Page 212 - Saturday Sale Asian Art March 18 2017 Sotheby's NYC

PROPERTY FROM
THE ZHANG
ZHIDONG FAMILY
COLLECTION

LOTS 1511 1515

“Chang-Chih-Tung in o ce,” The Politics and Government Collection, Digital Collections, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina
University, http://digital.lib.ecu.edu/21922

Viceroy Zhang Zhidong (1837 -1909) is remembered of the Self-Strengthening Movement who promoted
as a pioneer of reform during a tumultuous era traditional precepts paired with Western education
of Chinese history. A brilliant Confucian scholar, for practical action, Zhang modernized and indus-
Zhang began passing civil servant examinations at trialized provinces in which he governed. In those
the age of 13 and was soon thereafter appointed regions he established industrial infrastructures
to the Hanlin Academy. He rose through the ranks, including iron and steel works, cotton mills, silk fac-
eventually becoming a director of national educa- tories, railroads, and telegraphs. He was governor
tional reform and laying the foundation for several and viceroy to several major provinces before being
institutions including Wuhan and Nanjing University. summoned to the imperial court as Grand Secretary
As a classical scholar Zhang held a passion for the and Grand Councilor in 1907. Zhang’s actions follow-
traditional arts and calligraphy, however he was not ing several incidents including the Sino-Japanese
solely concerned with civil education and estab- War and the Boxer Rebellion solidi ed his legacy
lished three military academies during his career, in as a powerful and e ective supporter of the Qing
Guangdong, Hubei, and Wuchang. dynasty and imperial China. The following ve lots
from Zhang Zhidong’s family possessions, brought
In 1881 he was appointed Governor of Shanxi, and in to the United States by one of his grand-daughters,
1889 his supporter the Cixi Empress promoted him are representations of the collection of a Qing
to the position of Viceroy of Huguang. As a leader dynasty viceroy.

1511

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