negotiations. During the negotiation, France made crazy demands for business and compensation, but under the mediation of Hurd, France finally gave up compensation.

After the Boxer Rebellion broke out, although Hurd was besieged by the Boxer Rebellion in the embassy for eight weeks, his house and things were set on fire, which caused great personal losses, but he still openly sympathized with China. He commented on the Boxer Movement? Is it a pure patriotic volunteer movement? . Hurd was indignant at Eight-Nation Alliance's frenzied slaughter and brutal plunder. His remarks caused a great sensation in the west and were severely criticized by the times.

1900 In mid-August, Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing, and Empress Dowager Guangxu fled in a panic. The Qing government was driven out of its wits and hoped that Hurd would come out to mediate. At that time, there was a great controversy among the aggressors about how to deal with China. Some invaders claim? Divided? China, others argue? Change the dynasty? . In either case, China is in danger of being completely colonized or even extinct. Hurd tried to dissuade all countries and saved the Qing Dynasty. During the negotiation, Hurd persuaded the great powers to pay compensation? Accept the compensation that China is willing to bear? 、? Safeguard the administrative integrity and territorial integrity of China? , make every effort to try to make China less reparations, less loss. During the Sino-British negotiations, he also suggested that Britain should give up its extraterritorial jurisdiction after China rectified and improved its legal system. Most of his opinions on compensation and its guarantee methods were adopted and written into the Xin Chou Treaty.

Who the hell is Hurd?

Hurd is a very special figure in the modern history of China. Never before has a foreigner exerted such a comprehensive and profound influence on China's customs, diplomacy, politics, economy, culture and education as Hurd did. The Qing government praised Hurd and awarded it successively. Provincial judge? 、? Chief secretary? 、? Prince Shao Bao? Title; There are rewards? Hualing Shuanglong second-class first treasure star? 、? Three generations and one product seal? Are you still chasing after death? Prince Taibao? . This kind of kindness to foreigners is unique.

It is true that in many cases, he is partial to his native Britain, but we can't simply classify him as a colonial robber because of his British identity. He was not appointed by Britain, but hired by China; His words and deeds are not for seeking British colonial interests. Some people say that Su Qin and Zhang Yi, who made great achievements outside their home countries during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, should be called the Qing Dynasty? Guest Qing? . What he did for modern China should not be forgotten.

1908, 73-year-old Hurd asked for leave to go home. Having lived in China for 54 years, it seems difficult to tell whether he is from China or England. On September 20th, Hurd died in Buckinghamshire, England. In another 20 days, the Revolution of 1911 broke out in Wuchang. The 77-year-old Hurd finally didn't realize the demise of the empire he had served for half a century, which may be the last reward from God.