China’s Internal Problems

Strife in China•The population grew to 430 million by 1850, a 30% gain only 60 years (That’s HUGE.)

•Food production did not increase at the same rate as the population, which results in widespread hunger.

Famine Relief in China, c 1800

Strife in China•Many people were discouraged by these problems and opium addiction spread rapidly.

•People began to rebel against Qing Dynasty.

The Taiping Rebellion•Hong Xiuquan (hung she-oo-choo-ahn) recruited followers to help him build a “Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace.”

•GOAL: peace, equality•Hong’s movement is called the Taiping Rebellion (taiping= great peace)

The Taiping Rebellion•1850s-Hong had organized a massive peasant army that took over much of southeastern China

•Infighting and outside assaults (British, French) brought down the Taiping government.

•Over 20 million dead.

Pressure to Change•The Taiping Rebellion & other uprising put pressure on the Chinese gov’t—the people wanted change!

•Foreign powers were also putting pressure on China

•There was great debate about how to handle these issues-adopt reforms based on Western ways or maintain traditional values and beliefs

Resistance to Change•Dowager Empress Cixi (Tsoo-shee) controlled China from 1862-1908.

Resistance to Change•She was very traditional, but she did support some reforms, including the self-strengthening movement.

•The program aimed to update China’s educational system, diplomatic service, & military.

•Under this program, China set up factories to manufacture gunboats, rifles, ammunition.

Other Nations Step In•Foreign nations capitalized off of China’s weakness, launching attacks against China.

•These attacks resulted in treaty agreements that gave foreign powers increasing control over China’s economy.

Other Nations Step In•Many of Europe’s major powers (British, French, Germans, Russians) and the Japanese claimed spheres of influence in China.

Other Nations Step In•The US, a long-time trading partner of China, became worried that these nations would form formal colonies & the US would be shut out of trade.

Other Nations Step In•In 1899, to stop this from happening, the US “proposed” the Open Door Policy, would open up China to trade by all nations.

• This policy protected both U.S. trading rights in China & China’s freedom from colonization.

A Call for Change•The people, humiliated by their loss of power, pressed for increased reforms.

A Call for Change•China’s young emperor, Guangxu obliged, introducing numerous measures to reform China.

A Call for Change•Most Qing officials saw these innovations as a threat to their power and called for the return of Cixi.

•The Dowager Empress reversed all of Guangxu’s reforms.

•The people became very frustrated.

The Boxer Rebellion•Poor peasants and workers resented the privileges of foreigners & resented Christian Chinese who had adopted a foreign faith.

•They formed a secret organization-the Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fists, often referred to as the Boxers.

The Boxer Rebellion•Their campaign against the Dowager Empress’s rule & foreigner was called the Boxer Rebellion.

•Though the rebellion failed, a strong sense of nationalism emerged in China & the Chinese people realized that they needed to resist foreign intervention.

The Beginnings of Reform•The Boxer Rebellion also made the people

believe that the government should be responsive to their needs…and the Qing court realized they needed to make some huge changes in order for China to survive.

•In 1905, the Dowager Empress sent a group around the world to study the governments of other nations.

•They decided China should reform its government and adopt a constitutional monarchy.

•Though Cixi agreed, change was very slow.

The Beginnings of Reform•In 1905, the Dowager Empress sent a group around the world to study the governments of other nations.

•They decided China should reform its government and adopt a constitutional monarchy.

•Though Cixi agreed, change was very slow.