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China in the 1800s: The Qing Dynasty. The Opium War, 1839-1842. During the 18 th Century, the market in Europe and America for tea (a new drink in the West) expanded greatly Was continuing demand for silk and porcelain
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The Opium War, 1839-1842 • During the 18th Century, the market in Europe and America for tea (a new drink in the West) expanded greatly • Was continuing demand for silk and porcelain • The West had little China wanted – resulted in third-party trade (raw materials from colonies)
The Opium War, 1839-42 • Finally, found something the Chinese wanted: opium • By 1800s, raw cotton and opium from India were two main British imports to China (despite the fact that opium was illegal in China) • In 1839, Qing government cracked down on opium traffic and destroyed 20,000 chests of illegal opium
The Opium War, 1839-42 • Britain retaliated and China was disastrously defeated • Chinese self-image was injured beyond repair • Treaty of Nanjing (1842) – first of “unequal treaties” or “national humiliations” • Britain got Hong Kong • Opened ports to foreign trade • Extraterritoriality(exemption for British nationals from Chinese laws)
Taiping Rebellion, 1851-64 • During mid-19th Century, China was hit by a series of natural disasters of unprecedented proportions – draughts, famines, and floods • Qing administration did little – was horribly corrupt – and was widespread anti-Manchu (Qing) sentiment • Southern China had been last to yield to Qing and first to be exposed to the West
Taiping Rebellion, 1851-64 • Largest uprising in modern Chinese history • Lead by Hong Xiuquan • Believed he was the younger brother of Jesus Christ and God had commanded him to save humanity • Soon had 1,000s of followers who were anti-Qing • Procliamed the “Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace” or Taiping
Taiping Rebellion, 1851-64 • Hong advocated radical social reform • Peasants would own the land • Taiping army captured Nanjing and went far to the North • 30 million people killed
The Tongzhi Restoration and the Self-Strengthening Movement • Opium war, unequal treaties, and rebellion caused Chinese officials to recognize need to strengthen China • Tongzhi Restoration attempted to strengthen Qing Dynasty, but was not a real modernization program • Named for Tongzhi Emperor (1862-74), but really run by the emperor’s mother, Empress Dowager Ci Xi (1835-1908)
Self-Strengthening Movement • Lead by scholars and Generals who put down Taiping Rebellion • Wanted to infuse “Western Learning” into Chinese society • Students studied abroad • Tried to establish industry on Western model • Tried to modernize the military • Tried to improve communication and transportation
Foreign Domination of China • After the Taiping Rebellion, warlords negotiated and granted Austria, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and Russia exclusive trading rights, with monopolies on certain trading ports in China • The US had not acquired any territory: proposed the Open Door Policy – all foreign countries would have equal access to Chinese ports • While for selfish reasons, the Open Door Policy probably kept China from being colonized.
The Boxer Rebellion • Imperial court responded to foreign threat by giving aid to various secret societies • Policy reached climax in 1900 with the Boxer Rebellion • Western response was swift and severe • Boxer Protocol
The Revolution of 1911 • The last emperor, Pu Yi (a young boy) was overthrown • Lead by Sun Yixian Sun Yixian Pu Yi
Three Principles of the People • (san min zhuyi): "nationalism, democracy, and people's livelihood." • The principle of nationalism called for overthrowing the Qing and ending foreign hegemony over China. • The second principle, democracy, was used to describe Sun's goal of a popularly elected republican form of government. • People's livelihood, often referred to as socialism, was aimed at helping the common people through regulation of the ownership of the means of production and land.
