Prosper Giquel
Encyclopedia
Prosper Marie Giquel sometimes spelled Gicquel, was a French naval officer who played an important role in the modernization of 19th century China
. His Chinese name was 日意格.
in 1857 as part of the allied assault forces of the Arrow War. Taking the opportunity that service in the Canton occupation force allowed, Giquel began the study of Chinese. In late 1861 he joined the Imperial Maritime Customs Service under Robert Hart
, as the director of the Ningpo office and remained there until the city was captured by the forces of the Taiping Rebellion
in December 1861. He was again the Commissioner of Customs for Ningpo in 1864.
.
In 1866 Giquel became involved in the organization and planning for the Foochow Dockyard
project envisioned by Zuo Zongtang
. From 1867 to 1874 he served as European director of the project which Shen Pao-chen, as the imperial commissioner, headed. The objective of the dockyard was to create a modern Chinese fleet of warships and transports, and to educated technicians in Western sciences. These efforts contributed to China's Self-Strengthening Movement
of acquiring Western knowledge (similarly the Nankin Arsenal was put under the responsibility of the Englishman Halliday Macartney
).
Having completed his direct administration of the project by 1874, Giquel continued to serve the dockyard by working as a consultant, purchasing agent, and co-director of the European Educational Mission in 1877. The educational mission's goal was to provide advanced technical training to complement the dockyard's instructional program.
In the mid-1870s and 1880s Giquel became increasingly involved in international diplomacy
. He first served as an adviser during the "Taiwan crisis;' a diplomatic clash between Japan and China in 1874. In 1881 he helped Tseng Chi-tse peacefully conclude the "IIi crisis" between China and Russia. Giquel spent his last years, 1883–1885, struggling to help end the Sino-French war
which had broken out due to conflicting Sino-French claims to Indochina. Among the traumatic events of that period, certainly for Prosper Giquel, was the August 1884 destruction by the French navy
of the Foochow Dockyard, the principal accomplishment of his entire career in China, in the Battle of Fuzhou.
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. His Chinese name was 日意格.
Career
Prosper Giquel first arrived in ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in 1857 as part of the allied assault forces of the Arrow War. Taking the opportunity that service in the Canton occupation force allowed, Giquel began the study of Chinese. In late 1861 he joined the Imperial Maritime Customs Service under Robert Hart
Sir Robert Hart, 1st Baronet
Sir Robert Hart, 1st Baronet, GCMG , was a British consular official in China, who served as the second Inspector General of China's Imperial Maritime Custom Service from 1863 to 1911.-Early life:...
, as the director of the Ningpo office and remained there until the city was captured by the forces of the Taiping Rebellion
Taiping Rebellion
The Taiping Rebellion was a widespread civil war in southern China from 1850 to 1864, led by heterodox Christian convert Hong Xiuquan, who, having received visions, maintained that he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ, against the ruling Manchu-led Qing Dynasty...
in December 1861. He was again the Commissioner of Customs for Ningpo in 1864.
Taiping rebellion
After spending the following spring working in the coordinated French and English campaign to drive the rebels from Shanghai, Giquel returned to Ningpo to organize the force which eventually became the Ever-Triumphant Army(常捷軍), also known as the "Franco-Chinese force". The force numbered between 2,000 and 3,000 men. In 15 March 1863, the force, under the command of Ensign Paul d'Aiguebelle(德克碑) captured the city of Shao-hsing from the Taiping rebels. Prosper Giquel took command of the "Franco-Chinese force" when Paul d'Aiguebelle returned to France, but the force was soon dissolved in October 1864, in agreement with Zuo ZongtangZuo Zongtang
Zuo Zongtang , spelled Tso Tsung-t'ang in Wade-Giles and known simply as General Tso in the West, was a Chinese statesman and military leader in the late Qing Dynasty....
.
Foochow arsenal
Foochow Arsenal
The Foochow Arsenal , also Mawei Arsenal was one of several shipyards in China built under orders of Li Hongzhang and Zuo Zongtang, leaders of the Qing government's Self-Strengthening Movement of the mid to late 19th century...
project envisioned by Zuo Zongtang
Zuo Zongtang
Zuo Zongtang , spelled Tso Tsung-t'ang in Wade-Giles and known simply as General Tso in the West, was a Chinese statesman and military leader in the late Qing Dynasty....
. From 1867 to 1874 he served as European director of the project which Shen Pao-chen, as the imperial commissioner, headed. The objective of the dockyard was to create a modern Chinese fleet of warships and transports, and to educated technicians in Western sciences. These efforts contributed to China's Self-Strengthening Movement
Self-Strengthening Movement
The Self-Strengthening Movement , c 1861–1895, was a period of institutional reforms initiated during the late Qing Dynasty following a series of military defeats and concessions to foreign powers....
of acquiring Western knowledge (similarly the Nankin Arsenal was put under the responsibility of the Englishman Halliday Macartney
Halliday Macartney
Halliday Macartney was a member of the same family as George Macartney, the 18th century British ambassador to China.He became a civil servant of the Chinese imperial government, first in China and then in England....
).
Having completed his direct administration of the project by 1874, Giquel continued to serve the dockyard by working as a consultant, purchasing agent, and co-director of the European Educational Mission in 1877. The educational mission's goal was to provide advanced technical training to complement the dockyard's instructional program.
In the mid-1870s and 1880s Giquel became increasingly involved in international diplomacy
Diplomacy
Diplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states...
. He first served as an adviser during the "Taiwan crisis;' a diplomatic clash between Japan and China in 1874. In 1881 he helped Tseng Chi-tse peacefully conclude the "IIi crisis" between China and Russia. Giquel spent his last years, 1883–1885, struggling to help end the Sino-French war
Sino-French War
The Sino–French War was a limited conflict fought between August 1884 and April 1885 to decide whether France should replace China in control of Tonkin . As the French achieved their war aims, they are usually considered to have won the war...
which had broken out due to conflicting Sino-French claims to Indochina. Among the traumatic events of that period, certainly for Prosper Giquel, was the August 1884 destruction by the French navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
of the Foochow Dockyard, the principal accomplishment of his entire career in China, in the Battle of Fuzhou.
Works
- Journal of the Chinese Civil War
- The Foochow Arsenal, and Its Results, from the Commencement in 1867, to the End of the Foreign Directorate, on the 16th February, 1874.