义和团时期的宋庆

宋庆耐苦善战,年近八十,仍短衣帕首,奔走冰雪中,与士卒同甘苦,深受清廷敬重。他知彼知己,本不赞成与列强开战,慈禧意气用事,仍然开战,开战之后,宋庆以大局为重,仍然组织兵力,修筑工事,层层抵御,做出了重大贡献。在他死后,清廷给他以异乎寻常的优恤,也是理之当然。

Song Qing in the Yihetuan Movement

Song Qing was very good at bearing hardship and fighting. At nearly 80, wearing short coats and scarves, running in the ice and snow, shared bitterness and happiness with the soldiers, and was much appreciated by the Qing Government. He both knew the government and the enemy and was against fighting with the powerful countries. But Ci Xi acted on impulse and declared war. In the war, taking the whole situations into account, he organized the military forces to build defensive works and fought with the army ring upon ring, and made great con- tribution. So it was reasonable for the Qing Government to give unusual pensions to his family after his death.