Lin Zexu’s Image Evolution And Memory Construction

As the typical Confucian scholar of the late Qing Dynasty,Lin Zexu who led Humen prohibition of opium smoking has left a far-reaching impact on the history.When it comes to the evaluation of Lin Zexu in terms of the prohibition of opium,there is no lack of supporters and critics.These views mainly including two orientations:a view that Lin Zexu,who led the prohibition of opium,not only improved the national self-confidence of the Chinese people,but only strengthened the determination of the Chinese people to resist foreign aggression and defend the country.Another view is that Lin Zexu took inappropriate and radical measures at the process of non-smoking,finally causing the British retaliation,which brought a great disaster to our country.While the descendants involving evaluation of Lin Zexu’s showed a polarization trend:the generations based on different political positions are varying.It is worth noting that after Lin Zexu destroyed opium at Humen,his reputation was soaring,just as kindly called"Lin Qingtian".Destroying opium is the watershed of his image changes:not only makes him political prestige greatly increased,but also led to a lot of repercussions.Advocates praised the such handling of opium,with Lin being neither overbearing nor humble,the skeptics think he is too hasty,acting reckless,so that the Qing court under the pressure of the British had the famous Lin Zexu fired,meanwhile Lin sentenced due to the crime,however,this event not only gained the support from the people and the gentry as well as foreigner.Lin Zexu was later recommissioned as imperial minister,died in the crush of peasant uprising in Guangxi.After hearing that the death of Lin the Qing court not only removed its previous charges,but also set up a example of patriotic loyalty.Folkman also began to increase Lin Zexu’s commemoration,since Lin Zexu began to be enlisted into the heroic genealogy.three biographies on his life come out,which has laid a good foundation for brilliant image.And provided the first-hand material for his deeds.Moreover,Lin’s descendants compiled the "Lin Wenzhong Zhengngshu" papers which helped spread Lin Zexu’s story and its ideas in large-scale.In addition,during the Republic of China period Lin Zexu’s image is not static,a considerable number of scholars to pick out its two-point evaluation system.In the historical knowledge of the contemporary people,Lin Zexu’s patriotic motives were unanimously approved,but they began to question Lin’s lack of international knowledge.Just as Jiang Tingfu put forward the famous "two Lin Zexu theory",leading to a lot of critics of scholars,which shows the Republic of China for the evaluation of Lin Zexu is not unbreakable,that is people know Lin Zexu fixed,And under of the CPC’s revolutionary class history view,Lin Zexu also have some characters,whether Fan Wenlan,Hu Sheng’s Lin Zexu’s argument or Chen Xulu comment on Lin Zexu,the relationship with the masses of the people is particularly important,enough to show that in the new era of class revolution narrative profoundly affect the then academic expression and knowledge production,the new era of discussion expressed more vividly than in the past.In addition,"Lin Zexu" memory history is also the focus of the essay.during the late Qing Dynasty,little commemoration activities of Lin Zexu exited,the lack of systematic and comprehensive contents is evident.After the 1920s,through the propaganda of party and inculcation of the intellectuals,the memory of Lin Zexu was re-awakened in 1929,and "Lin Zexu" was gradually extracted from the loyalty’s rhetoric and gradually was placed into the revolutionary discourse,regarded as the historical resources that the modern Chinese intellectuals to seek for national liberation and resistance to foreign aggression.Through several generations of efforts,Lin Zexu’s deed was included in the Chinese nation’s collective memory of the hall.On the evaluation of Lin Zexu,the kind of multi-questioned voice gradually toke the place of a "national hero" narrative.However,becoming a national hero for the generations is not smooth sailing,the Kuomintang,Wang pseudo,Puppet Manchu,the Chinese Communist Party have been,based on different political purposes,enciphered Lin Zexu "national hero" symbol。After the founding of new China,all development on Lin Zexu’s commemoration can be divided into two stages:the first stage is back to The People’s Hero Monument and the film "Lin Zexu" as the representative.In the People’s Hero monument",Lin Zexu,the name,could once discussed to be joined into,but it eventually did not appear as the heroes.In 1959,by virtue of "Lin Zexu" film,regarded as a gift of the National Day and concerned by the parties,Lin Zexu prohibition of opium story in the new era was spread,and added to a lot of political ideology.The second stage is located on the 1980’s when with the gradual relaxation of ideology,not only Lin Zexu’s normal academic research groups has been restored,all kind of Lin Zexu’s commemorative activities are also increasing.During this period Lin’s descendants played an important role in Lin Zexu’s commemoration.for the establishment of Lin Zexu commemorative activities,Lin Zexu Foundation provided a lot of help,and the Fujian provincial government also took the opportunity to expand the publicity of Lin Zexu image,which create a history mark for Fuzhou and Lin being construed as anti-drug ambassador.In short,the new era of Lin Zexu commemoration is formed by the cooperation of the government with the civil forces.