光绪皇帝参与和推动戊戌变法，却不属于维新派阵营。洋务派与维新派都主张变革，但洋务派要保存封建制度和纲常礼教，而维新派则要改变君主专制制度，要学习西方的“法度政令”。光绪实际上是倾向洋务派的，他支持变法，是想借“变法”改变有位无权的傀儡处境，因而对维新派的许多主张虚与委蛇，实际推行的是洋务派的主张。在当时的历史条件下，他不可能超越他的封建帝王地位 Emperor Guangxu participated in and promoted the reform movement of 1898, but did not belong to the rebel camp. Both the Westernizationist and the Reformists advocate change, but the Westernizationists must preserve the feudal system and the Chinglish ethics. The Uprisingists, however, must change the monarchy and learn from the Western “laws and decrees.” Guangxu actually favored the Westernization Movement. He supported the change method by trying to change the status of an empowered puppet by “changing the law.” Many of the ideas advocated by the reformist faction and the CCP were actually implemented by the Westernizationists. Under the historical conditions at that time, he could not surpass his feudal emperors