![]() ![]() Third, Liang Qichao (梁啟超), who had achieved the rank of juren (舉人), a qualified graduate who had passed the triennial provincial examination, was granted a sixth- rank position in charge of the Translation Bureau. Secondly, the palace examination was revised and the standards of grading district and lower level examinations were to become the same as those of provincial and metropolitan examinations. The chief reforms initially undertaken were: First, topics for the metropolitan and district examinations were changed from the “Four Books” to topics related to current problems. The emperor had intended to appoint Kang to a higher position but at that time, even though the emperor ruled the nation, this appointment still required the approval of the Empress Dowager Cixi. The immediate result of the interview was Kang’s promotion to the rank of probationary secretary in the Tsungli Yamen. On June 16, Xu was instructed to bring Kang in for an interview with the emperor. This decree initiated the 100 Days Reform Movement. Successive memorials by Xu Zhijing and Yang Shenxiu led to an imperial decree on June 11, 1898. The Guangxu emperor also requested Kang’s books dealing with the Meiji Restoration in Japan and a biography of Peter the Great of Russia. Remembering how the last Ming emperor was forced into committing suicide and recognizing Kang’s audacity, the Guangxu emperor (光绪皇帝) instructed his grand councilors to forward to him any memorials that Kang might present in the future immediately. The high ministers and the princes submitted Kang’s letter. The outcome was an imperial decree to the princes and high ministers to summon Kang to the Tsungli Yamen (總理衙門), China’s office of foreign affairs, to ask him about the reforms. ![]() ![]() Yang Rui had persuaded the supervising censor, Gao Xiezeng (高夑曾), to submit a memorial to the Qing throne recommending the four reformers very highly. The reformers held that China needed more than "self-strengthening" and that innovation must be accompanied by institutional and ideological change. This reform movement was instigated by Kang Youwei (康有為) who had the support of Xu Zhijing (徐致靖), Yang Shenxiu (楊深秀) and Yang Rui (楊銳). In 1898 the Chinese government experienced a short period of attempted reforms called the Hundred Day Reform Movement (百日維新 or 戊戌變法). ![]()
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