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The Boxer Rebellion: The History and Legacy of the Anti-Imperialist Uprising in China at the End of the 19th Century
*Includes pictures
*Includes a bibliography for further reading
*Includes a table of contents
The 19th century saw the rise of one of the largest, most powerful empires of the modern era. The sun never set on the British Empire, whose holdings spanned the globe, in one form or another. Its naval supremacy linked the Commonwealth of Canada with the colonies in South Africa and India, and through them trade flowed east and west. An integral but underutilized part of this vast trade network included China, a reclusive Asian kingdom closed off from the Western world that desired none of its goods.
Unfortunately for China, the British had the might of an empire and economic force, not to mention modern arms, on their side. Breaking into China’s lucrative trade markets nearly destroyed the nation, severely discredited the Chinese dynasty, wreaked havoc on its people, and further propelled Britain’s empire into a dominant economic and military position.
The collision of these two empires took many years and caused much bloodshed. In fact, the troubles started well before the eventual hostilities, festering as frustration mounted until finally boiling over. Such was the state of relations between the British Empire and Qing Dynasty for the better part of the century, its footing upended from the very start of relations.
On July 3, 1858, both parties signed the Treaty of Tianjin, the culmination of over half a century of Chinese-British diplomatic relations. For the first time, Great Britain, along with France, Russia, and the United States, could establish ambassadors in Peking. The treaty also opened 11 more ports to foreign trade, established the rights of foreign vessels to freely travel the Yangtze River and for foreigners to travel inland in China, and guaranteed religious freedom for Christians.
The Second Opium War ended with the same lopsided diplomatic victory as the first. This time, however, the international scene painted a different picture, with very different consequences. While in the first war other foreign powers did not muscle their way into China until after the war, in the second foreign powers followed right after the British. Where once the British loomed over China unchallenged, now new powers made their presence felt, and they had no intention of leaving anytime soon.
The French would broaden their empire in Asia along with the British, the consequences of which would involve both China and the United States over a century later. Russia would look eastward toward China and the Pacific, until its disastrous defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, and its relations with China would ebb and flow until the late 20th century. The United States, established in China, opened Japan to foreign trade the same year as the signing of the Treaty of Tianjin. In less than half a century, Japan would supplant China as the dominant power in the region.
For these reasons, as well as others, the Opium Wars marked a dramatic shift in Asian history, and they understandably caused frustration among the Chinese, both at the foreigners and their own rulers. Eventually, the ire of the Chinese populace against the Westerners boiled over into open rebellion, not against the state, but against the foreigners themselves. With the tacit approval of the Chinese government, the Boxer Rebellion rattled the Western nations, but it would have unintended consequences at home as well.
The Boxer Rebellion: The History and Legacy of the Anti-Imperialist Uprising in China at the End of the 19th Century examines the origins of the uprising, the results, and the aftermath. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about the Boxer Rebellion like never before.
*Includes a bibliography for further reading
*Includes a table of contents
The 19th century saw the rise of one of the largest, most powerful empires of the modern era. The sun never set on the British Empire, whose holdings spanned the globe, in one form or another. Its naval supremacy linked the Commonwealth of Canada with the colonies in South Africa and India, and through them trade flowed east and west. An integral but underutilized part of this vast trade network included China, a reclusive Asian kingdom closed off from the Western world that desired none of its goods.
Unfortunately for China, the British had the might of an empire and economic force, not to mention modern arms, on their side. Breaking into China’s lucrative trade markets nearly destroyed the nation, severely discredited the Chinese dynasty, wreaked havoc on its people, and further propelled Britain’s empire into a dominant economic and military position.
The collision of these two empires took many years and caused much bloodshed. In fact, the troubles started well before the eventual hostilities, festering as frustration mounted until finally boiling over. Such was the state of relations between the British Empire and Qing Dynasty for the better part of the century, its footing upended from the very start of relations.
On July 3, 1858, both parties signed the Treaty of Tianjin, the culmination of over half a century of Chinese-British diplomatic relations. For the first time, Great Britain, along with France, Russia, and the United States, could establish ambassadors in Peking. The treaty also opened 11 more ports to foreign trade, established the rights of foreign vessels to freely travel the Yangtze River and for foreigners to travel inland in China, and guaranteed religious freedom for Christians.
The Second Opium War ended with the same lopsided diplomatic victory as the first. This time, however, the international scene painted a different picture, with very different consequences. While in the first war other foreign powers did not muscle their way into China until after the war, in the second foreign powers followed right after the British. Where once the British loomed over China unchallenged, now new powers made their presence felt, and they had no intention of leaving anytime soon.
The French would broaden their empire in Asia along with the British, the consequences of which would involve both China and the United States over a century later. Russia would look eastward toward China and the Pacific, until its disastrous defeat in the Russo-Japanese War, and its relations with China would ebb and flow until the late 20th century. The United States, established in China, opened Japan to foreign trade the same year as the signing of the Treaty of Tianjin. In less than half a century, Japan would supplant China as the dominant power in the region.
For these reasons, as well as others, the Opium Wars marked a dramatic shift in Asian history, and they understandably caused frustration among the Chinese, both at the foreigners and their own rulers. Eventually, the ire of the Chinese populace against the Westerners boiled over into open rebellion, not against the state, but against the foreigners themselves. With the tacit approval of the Chinese government, the Boxer Rebellion rattled the Western nations, but it would have unintended consequences at home as well.
The Boxer Rebellion: The History and Legacy of the Anti-Imperialist Uprising in China at the End of the 19th Century examines the origins of the uprising, the results, and the aftermath. Along with pictures and a bibliography, you will learn about the Boxer Rebellion like never before.
77 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 15, 2019
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37 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 22, 2020
This book really steps back and shows the 'big picture' regarding foreigner's relationships with China that ultimately led up to the Boxer Rebellion. Although China wasn't interested in European products, England wanted Chinese tea, porcelain, and silk. When their purchase caused a severe trade deficit (too much English silver going to pay for these items), the British decided to dump opium on the Chinese. This eventually led to the first and second Opium Wars.
Then, the Japanese and Chinese went to war over who was the most important power in the Pacific-Rim region. While the leaders were fighting, the poor were suffering from droughts and flooding. In fury and frustration with their inability to feed themselves and their families, a secret society formed amongst the poor in the northern part of China.
Initially, they came to the attention of foreigners because the Boxers killed two priests. But the Boxers were searching for the source of their growing poverty and settled on the foreigners, especially those in and near Peking. They were anti-Christian, anti-foreigner and anti-imperialists. They particularly attacked the diplomats, civilians and foreign troops of the Europeans, Japanese, British, and Americans.
When the word got out what the Boxers were doing, multinational troops rushed to rescue the foreigners before they could all be slaughtered. The weak Chinese Dynasty initially fought against the Boxers, but later aided them against the foreigners. Eventually, the Boxers brought down the leadership in China, the Qing Dynasty.
Then, the Japanese and Chinese went to war over who was the most important power in the Pacific-Rim region. While the leaders were fighting, the poor were suffering from droughts and flooding. In fury and frustration with their inability to feed themselves and their families, a secret society formed amongst the poor in the northern part of China.
Initially, they came to the attention of foreigners because the Boxers killed two priests. But the Boxers were searching for the source of their growing poverty and settled on the foreigners, especially those in and near Peking. They were anti-Christian, anti-foreigner and anti-imperialists. They particularly attacked the diplomats, civilians and foreign troops of the Europeans, Japanese, British, and Americans.
When the word got out what the Boxers were doing, multinational troops rushed to rescue the foreigners before they could all be slaughtered. The weak Chinese Dynasty initially fought against the Boxers, but later aided them against the foreigners. Eventually, the Boxers brought down the leadership in China, the Qing Dynasty.
April 3, 2021
O Powstaniu Bokesrów w Chinach mało wiedziałem. Miało miejsce w XIX, pochłonęło trochę ofiar, były w nie zaangażowane największe ówczesne mocarstwa światowe, Rosja, Wielka Brytania, Francja, Stany Zjednoczone, Japonia, Cesarstwo Niemieckie.
Chiny w XIX były krajem dość zacofanym, jednak mocarstwa światowe konkurowały o wpływy w tym kraju. Z jednej strony Chiny też chciały zwiększyć znaczenie na arenie międzynarodowej i otworzyć się na świat, z drugiej strony władza państwowa oraz szczególnie zywkli ludzie w tym tak zwany bokserzy mocno się sprzeciwiali temu i za wszelką cenę chcieli zachować odrębność kulturową a przede wszystkim zahamować wpływ kulturowy i gospodarczy napierający z zewnątrz ze strony innych mocarstw światowych. Rebelia Bokserów to próba właśnie odparcia wpływu obcych mocarstw na Chiny. To zdarzenie przypomina nam, że Chiny mają silną tożsamość i nie lubią wpływu z zewnątrz.
Chiny w XIX były krajem dość zacofanym, jednak mocarstwa światowe konkurowały o wpływy w tym kraju. Z jednej strony Chiny też chciały zwiększyć znaczenie na arenie międzynarodowej i otworzyć się na świat, z drugiej strony władza państwowa oraz szczególnie zywkli ludzie w tym tak zwany bokserzy mocno się sprzeciwiali temu i za wszelką cenę chcieli zachować odrębność kulturową a przede wszystkim zahamować wpływ kulturowy i gospodarczy napierający z zewnątrz ze strony innych mocarstw światowych. Rebelia Bokserów to próba właśnie odparcia wpływu obcych mocarstw na Chiny. To zdarzenie przypomina nam, że Chiny mają silną tożsamość i nie lubią wpływu z zewnątrz.
May 9, 2021
I listened to the unabridged audiobook version of this work. It was extremely concise, a spare but deeply informative history of the Boxer Rebellion and the events leading up to it. It was truly ten pounds of information crammed into a five pound bag.
I'd give it a five star but for one very confusing factoid that it offered. At one point it described the combined European relief force as fighting its way towards Peking with repeating rifles that were .22 caliber, and that it took several shots to bring down a charging boxer. I know of no Western army at the time that had a weapon that wasn't a major caliber. The Japanese type 30 rifles fired the 6.5x50mmSR Arisaka round, which was the weakest of those used by the coalition. It still packed a far greater punch that a simple .22. It might be the author used a source describing ad hoc hunting weapons used by those besieged in Peking.
That aside, an excellent introduction to the conflict.
I'd give it a five star but for one very confusing factoid that it offered. At one point it described the combined European relief force as fighting its way towards Peking with repeating rifles that were .22 caliber, and that it took several shots to bring down a charging boxer. I know of no Western army at the time that had a weapon that wasn't a major caliber. The Japanese type 30 rifles fired the 6.5x50mmSR Arisaka round, which was the weakest of those used by the coalition. It still packed a far greater punch that a simple .22. It might be the author used a source describing ad hoc hunting weapons used by those besieged in Peking.
That aside, an excellent introduction to the conflict.
April 28, 2020
The book is well-written and provides good information without becoming bogged down in tedious detail. This is a great introduction and explanation for the conditions which gave rise to the rebellion as well as the impact of colonialism on a nation.
February 4, 2025
I feel like this was too short. It did do a good job of telling a tidy history and I learn stuff that I didn't learn when I researched them in high school, but it just didn't cover as much as I would have liked.
March 21, 2022
Interesting short overview of the reasons for and progression of the Boxer Rebellion. Not very comprehensive.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews