The Role Change On The Transformation In The Late Qing Dynasty-Research On Liu Ruifen

Liu Ruifen(1827—1892),whose courtesy name was Zhitian, was born in Guichi ofAnhui province, who successively held the posts of salt controller of Lianghuai, Shanghaitaotai, surveillance commissioner of Jiangxi province, provincial administrationcommissioner, nursing governor of Jiangxi province, ambassador to Britain and othercountries, and governor of Guangdong province. The period which Liu Ruifen lived wasspecial time when China was on the way from a traditional society into a modern society,facing with the crisis inside and outside in the Late Qing Dynasty. After Liu Ruifen gave uptaking Imperial Examination, he turned to pragmatic. Following Li Hung-chang in pursuit, hebegan to come upon the political arena after joining the Huai army. With due diligence, LiuReifen not only did well in political achievement when he was local official, but also did agood job when he was ambassador to various countries. During the time he was overseas, notonly Western civilization he paid attention to actively, but the sovereignty of China he did hisutmost to defend in diplomacy. And he also tried his best to make China rich and strong byhelping to promote domestic westernization movement, establish modernity enterprises, andconstruct Chinese modern navy. To make the goal achieve, he was always giving the lastmeasure of devotion. Combining with the background of the age that Liu Reifen lived, themain activities and the ideological transition throughout his life will be discussedcomprehensively and systematically. This paper will give the evaluation of his historicalstatus objectively.