"Introduction to Hainan" reveals the secrets of Kang Youwei's life, buying islands in Sweden and traveling to the Arctic

Introduction: After the Sino-Japanese War, Kang Youwei became famous for "writing letters on the bus". On June 19, 1898, Kang Youwei was summoned by Emperor Guangxu and started the reform movement. Just 100 days later, the 1898 reform movement failed. Kang Youwei fled to Japan and began his overseas journey.

Kang Youwei’s Facebook: The Surviving Gourmet

Kang Youwei, formerly known as Kang Zuqi, was born in Danzaosu Village, Nanhai County, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province. Because of his birthplace, he was named Kang Nanhai. Kang Youwei studied Confucian classics since childhood and was influenced by Neo-Confucianism in Song and Ming Dynasties. He came into contact with Western culture in 1879. He read Wei Yuan's "Hai Atlas" and Xu Jishe's "Yinghuan Zhilue" to construct his own world view. After the Sino-Japanese War, Kang Youwei made Chen Weixin famous by "writing on the bus". On June 19, 1898, Kang Youwei was summoned by Emperor Guangxu and started the reform movement. The reform movement of 1898 lasted only 100 days before failing. Kang Youwei fled to Japan and began his overseas journey. In the 16 years from 1898 to 1913, Kang Youwei sailed to the Pacific Ocean four times, the Atlantic Ocean nine times, the Indian Ocean eight times, and paddled in the Arctic Ocean for seven days. During these 16 years, Kang Youwei, as "the divine farmer who has tasted bitter herbs," went to the Pacific Ocean four times, the Atlantic Ocean nine times, the Indian Ocean eight times, and the Arctic Ocean seven times for rowing. He has traveled to England, France, Italy, Japan, the United States and Canada.

When Kang Youwei later recalled this escape experience, he summarized it as the "eleventh escape":

When I first ran a newspaper in Shanghai, Shanghai would be covered up. , will die.

Without the urging of imperial edicts and secret edicts, the emperor would be doomed if he left Beijing late.

Rong Lu will die in Beijing.

Without Huang’s notice, he would have been dead if he left Tianjin.

In Zhong Tao’s words, if you leave Yantai, you will die.

If there are no people from the China Merchants Bureau on your ship, you will be dead if you try to save people.

This is a day without Chongqing wheels, otherwise it will kill you later.

The Eagle Clipper will die from lack of coal.

Unless you go to Jiaozhou, Laiqing Road will die in Yantai.

If the British did not search Shanghai Road, the British consul would die if he did not know. British people will die if they don't save money. Even if these 11 people died, they could not save even one or two, but it was of little help. Curves are amazing? Qu was born, but I was left waiting. China will not perish and its roads will not dry up.

For Kang Youwei, he felt scared after thinking about it, but his real travel life is worth remembering. Kang Youwei's journey around the world is certainly not sightseeing. He compared himself to the "Shen Nong who endured hardships and became immortal" in the preface of "Travels to Eleven European Countries", who traveled around the world "tasting all kinds of herbs" in search of the "miraculous doctor" who could cure China.

During Kang Youwei’s decades of overseas travels, food culture was also one of his important contents. Living in India made him deeply aware of the decline of Indian civilization behind "There is no good food in India" and his yearning for Europe and the United States. And Germany, the best country in Europe and the United States, is the success model he admires. Munich beer tastes great and has become a symbol and symbol of German civilization. However, the food from other countries, although good, only comes from China. The statement that Western food originated in China reflects his yearning for Western material civilization and his attachment to traditional Chinese moral culture.

He frequented luxury hotels, traveled by carriage and automobile, and often hired translators, servants, and cooks. However, Kang Youwei's trip to India was full of complaints. Not only are carriages and horses expensive, but hotel facilities are also outdated. Kang Youwei tried to find local restaurants and restaurants, which worked up an appetite. However, although the streets of the Indian city-state are noisy and the department stores are crowded, "there are no restaurants, only chickens, eggs, and mutton, and the kings and gentlemen cannot cover it." However, the humble people who live in the first place in the city eat a lot of food, So no food. ". The rich people in India's upper class live in seclusion and rarely eat out, and ordinary untouchables cannot enjoy life. Therefore, it is difficult to find traces of food when traveling in India: "Indians don't like to eat, but they have a lot of sweets. "When the country is in crisis, it is a blessing to have enough to eat. How do we talk about food?

In June 1904, Kang Youwei and his party arrived in Germany. He visited Munich, Berlin, Potsdam, Hamburg, Cottbus, We visited big cities such as Cologne and Aachen, visited the beautiful Rhine River, visited the Krupp Arsenal with the highest technical level in Europe and the United States, and visited the Bundestag, which has clear and orderly politics. As you can see, the men are heroic and the women are elegant and polite. Wherever he went, he was filled with cultural relics, magnificent palaces, and prosperity. These were all full of domineering. Kang Youwei couldn't help but admired from the bottom of his heart: "In today's booming European countries, it is best to have military equipment, literature, politics, science and technology, agriculture, etc." Business is the crown. German beer has long been famous around the world, especially Munich beer. Kang Youwei claimed that he would never drink alcohol in his life, but after drinking Munich beer, he drank it every day. After half a month, it’s hard to let go. Later, when he traveled to the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and other places, he felt disappointed when he couldn't see the only large glass of German beer in the hotel. He was still thinking about drinking the beer the cat had hidden. "If you don't drink it, you'll lose your throat." Kang Youwei boasted that he had tasted beers from all over the world. Although he exaggerated, he tasted English whiskey and French wine on more than one occasion.

In addition to the beer the cat hid, it never forgets it. It can be said that the taste of the west is good, with a lot of fish and sheep. While it's not a sweet treat, it comes to the door and is readily accepted. As the saying goes, "Food has no definite taste, but palatability is precious." For example, when he tasted seafood in Stockholm, Sweden, he praised its low price and delicious taste: "There are many foreign substances in fish and shrimp, and some are salty and sour, but the price is cheap , the taste is novel and unique, which has never been seen in Europe. "European gourmet aquariums are mostly for fresh eaters, similar to Japan. Doctors can't help it with hygiene, so they want to use its cold blood to relieve it? "Fresh seafood should be of top quality. Kang Youwei compared this habit with Japan, thinking it is cool and easy to digest. On the other hand, Belgians "like to eat horse meat, cat meat, and dog meat." Specialty stores across Beijing have It is sold, and it is really shocking. Kang Youwei complained that French food is world-famous, but it is very expensive. A meal for three people, steamed double fish, white bamboo shoots, chicken soup. And tea, a bottle of red lime wine costs nearly 100 francs. What impressed him deeply was the Turkish food. "The dishes can be seasoned and minced, which is far better than that of Europeans, French, Spanish and Portuguese." , no matter what other countries do. "The meat is all cut into pieces. Try it first. It's very Chinese." Curry is a must with every meal. Beef, sheep, chicken, duck, and pasta are delicious. This is Kang Youwei's highest evaluation of foreign cuisine, probably because the eating habits of Turks are roughly the same as those of China. A comment in the documentary "China on the Bite of the Tongue" may express Kang Youwei's overseas feelings: "There is always a taste, in its own unique way, three times a day, reminding us with the tip of our tongue that we know where we are going tomorrow, don't Forget where we came from yesterday." At this time, appetite and hometown are unified.

Kang Youwei’s Facebook II: An Exiled Industrialist

After the failure of the Reform Movement of 1898, Kang Youwei went into exile overseas, lived in the most luxurious hotels, ate delicious food, and hired local people as Tour guides and translators take the family with them. Who provides him with travel and living expenses?

In Canada, Kang Youwei is enthusiastically sought after wherever he goes. At this time, he felt that an organization should be established to unite overseas Chinese.

On July 20, 1899, Kang Youwei and overseas Chinese leaders Li Fuzhi, Feng and others founded the Royal Society in Canada. Kang Youwei's daughter Kang Tongbi later recalled that it took a lot of effort to correct the name of the "Royalist Society". At first, they wanted to name the organization "Insurance Chamber of Commerce" because "overseas Chinese are businessmen, and the insurance business is the insurance bridge." But some people said: "Only by protecting the emperor can we protect the country." Therefore, it was named the "Huanghuanghui". The full name of the Royalist Party is "The Company that Protected the Qing Emperor". Since it is called a "company", it means that it is not only a political organization, but also an economic organization. It is clearly stipulated that all participants must pay 2 yuan for publicity, communication, and newspapers and periodicals, and raise funds to open mines and set up industrial and commercial enterprises.

In 1903, Kang Youwei initiated the establishment of a joint-stock company called China Commercial Company, headquartered in Hong Kong, with branches in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Yokohama, San Francisco and other places, and successively opened more than ten companies. . But Kang Youwei himself did not devote himself to specific business operations, but began his three-week trip around the world.

During the Spring Festival of 1906, Kang Youwei visited Mexico and received a grand reception. At the time, Mexico City was raising funds to build streetcars. Although he lived in a foreign land, Kang Youwei still saw the hidden wealth here. He used donations from overseas Chinese to buy real estate where the streetcars passed. Soon, the price of these lands increased several times, and the final investment earned hundreds of thousands of silver dollars. Later, Kang Youwei traveled to Canada, Japan and other places. With the help of overseas Chinese, he used donations to raise funds, did business overseas, engaged in real estate business, and accumulated a certain amount of wealth.

Kang Youwei's Thatched Cottage

Kang Youwei's Facebook III: Director of Private Museum

Kang Youwei traveled around the world and visited local museums everywhere. The spectacular sight of foreign cultural relics made him ashamed: "China is so big and has been named after civilizations for thousands of years, but there is no museum to display the wisdom of the people." Every time Europeans and Americans ask about our country's museums, things are always in the same place, which is embarrassing. Not worse than this. "

Kang Youwei deeply felt the unique role of modern public museums in enlightening people's wisdom. During the "1898 Reform", he included museums as one of the new policies, which was approved by Emperor Guangxu. During his exile, he used experts to He purchased many precious cultural relics with his vision, and then planned to open a museum after returning to China. Therefore, he can be said to be the founder of modern museums in China. "In order to wash away this "great shame", Kang Youwei organized museums to publicly display these cultural relics many times. In his former residence in Qingdao, there are crocodile specimens from Southeast Asia, a model of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, a pencil case in Bethlehem and a white marble statue of a European hunting boy.

Sui Yongqi, deputy director of Qingdao Museum, said: "During his stay in Qingdao, Kang Youwei publicly displayed his domestic and foreign cultural relics collection many times, supplemented by written explanations. For a while, Tian Garden was like a private museum, People come to visit for no reason. It has been Kang Youwei's long-standing dream to build a Chinese museum in China. He believes that once China's rich heritage of thousands of years of civilization is effectively combined with a complete cultural relic protection system, it can be built into the most brilliant museum in the world. museum.

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Kang Youwei’s Facebook No. 4: A Traveler with a Leaky Gutter

In 1904, Kang Youwei also purchased a small island in Sweden and built a Chinese garden on the island Building the "Beihai Thatched Cottage". According to Zhao Liren, a researcher at the Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences, Kang Youwei spent 28,000 crowns to buy it and 7,999 crowns to restore it. "Although the house is not big, it can accommodate about ten people. The furniture and decoration are luxurious and look very wealthy. "So far, the remains of thatched houses have disappeared, and the island has been recovered by the Swedes. However, local overseas Chinese still habitually call this small island "Kang Youwei Island."

In mid-April 1899, Kang Youwei and his party arrived in Victoria, Canada. This ancient country was far away from us. After moving for a while, only a native Chinese came to the dock to greet them. This made Kang Youwei very disappointed. Unexpectedly, this greeting to the overseas Chinese made a phone call. , attracted hundreds of Chinese people at once. It turned out that the local Chinese community knew that Kang Youwei was coming to Canada, but due to poor communication, they did not know when the ship would arrive in Hong Kong. In order not to miss it, they sent a man to die at the port. Overseas Chinese from all over the world welcomed Kang Youwei to the Chinese Association. At this time, thousands of people gathered in the hall. After Kang Youwei was displaced, he was so excited by his compatriots thousands of miles away in Canada. , he described:

When the word Xian spread overseas, Qi people in other countries could not be looked down upon. They looked at Western countries and they were very sad. Therefore, when I heard the news of the reform, I was overjoyed. . When I heard about the coup, I was worried and worried. I was worried that I would have no country to go home to, and I would be homeless.

Late at night on June 22, 1908. At 11 o'clock, Kang Youwei, accompanied by his daughter Kang Tongbi, landed on Naji Island in the Arctic Ocean. At midnight, the sun had set, but suddenly it rose again. Seeing such a spectacle, Kang wrote a poem: "With you." Let’s go to the top of some islands in the Arctic Ocean of Norway and watch the sun rise and set in the middle of the night.” He wrote about the wonders he saw in the preface.

“May 24, 11 o’clock in the middle of the night , rowing to climb the mountain, reaching the top of the mountain at 12 o'clock, waiting for noon. There is a pavilion on the top where you can drink three sides of wine. Depending on the weather, slightly lower than dusk and then rising. Isn't this night? The scene is so magical. "

Through this preface, Professor Gao, a polar expert who has visited the North Pole, believes that Kang Youwei is the first Chinese to explore the North Pole. "Kang Youwei went to the North Pole to see the sun at midnight like noon, which is unique to the polar regions. day phenomenon. The islands Kang Youwei visited are located in the Svalbard Archipelago in the Arctic. Svalbard is located in the Arctic Circle between 74 and 81 degrees north latitude. Kang Youwei wrote a poem in which he lamented, "Looking at the sky to see calamity, looking at the majestic mountains and seas." He also sighed in the poem: "Where are you going with this?" If you don't see it with your own eyes, it would be difficult to describe it. For people in a closed country, it is difficult to vividly describe "the aurora at midnight and the daytime like noon."

In June 1904, Kang Youwei came to London. This is not his first time in London. In May 1899, he lobbied in London, hoping to get British support to overthrow the Empress Dowager Cixi. On June 23, Kang Youwei visited the British Pavilion. This house is located on the banks of the River Thames and is 600 years old. It is rectangular inside, with four long tables on the left and right, and the speaker wearing a wig sits in the middle. Kang Youwei arrived in time, and Congressman Elan made an impassioned statement and asked government officials questions about postal issues. As prime minister, Bacow showed no sign of weakness. He often stood up and defended himself in the face of criticism. This sight opened Kang Youwei's eyes. The next day, Kang Youwei visited the British Secretary of Commerce. During the conversation, Kang Youwei expressed his intention to learn the political systems of Western countries such as Britain and France and carry out political reforms in China. After hearing Kang's words, the Commerce Secretary made a comment that today could still be called insightful. He said: "Each country has its own education, customs and historical traditions, and the politics of other countries cannot be copied. Our British political system was formed through thousands of years of natural accumulation and can never be imitated. Different diseases, one Prescriptions cannot cure all diseases." Kang Youwei benefited a lot from this. He said emotionally in his travel notes, "Those who want to flatter Europe and the United States in today's reforms must think of this."

In 1904, he came to Naples, Italy. Bypassing the big hotels and train stations in Naples, Kang Youwei saw dirty, muddy roads and low-rise slums. Horse dung piled up on the turf, and naked women begged along the street. Dozens of begging children followed the car to beg. They chased for more than a mile until the driver cracked his whip at them. He once said emotionally:

People who have never been to Europe think that if their land is a beautiful place, if they live forever and are talented, I am sure it is dirty. If it's dirty, it's cheating and stealing! Therefore, seeing is believing. I tried to travel to Europe, America and England, but I realized that what I saw was far from the wandering dream I had when I was studying, and I was disappointed.