Phony Reformer (eBook)

Luke S. K. Kwong is professor emeritus of history at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. His books include A Mosaic of the Hundred Days: Personalities, Politics, and Ideas of 1898 and T’an Ssu-t’ung, 1865–1898: Life and Thought of a Reformer.

Notes on the TranslationAn anti-missionary case funnels public funds into private pockets;Old-school folks break down prejudices to go after new measures.Promotions up official ranks and making riches are words of sound advice;Patronage and gift-giving are shortcuts to success for which people scramble.The job of machine procurement comes as a reward for the cash contribution;In the name of civilization is the effort made to join the Natural Feet Society.Mockery is what motivates the effort to study the English primer;The social circle broadens to lead to making friends with Wilkes.The hunt for the Wealth Voucher rebels leads to a good friend’s death; The investigation into local mining rights gives rise to covetous thought.Mining shares are peddled on Fuzhou Road to attract investors;A company is set up in Guangxin prefecture to produce camphor.New rules are drafted to forestall school education’s harmful effects;Preemptive action is the key to success in handling foreign relations.An old friend’s cooperation helps resolve a Sino-foreign dispute;A police surcharge is enforced in the name of policy innovation.An old flame cannot reignite as the nestled bird is scared away;The heartache lingers as the male fox sets out to look for a mate.A superior’s favor incurs add-on duties at the correctional center;In search of marital bliss, a letter is sent with a marriage proposal.The dress-up embrace of Great Universality dazzles every eye;Vengeance over a private feud goes public in the newspapers.Harsh words in heated argument cause affection and fortune to vanish;Endurance through hardship yields fruits of fame and riches in the end.Commendation for the intendant status fulfills a long-standing career desire;Supervision of school affairs calls for implementation of authoritarian rules.Deft skills in making money are applied to maximize mining profits;Army duties become a concurrent job when no other deputy is found.Grandees play favorites with those who beseech their patronage;Colleagues throw a banquet to celebrate his transfer and promotion.Once the mask is stripped away, the tracks of the past are fully revealed; In a lyrical poem, warm-hearted but trite, the point of the tale is unveiled.Bibliography