咸丰君臣对“远人”的认知分歧及其影响

咸丰皇帝执政期间,一批与洋人直接交涉的大臣逐步意识到英法美等国对中国只有扩大通商和文化传播愿望,并无领土要求,中国应与之谈判让步以减少损失.一些远离海疆的强硬派大臣则认定夷情叵测,须拒绝其一切要求,以武力解决争端.咸丰本人持论与强硬派大臣相近,但力主尽量维持抚局,避免战争.然而他每次谈判均自设一个无实力保障的底线,以致谈判不决,最终造成更大损失.

The Different Understanding of the "Men from Afar" between Emperor Xianfeng and His Ministers and Its Influence

During Emperor Xianfeng's administration,some of his ministers who directly negotiated with the foreigners gradually recognized that the powers such as the Great Britain,the United States,and France just had the wish to enlarge trade and spread their culture,but had no land request.China should negotiate with them to reduce heavy loss.Some other hard-line ministers who were far away from the frontiers thought that the foreigners were unfathomable,and that the foreigners' request must be turned down,and they...