Sheng Xuanhuai And Guangxu 32 (1906) North And South Area Of Yangzi River Flood Relief

Sheng Xuanhuai is a character who quite has the influence in the Chinese modern history. He organizes the Chinese modern times industry to be famous. Mr Xia Dongyuan gave reputation to him,that is :placed extremely times, walked extremely road, made extremely matters,to be a extremely man. simultaneously, he is a social charitable activist. The time what Sheng Xuanhuai was in which the politics corrupted, the economy was depressed, the foreign aggression calamity was serious, the disaster frequently sendded, the society is turbulent. In latter Qing dynasty times,the natural disasters extremely serious, achieved a year number disaster, disaster several years degree. In Guangxu 32, the north and south area of Yangzi River flood was quite serious once. At that time, the state treasury is void, the relief fund from the government was limited, because of years participation and organization of disaster relief campaign, Sheng Xuanhuai was invited by the local govenors to host the folk relief when he was carrying on the commercial treaty negotiations in Shanghai. Sheng Xuanhuai in the Qing dynasty final 10 years, the official rank skyrocketed, he successively awarded the special privilege to submit booklet to the emperor, the Dali Temple vice minister, commercial fairs assitant minister, ministry of public works vice minister and so on, he played an important role in the Qing government system and became the primary assistant in handling with foreign relations. Even Empress Dowager Cixi acknowledged, "Sheng Xuanhuai was an indispensable man". The nature he acted was appropriate to coordinate various aspects relations . In this flood relief process, Sheng Xuanhuai took advantage of his special status and unique influence and raised a large mount of money, to a large extent shared the responsibility and pressure on the Government. To rescue the victims, to ease conflicts and stabilize made an important contribution to society. This article by the study of Sheng Xuanhuai's activities during the flood relief, to rise the academic circles give more attention to Sheng Xuanhuai's activities in the field of social history on the main contents of his disaster relief activities, and give Sheng Xuanhuai a more comprehensive evaluation.This article mainly is divided three parts to carry on the elaboration:The first part: Mainly introduced the relief disaster background which Sheng Xuanhuai was engaged in. The preceding part introduce the flood condition. This flood was once more serious famine in latter Qing dynasty. This famine with disaster area in a big way, the disaster victims multitudinous characteristics. Latter part introduce various social strata responsed to this big flood.The second part: Mainly elaborates Sheng Xuanhuai's relief activities in this big flood relief.This part is the key point of the this article, it introduce how Sheng Xuanhuai took advantage of his special bureaucratic business-people status to raises funds and grains,how he hosted the folk relief, how he coordinated the central government, the imperial inspector, the foreigner,the gentry and merchants which the various aspects related.Sheng Xuanhuai played others couldnot do and couldnot to be substituteded function.The third part: The reliefs disaster achievements. This part mainly from the relief fund which raised by Sheng Xuanhuai and the relief organization he participated. He did a great job in the course of this disaster relief.