Second Wave (began 1877) 第二次留學熱

 Key Words: 1877, navy students

Major Destination: Europe

In the 1870s and the 1880s, the Qing government also sent Chinese students to Japan and Europe. In 1877, during the early years of emperor Guangxu's reign (1875-1908) during the Qing Dynasty, the government dispatched nearly 100 naval students to study in different countries in Europe. These students later returned and became prominent naval officers. Chinese admirals Sa Zhenbing and Deng Shichang were part of this group.

However, the most renowned of these students was Yan Fu, who studied at the Navy Academy in Greenwich, England between 1877 and 1879. Although he was given an important naval command, he became renowned for his contributions to modern science in China in the late 19th century. He also was famous for his translations of such western literary works as Thomas Huxley's "Evolution and Ethics", and Adam Smith's "Wealth of Nations". He also served as the first president of the Peking Imperial University, which became Peking University in 1912.