<論説>清朝在外公館の設立について : 常駐使節派遣の決定とその意味を中心に

Abstract

清朝による常駐使節の派遣はこれまで、清朝による欧米を申心とした「条約システム」への適応の一環として捉えられてきた。このため従来の研究ではハート等在華外国人の与えた思想的影響と清朝側の対応とが中心に描かれてきた。しかしその一方で、清末の政治外交に強い影響力を有していた李鴻章等地方大官の使節派遣に対する影響については十分な検討が行われてこなかった。本稿では李鴻章等地方大官の対応に留意しながら、清朝側よりみた常駐使節派遣の意味を問い直し、日本の台頭と海防の推進に関連して、自強活動上の観点から官員を常駐させ日本や西洋諸国との関わりを深めていかねばならなくなった清朝自身の必要性も存在したことを確認した。さらに使節派遣決定までの過程を考察することを通じて、総理衙門と李鴻章、ハートの政治的立場や相互の関係、及びそれぞれにおける使節派遣の「意味」とを明らかにした。

This paper tries to achieve a better understanding of the Qing Dynasty's diplomatic representation abroad in the late 19th century. China's dispatch of envoys has long been considered one of its political responses to the "treaty system" introduced by the strong Western powers. Previous research has focused mainly on influential foreigners in China, such as R Hart, and Qing made decisions to them. Among these studies, Hsu's study of how the Qing made decisions to dispatch envoys is representative. Hsu showed that the success of the Burlingame mission, which had been dispatched to prevent further demands from Western powers, impressed on the Qing the importance of foreign missions. He also noted that several incidents, such as the Formosa Incident of 1874, and contacts with foreigners, such as the negotiations with T. Wade on the Margary Incident in 1875 and 1876, made the Qing realize the necessity of dispatching diplomatic representatives abroad, as Hart and others had suggested. In contrast to approach summarized above, this paper tries to bring attention to the Qing side, discussing how influential provincial officials, such as Li Hong-zhang 李鴻章, thought and acted in the decision-ma㎞g process. Three conclusions have been reached as a result of this approach. First, although both the Zong-li Yamen, 総理衙門 and Li Hong-zhang approved the Burlingame mission, they had different concerns. The Zong-li Yamen, which was responsible for the negotiations of treaty revisions, welcomed the mission because it helped the Zong-li Yamen avoid further demands that would force the Qing to reform; Li, on the other hand, realized that foreign missions would let China conclude commitments with the West and then would be a help in his promotion of the self-strengthening movement. Second, the Formosa Incident made the Qing realize the need for self-strengthening and to agree to dispatch envoys, but in the policy-making process, the Zong-li Yamen functioned as the "buffer" between Li, the reformer, and other conservatives. Third, although both Hart and Li understood that the dispatch of foreign missions would spur reform in China, Hart's insistence that the Zong-li Yamen as the central institution of the Qing court be the sole office in charge of its diplomacy sharpened his differences with Li.