Ireland’s Imperial Mandarin – How Sir Robert Hart Became the Most Influential Foreigner in Qing China
赫德傳 – 大清愛爾蘭重臣步上位高權重之路
Sir Robert Hart served as the Inspector-General of the Imperial Maritime Customs Service of the Qing dynasty from 1863 until his death in 1911. No foreigner has ever had or will ever have the life he did in China. He provided the government with more than 20 per cent of its annual revenue, set up the Chinese Post Office, founded a system of lighthouses along the coast, bought British warships that were the foundation of the modern Chinese navy and negotiated a peace treaty to end the Sino-French war of 1884-85. He was a trusted confidant of government leaders who constantly sought his advice in how to deal with aggressive and meddling foreigners.His personal life was just as dramatic. He had a Chinese lady friend, Miss Ayaou, with whom he had three children. He sent them to be brought up by a foster family in London. Then he married an Irish lady from his home place; they also had three children.
赫德爵士這位愛爾蘭人自1863年起，直至1911年他辭世止，擔任大清海關總稅務司一職接近半世紀。他在中國的事業歷程，堪稱前無古人，後無來者。他主理的海關機器，每年為大清政府提供的收入平均佔政府庫房歲入超過20%；他創設大清郵政；他在中國沿海建立燈塔制度；他代表中國採購英國戰船，為現代中國海軍奠下基礎；他參與結束中法戰爭（1884至1885年）和約的談判，為消弭戰禍作出貢獻。赫德爵士是清政府高層信任、可以交心的智囊，他們常就如何應對得寸進尺甚至插手干政的外國人，諮詢赫德。赫德的私人生活同樣精彩。他在華的早年有一位女性密友──阿姚，她為赫德誕下3名子女。對這些非婚子女，赫德沒有置之不顧，倒是把他們送往倫敦一個家庭寄養。其後，他與一位來自愛爾蘭的同鄉女子成婚，妻子同樣為他誕下3名子女。他竭盡所能，防止兩邊的家庭成員有任何機會走在一起。