Sheng Xuanhuai (盛宣懷)

Overview

Sheng Xuanhuai was an official and Diplomat.

Other names

Type	English	Chinese	Pinyin
Courtesy name	Xingsun	杏蓀	Xingsun

Life and dates

Death

AD 1916 後五年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 78-79

Attested activity

AD 1911 三年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 67-68
AD 1899 二十五年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 278
AD 1902 二十八年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 159
AD 1900 二十六年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passages 251, 255; Draft History of Qing 471, passage 35
AD 1898 二十四年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 28
AD 1877 光緒三年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 150, passages 54, 56

Show 23 more source-backed claims

AD 1896 光緒二十二年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 139, passages 211, 214
AD 1900 光緒二十六年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passages 265-266
AD 1879 光緒五年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 6
AD 1879 光緒五年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 6-7
AD 1880 光緒六年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 150, passage 63
AD 1882 八年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 10-11
AD 1886 十二年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 16
AD 1892 十八年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 23
AD 1884 十年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 12
AD 1872 同治十一年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 150, passage 49
AD 1860 to AD 1861 咸豐季葉
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 81
AD 1911 宣統三年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 435, passage 176
AD 1909 宣統改元
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 55
AD 1916 後五年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 78-79
AD 1907 後四年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 45, 48
AD 1900 拳亂
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 472, passage 224
AD 1880 明年
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 151, passages 8, 11
AD 1900 明年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 151, passages 142-143
AD 1901 明年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 35, 39
AD 1884 明詔與法宣戰
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 442, passage 199
AD 1903 越二年
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 39, 45
AD 1881 逾年
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 29
AD 1910 逾歲
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 55-56

Key source chapters

Career and standing

acting Tianjin daotai 署天津道
AD 1879 光緒五年 · Acting
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 6
acting Tianjin customs daotai 署天津海關道
AD 1884 十年 · Acting
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 12
assistant director of the Imperial Clan Court 宗人府府丞
AD 1900 二十六年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 35, 38
intendant of the Deng-Lai-Qing circuit in Shandong 山東登萊青道
AD 1886 十二年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 16
superintendent of the Railway Company 督辦鐵路總公司
AD 1892 十八年 · Appointed
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 23, 25
vice minister of the Ministry of Posts and Communications 郵傳部右侍郎
AD 1907 後四年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 48, 52

Show 24 more source-backed claims

minister for commercial tax affairs 辦理商稅事務大臣
AD 1901 明年 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 35, 39
president of the Red Cross Society 紅十字會會長
AD 1910 逾歲 · Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 55-56
secretary 主事
Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 2
vice minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices 太常寺少卿
Appointed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 26
confirmed in substantive post 除眞
AD 1892 十八年 · Confirmed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 23
Circuit Intendant 道員
AD 1872 同治十一年 · Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 150, passage 49
Minister of Posts 郵傳部尚書
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 435, passage 176
telegraph administrator 電局
Held
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 151, passages 278, 295
telegraph and steamship bureau supervisor 綜司輪、電兩局
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 158
telegraph bureau supervisor 電局
Held
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 255
Tianjin intendant 天津道
Held
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 8
fourth-rank capital official 四品京堂
AD 1892 十八年 · Promoted
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 23, 25
circuit intendant 道員
Promoted
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 2
minister (Shangshu) of Posts 尚書
Promoted
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 59
relieved of post (requested) 自請解職
Resignation requested
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 32
restored to Ministry of Posts post 還郵部本官
AD 1910 逾歲 · Restored
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 56, 58
prefect of Zhili Subprefecture 直隸州知州
Transferred
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 2
junior guardian of the heir apparent 太子少保
AD 1900 二十六年 · Bestowed
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 35, 38
Restored
AD 1884 十年 · Retained in office
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 12, 15
Accused of deception
AD 1880 光緒六年 · Accused · Authority Liu Kunyi (劉坤一)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 150, passage 64
Demoted and transferred
AD 1884 十年 · Demotion
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 12, 14
Forbidden
AD 1903 越二年 · Barred from interference
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 45-46
Rebuked
AD 1898 二十四年 · Rebuke
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 28, 30
Stripped of office
AD 1911 三年 · Dismissal
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 68, 78

Places and affiliations

Qing 清
Relation Served
Strongly inferred · Draft History of Qing 139, passage 214; Draft History of Qing 150, passage 49
Qing 清
Relation Served
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 435, passage 176; Draft History of Qing 471, passages 2, 6
Polity Qing 清 · Relation Served
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passages 8, 143, 255, 278; Draft History of Qing 442, passage 199
At Wujin, Jiangsu 江蘇武進
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 1

Learning and skills

Held
Credential licentiate 諸生
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 2
Skill water conservancy 水利 · Level effective
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 82

Works and attributed material

draft peace treaty with France 所擬和約
AD 1884 明詔與法宣戰 · Relation Drafter
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 442, passage 199
Abolished railway company
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 47
AD 1911 三年
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 68, 71-72
AD 1900 二十六年
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 35, 37
AD 1898 二十四年
Proposal · Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 28-29
AD 1909 宣統改元
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 55

Show 9 more source-backed claims

AD 1907 後四年
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 48-51
AD 1901 明年
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 39-41
Memorial · Author · With Xu Tong (徐桐)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 33-34
Memorial · Author · With Brière (帛黎)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 435, passage 176
Memorial · Author
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passages 144-156, 278-296; Draft History of Qing 471, passages 26, 59, 61-67
Proposal · Author · Summary abolish Green Standard and braves; raise 300000 new troops
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 139, passages 214-215
Speech · Speaker · With Li Hongzhang (李鴻章)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passages 8-9
Speech · Speaker · With Yuan Shikai (袁世凱)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passages 159-160
Speech · Speaker · Direct quotation
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 18-20

Events and relationships

Assisted founding
Administrative · Deputy director · Organization China Merchants Company 招商局
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 150, passage 49
Bought Dagu Shanghai cable project from foreign companies
AD 1900 光緒二十六年 · Commercial · Purchaser
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 266
Built telegraph lines
AD 1884 十年 · Military support · Builder · At Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Guangdong 蘇、浙、閩、粵
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 12-14
Tianjin–Shanghai land telegraph line 津滬陸綫
AD 1879 光緒五年 · Infrastructure · Founder · Built
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 6, 8
Covered deficits
AD 1892 十八年 · Industrial · Manager · Organization Hanyang Ironworks 漢冶鐵廠
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 23-24
Debated
Diplomatic · Negotiator · With Mei Huili (梅輝立) · At Shanghai–Wusong railway 滬淞鐵軌
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 4-5

Show 32 more source-backed claims

Defended telegraph bureau against critics
Political · Memorialist
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passages 143-144, 157
railway and telegraph affairs 鐵路、電報事
AD 1879 光緒五年 · Administrative · Superintendent · Entrusted with
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 6-7
Established
AD 1901 明年 · Administrative · Founder · Organization General Mining Survey Company 勘礦總公司
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 39, 44
Famine relief
AD 1860 to AD 1861 咸豐季葉 · Relief · Organizer
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 81
Founded
AD 1879 光緒五年 · Education · Founder · Organization telegraph school 電報學堂
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 6, 8
Founded
AD 1892 十八年 · Industrial · Organizer · Organization Huasheng General Mill 華盛總廠
Dated from the passage context · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 23-24
Helped establish
Administrative · Organizer · Organization China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company 輪船招商局
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 3
Joined Swiss Red Cross
AD 1904 to AD 1905 日俄戰爭 · Organizational · Founder · Organization Red Cross Society 紅十字會
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 57
Negotiated tariff for likin
AD 1901 明年 · Diplomatic · Negotiator
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 39, 42
Negotiated tariffs
Diplomatic · Negotiator
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 32
Opened mines
Industrial · Developer · At Hubei 湖北
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 3
Placed in charge of completed telegraph project
AD 1881 逾年 · Administrative · Director
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 29
Proposed Chinese merchant telephone service
AD 1899 二十五年 · Political · Memorialist
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passages 278, 297
Proposed cutting old forces and raising new army
Political · Proposer
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 139, passages 214-215
Southeastern Protection accord 東南保護約款
AD 1900 二十六年 · Diplomatic · Initiator · Proposed mutual protection
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 35-36
Railway nationalization
AD 1911 三年 · Policy · Advocate
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 67-68
Requested repair of destroyed lines
Political · Petitioner
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 256
Secretly purchased foreign cable equipment
AD 1900 二十六年 · Commercial · Negotiator
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 255
Sent to Shanghai for commercial treaties
AD 1907 後四年 · Diplomatic · Negotiator
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 48, 54
Signed loan
AD 1911 三年 · Diplomatic · Signatory
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passages 68-69
Stopped merchants selling shares to foreigners
Commercial · Intervenor
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 165
Urged purchase
AD 1877 光緒三年 · Commercial · Advocate · Organization Russell & Company fleet 旗昌船艦
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 150, passage 54
Relation Recommended by · Person Zhang Zhidong (張之洞)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 25
Relation Subordinate advisor of · Person Li Hongzhang (李鴻章)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 8
Relation Trusted by · Person Li Hongzhang (李鴻章)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 3
Relation Collaborated with · Person Lü Haihuan (呂海寰)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 57
Relation Recruited · Person Xu Run (徐潤)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 150, passage 50
Relation Colleague of · Person Yuan Shikai (袁世凱)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 151, passage 159
Relation Petitioned · Person Shen Baozhen (沈葆楨)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 150, passage 56
Relation Recommended by · Person Wang Wenshao (王文韶)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 25
Relation Recruited · Person Tang Tingshu (唐廷樞)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 150, passage 50
Relation Superseded by · Person Tang Shaoyi (唐紹儀)
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 46

Assessments and attributes

Assessment chief culprit for railway nationalization policy · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 117
Assessment often accused of grasping profit · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 83
Assessment resourceful and skilled at famine relief · Mode historian-judgment
Directly stated · Draft History of Qing 471, passage 80

References in the histories

Search passages

History

47 passages

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 139Volume 139 Treatises 114: Military 10, Training · 1 passage

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是年，盛宣懷建議，全國綠營兵歲餉千餘萬，練勇歲餉亦千餘萬，凡八十餘萬人，徒耗財力，無裨實用，宜悉行裁撤。 That year Sheng Xuanhuai urged abolishing over eight hundred thousand Green Standard and drilled-brave troops costing more than twenty million taels a year with little return.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 150Volume 150 Treatises 125: Transportation 2, Lun Chuan · 6 passages

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是年冬，招商局成立，以知府硃其昂主其事，道員盛宣懷佐之。 That winter the company was formally established, with Prefect Zhu Qi'ang in charge and Circuit Intendant Sheng Xuanhuai as his deputy.

其昂以道員胡光墉、李振玉等招徠商股，入貲者極為踴躍，宣懷亦援粵人唐廷樞、徐潤董局事。 Zhu enlisted Circuit Intendant Hu Guangyong, Li Zhenyu, and others to solicit merchant investment, which met an enthusiastic response; Sheng brought in the Cantonese merchants Tang Tingshu and Xu Run to manage company affairs.

初擬購旗昌輪船，宣懷持之最力，需銀二百數十萬兩。 Sheng Xuanhuai had been the strongest advocate of buying the Russell fleet, which would cost more than two million taels.

宣懷以國防大計、江海利源之說，力陳於江督沈葆楨。 Sheng pressed the case on Governor-General Shen Baozhen of Jiangsu with arguments about national defense and control of river and sea commerce.

六年，祭酒王先謙請整頓招商局務，語涉宣懷。 In 1880 Libationer Wang Xianqian memorialized for a thorough overhaul of the company's affairs, with remarks aimed at Sheng Xuanhuai.

疏下江督劉坤一，言宣懷於購旗昌輪船時，聲言有商款百餘萬，實無所有，有意欺謾，冀獲酬金，請奪宣懷職。 The memorial was sent to Governor-General Liu Kunyi of Jiangsu, who charged that Sheng had claimed more than a million taels in merchant funds when buying the Russell fleet when none existed—a deliberate deception aimed at securing a commission—and asked that Sheng be dismissed.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 151Volume 151 Treatises 126: Transportation 3, Dian Bao · 10 passages

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天津道盛宣懷言於鴻章：「宜仿輪船招商之例，醵集商股，速設津滬陸線，以通南北兩洋之郵，遏外線潛侵之患； Sheng Xuanhuai, intendant of Tianjin, told Li Hongzhang: "We should follow the China Merchants Steam Navigation model, raise capital from merchants, and quickly build a land line between Tianjin and Shanghai to link the northern and southern coasts and forestall foreign lines creeping inland;

逾年，工竣，以宣懷董其事。 A year later the project was finished, with Sheng Xuanhuai placed in charge.

詔飭宣懷按年冊報收支款目，官電應免收費。 An edict ordered Sheng Xuanhuai to submit annual accounts of income and expenditures, and mandated that official telegrams be sent free of charge.

宣懷上疏，略言：「電局本系集華商合眾之力，以與洋商爭衡，旁觀每驚為大利所叢，其實析分千百股商，仍皆寸寸銖銖之微利。 Sheng Xuanhuai submitted a memorial arguing: "The telegraph bureau was founded to pool Chinese merchant capital against foreign competition. Outsiders marvel at its profits, but divided among thousands of shareholders, each earns only modest returns.

宣懷時綜司輪、電兩局，疊被指摘。 Sheng Xuanhuai, then overseeing both the steam navigation and telegraph bureaus, faced repeated criticism.

宣懷力遏之，乃已。 Sheng Xuanhuai forcefully stopped them, and the crisis passed.

宣懷密行作價，購其機器料物，屬於中國商局，其謀竟不得逞。 Sheng Xuanhuai secretly negotiated to purchase their equipment for the Chinese merchant bureau, and their scheme failed.

宣懷尋請修復已毀各線。 Sheng Xuanhuai soon petitioned to repair all destroyed lines.

宣懷以其侵我主權，密向承辦之大東、大北公司購歸商局辦理。 Sheng Xuanhuai, seeing this as an infringement on sovereignty, secretly purchased the project from the Eastern Extension and Great Northern companies for the merchant bureau.

二十五年，宣懷疏言：「德律風創自歐、美。 In 1899, Sheng Xuanhuai memorialized: "The telephone was invented in Europe and America.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 435Volume 435 Biographies 222: Hua Er, Lei Bo Lei Dong, Fa Er Di Fu, Ge Deng, Ri Yi Ge, De Ke Bei, He De, Bo Li · 1 passage

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宣統三年，改隸郵傳部，設總局，尚書盛宣懷疏薦之，遂被命為總辦，郵局置官自此始。 In 1911 the service passed to the Ministry of Posts; Minister Sheng Xuanhuai recommended Brière as director general, and the post office first received a formal Chinese bureaucracy.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 442Volume 442 Biographies 229: Xu Shuming, Xue Yunsheng, Zong Shiyanxu, Zi, Hui Zhang, Wang Mingluan, Zhang Lin, Zhou Jiamei, Zhou Derun, Hu Yufen, Zhang Yinhuan · 1 passage

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及明詔與法宣戰，德潤遵旨覆陳台、越戰計，力駁德璀琳、盛宣懷所擬和約，條列救台复越六策，力主先戰後和。 When war on France was declared, Derun followed orders, refuted Detring and Sheng Xuanhuai's draft treaties, listed six measures to save Taiwan and recover Vietnam, and urged war before peace.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 471Volume 471 Biographies 258: Sheng Xuanhuai, Rui Cheng · 27 passages

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盛宣懷，字杏蓀，江蘇武進人。 Sheng Xuanhuai, whose style name was Xingsun, came from Wujin in Jiangsu.

宣懷與英官梅輝立折辯，償銀二十八萬有奇，始歸於我。 Xuanhuai argued the case with the British official Mei Huili, paid compensation of more than 280,000 taels, and only then did the line come back under Chinese control.

時鴻章督畿輔，方嚮新政，以鐵路、電報事專屬宣懷。 Li Hongzhang was then supervising Zhili and pushing new policies; he entrusted railway and telegraph affairs entirely to Xuanhuai.

宣懷以英、丹所設水陸綫漸侵內地，迺集貲設津滬陸綫，建電報學堂，並援萬國公例與爭，始克嚴定條款。 Seeing British and Danish land and submarine lines gradually pressing inland, he raised capital for a Tianjin–Shanghai land line, founded a telegraph school, and invoked international law in dispute—only then were the terms firmly fixed.

宣懷復勸集華商自設緣海各口陸綫，以絕覬覦。 Xuanhuai again urged Chinese merchants to fund land lines at coastal ports, so as to forestall foreign encroachment.

宣懷曰：「今琿春、海蘭泡欲接俄綫，俄方有挾求。 Xuanhuai said: "Hunchun and Hailanpao now seek to link with Russian lines, and Russia will use that as leverage.

滬上織布局廠災，宣懷籌設華盛總廠，復任彌漢冶鐵廠虧耗。 After fire destroyed the Shanghai weaving mill, Xuanhuai organized the Huasheng General Mill and again shouldered the Hanyang Ironworks' deficits.

宣懷建議貸美款歸自辦，具改歸商辦本末以上； Xuanhuai proposed an American loan to bring the line back under Chinese management and submitted a full account of reverting it to merchant operation;

宣懷具報曲折，上乃慰而勉之。 Xuanhuai reported the full circumstances; the throne consoled him and urged him on.

宣懷自請解職，仍留京會議洋貨稅則。 Xuanhuai asked to be relieved of his post but stayed in the capital to negotiate foreign-goods tariffs.

宣懷具以實對，奏上，被溫旨。 Xuanhuai answered with the full facts; when his report reached the throne he received a warm edict in reply.

宣懷倡互保議，電粵、江、鄂、閩諸疆吏，獲同意，遂與各領事訂定辦法九條，世所稱東南保護約款是也。 Xuanhuai proposed mutual protection, telegraphed the governors of Guangdong, the lower Yangzi, Huguang, and Fujian, won their assent, and with the consuls fixed nine articles—the Southeastern Protection pact of later fame.

厥後宣懷數續議，仍無效。 Xuanhuai tried again several times afterward, to no avail.

詔禁宣懷干預，命唐紹儀代督兩局。 An edict barred Xuanhuai from further involvement and put Tang Shaoyi in charge of both bureaus.

宣懷遂奏罷鐵路總公司。 Xuanhuai then memorialized to dissolve the Railway Company.

後四年，浙路事益棘，上終以宣懷諳路政，復召見問籌策。 Four years later the Zhejiang railway crisis worsened; the court still judged Xuanhuai expert in railway affairs and summoned him again for counsel.

宣懷言：「既借款，不應令商造； Xuanhuai said: "Once you borrow foreign funds, you should not leave construction to merchants;

命甫下，而浙路總理湯壽潛因言宣懷短，請離路事。 Hardly had the appointment been issued when Zhejiang railway director Tang Shouqian attacked Xuanhuai's faults and asked to leave railway work.

壽潛獲嚴譴，宣懷亦不復久居中，仍命詣滬辦商約。 Shouqian was severely reprimanded; Xuanhuai did not long remain at court either and was again sent to Shanghai to negotiate commercial treaties.

先是日俄戰爭，宣懷與呂海寰等謀加入瑞士總會，中國有紅十字會自此始。 Earlier, during the Russo-Japanese War, Xuanhuai and Lü Haihuan and others had worked to join the Swiss headquarters—the origin of China's Red Cross.

諭交部議，宣懷復奏言：「中國幅員廣袤，邊疆遼遠，必有縱橫四境諸大幹路，方足以利行政而握中樞。 An edict sent the matter to the ministry; Xuanhuai memorialized again: "China's territory is vast and its frontiers remote; only great trunk lines running in all directions can serve administration and hold the center firm.

宣懷復與英、德、法、美四國結借款之約，各省聞之，群情疑懼，湘省首起抗阻，川省繼之。 Xuanhuai then signed loan agreements with Britain, Germany, France, and the United States; the provinces heard of it with alarm, Hunan resisted first, and Sichuan followed.

宣懷又會度支部奏收回辦法：「請收回粵、川、湘、鄂四省公司股票，由部特出國家鐵路股票換給，粵路發六成，湘、鄂路照本發還，川路宜昌實用工料之款四百餘萬，給國家保利股票。 Xuanhuai and the Board of Revenue jointly memorialized on recovery: "Request recovery of the stocks of Guangdong, Sichuan, Hunan, and Hubei and exchange them for state railway bonds—60 percent for Guangdong, principal for Hunan and Hubei, and for Sichuan more than four million taels spent at Yichang in materials to be paid in state bonds bearing guaranteed interest.

四川紳民羅綸等二千四百餘人，以收路國有，盛宣懷、端方會度支部奏定辦法，對待川民，純用威力，未為持平，不敢從命。 More than 2,400 Sichuan gentry and commoners led by Luo Lun, on nationalization and the recovery plan drawn up by Sheng Xuanhuai, Duanfang, and the Board of Revenue, declared that Sichuan had been treated with naked force, not fairness, and refused to comply.

資政院以宣懷侵權違法，罔上欺君，塗附政策，釀成禍亂，實為誤國首惡，請罪之，詔奪職，遂歸。 The Constitutional Advisory Council charged him with abuse of power, deceiving the throne, distorting policy, and causing catastrophe—the chief culprit of the state's ruin—and asked that he be punished; an edict removed him from office, and he went home.

宣懷有智略，尤善治賑。 Xuanhuai was resourceful and especially adept at famine relief.

宣懷實創斯議，遂為首惡。 Xuanhuai had in fact originated this policy and was therefore counted the chief culprit.

Draft History of Qing, Chapter 472Volume 472 Biographies 259: Lu Runxiang, Shi Xu, Yi Ketan, Liang Dingfen, Xu Fang, Lao Naixuan, Shen Cengzhi · 1 passage

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拳亂啟釁，曾植與盛宣懷等密商保護長江之策，力疾走江、鄂，決大計於劉坤一、張之洞，而以李鴻章主其成，所謂「畫保東南約」也。 When the Boxer troubles began, Cengzhi joined Sheng Xuanhuai and others in secretly planning to protect the Yangzi; despite illness he hurried to Jiangsu and Hubei, settled the great decision with Liu Kunyi and Zhang Zhidong, and had Li Hongzhang bring it to completion—the so-called "Southeast Mutual Protection Pact."