Ch. 7.1: Qing China; the End of Imperial Rule in China

1. Ch. 7.1: Qing China; the End of Imperial Rule in China

2. I. China & the West • China resists foreign intrusion • 1st contact w/ West – 16th C. Portuguese traders • English came in 1699 to Canton, traded tea, silk & porcelain in exchange for silver bullion • 1793: Lord Macartney brought gifts to Emperor Qianlong hoping to open China to British manufactured goods • Qianlong’s response to King George III: • “there is nothing we lack…We have never set much store on strange or ingenious objects, nor do we need more of your country’s manufactures…”

3. B. China remains self-sufficient • Agricultural economy (85% pop. farmers) • Main crops: rice in S. China (champa – from SE Asia), wheat in N. China • Spanish & Portuguese traders brought crops from Americas: sweet potatoes, maize, peanuts • Better nutrition, as well as peace & stability fueled a pop. boom: 300mn. by the end of the 18th C. • Mining: salt, tin, silver, iron • Manufacturing: silk, cotton, porcelain

4. C. The Opium War, 1839 - 42 • Chinese refused to open trade restrictions w/ West • Uneven trade b/w British & Chinese causing drain on British silver supply • British needed a product the Chinese needed on a large-scale: Opium

5. Opium War • Opium grown in Bengal, India & smuggled into China for silver • Highly addictive: by 1835, 12mn. people addicted • 1839: Lin Zexu sent letter to Queen Victoria pleading for an end; she refused • Opium War, naval warfare: Chinese could not compete w/ British navy & technology

6. Lin Zexu’s Letter to Queen Victoria1839 • Let us ask, where is your conscience?  I have heard that the smoking of opium is very strictly forbidden by your country; that is because the harm caused by opium is clearly understood.  Since it is not permitted to do harm to your own country, even less should you let the harm be passed on to other countries—much less to China!  Of all that China exports to foreign countries, there is not a single thing that is not beneficial to people....Is there a single article from China that has done any harm to foreign countries? [Sources of Chinese Tradition, 2nd Edition, Volume 2, p. 203]

7. D. Treaty of Nanjing • 1842: Treaty of Nanjing ended war: • British gained Hong Kong (under British rule until 1997) • By 1844, U.S. & other foreign nations gained extraterritorial rights, exempting foreign citizens in China from Chinese law

8. Treaty of Nanjing, 1842 Article 2. Determined the opening of five Chinese cities—Canton, Fuzhou, Xiamen, Ningbo, and Shanghai—to residence by British subjects and their families “for the purpose of carrying on their mercantile pursuits, without molestation or restraint.”  It also permitted the establishment of consulates in each of those cities. Article 3. “The Island of Hong Kong to be possessed in perpetuity” by Victoria and her successors, and ruled as they “shall see fit.” Article 4.  Payment of $6 million by the Qing “as the value of the opium which was delivered up in Canton.” Article 5.Abolition of the Canton Cohong monopoly system and permission at the five above-named ports for British merchants “to carry on their mercantile transactions with whatever persons they please.”  The Qing government was also made to pay $3 million in settlement of outstanding Cohong debts. Article 6. Payment to the British of a further $12 million “on account of the expenses incurred” in the recent fighting, minus any sums already received “as ransom for cities and towns in China” since August 1, 1841. Article 8 (the “most-favored nation” clause) from the “Supplementary Treaty of 1843”: “Should the Emperor hereafter, from any cause whatever, be pleased to grant additional priveleges or immunities to any of the subjects or citizens of such foreign countries, the same priveleges or immunities will be extended to and enjoyed by British subjects.” [cf. Jonathan D. Spence, The Search for Modern China, Second Edition (New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1999), pp. 160-163.]

9. II. China’s Internal Problems & Rebellion • Despite growth of foreign influence, internal problems posed the greatest danger to Qing • b/w 1790-1850, pop. grew by 30% to 430mn. People, yet no increase in food production • Natural disasters, floods, droughts also led to famine • Corrupt gov. officials failed to help people & opium addiction increasing

10. Hong Xiuquan & the Tai Ping Rebellion (1850 – 1864) • The VisionsIn 1837, after failing the first civil service examination for the second time, Hong Xiuquan went into a “state of deep mental disturbance” and had a number of visions over several days: • In his visions he was taken up to Heaven.  In the dazzling light he was received by beautiful maidens, but “cast no sidelong glances at them.”  He was washed to cleanse him of the filth of the world.  His belly was cut open and his internal organs replaced by new, clean ones.  Then he was led before a magnificent divine figure with a long golden beard, who lamented that the people of the world had lost their “original hearts” and were deluded by malicious demons.  They no longer worshipped him, and they drank wine, smoked opium, and lived lives of debauchery and worldly vanity.  Hong was eager to assist in chastising the demons and soon was allowed to do so, driving from Heaven the Dragon Demon of the Eastern Sea.  Hong belonged in Heaven and had his own beautiful palace.  It now was clear that the gold-bearded figure was his heavenly father, and he had a heavenly elder brother who assisted him in some of his battles.  His heavenly mother and heavenly younger sisters brought him beautiful fruit to eat, and the younger sisters sometimes chanted sacred texts with him or joined him in his attacks on the demons.  He was given a demon-slaying sword and a golden seal that forced demons too flee.  Once he watched his father and elder brother chastise Confucius as one who had done the most to delude the people of the world. [MOF, 265]

11. B. The Tai Ping Rebellion, 1850-1864 • Largest, most threatening rebellion to face Qing • Led by Hong Xiuquan • Appealed to peasants: • people should share wealth • men & women equals (outlawed arranged marriages, footbinding, slavery, concubinage) • Feelings of Han Chinese nationalism/anti-Qing: • (Qing ethnically Manchus, NOT Chinese & forced system of wearing Qing queue & dress attacked by Hong as symbols of Manchu oppression)

12. Manchu “Devils”

13. By 1853, 1mn. People joined Hong’s army & took over Nanjing as the capital, controlling a large area of SE China & attempting to overthrow Qing & establish a “Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace” (Of) God the Father, the Heavenly Elder Brother Christ, The heavenly King Hong, the sun, ruler of the bountiful earth, (and) the saviour and young Monarch, the true king, Guifu, Exalted for a myriad years, eternally granting Heaven's favour, eternally maintaining heaven and earth in gracious harmony and convivial peace.

14. Qing gathered a multi-national army to defeat Hong • (Foreigners (British, French, US) supported Qing b/c Hong had strict anti-opium policy, although originally they liked his pro-Christian agenda) • Took 14 years to put down & estimates of dead b/w 20-60mn. people

15. C.Effects of Internal Rebellions:1. The Self-Strengthening Movement, 1860s under Empress Dowager Cixi “Chinese learning for substance; Western learning for practical development”

16. “Using Western means towards Chinese ends” • Reforms in education, diplomacy & military • Manufacture of steam-powered gunboats, RR, rifles, and ammo. • Hired foreigners to run aresenals using raw materials imported from abroad • Trade imbalance & lack of popular support

17. D. Spheres of Influence • China’s perceived weakness brought more foreign nations in to gain greater control over Chinese economy • US concerned that China would be colonized & thus shut out of US trade, proposed an Open Door Policy in 1899 (US Secretary of State John Hay)

19. 1. Open Door Policy • China’s “doors” should be open to trade w/ all nations • Protected US trading rights • Kept China from colonization, although still greatly under influence from foreign powers

20. II. Growth of Chinese Nationalism • Guanxu’s Hundred Days of Reform, 1898-99 • Qing Emperor attempted reforms to modernize China in response to loss of power to foreigners • Cixi ended program b/c it was a threat to imperial power; no lasting effects (Guangxu imprisoned)

21. B. Boxer Rebellion, 1900 • Chinese resentful of foreign presence, power, & missionaries: formed secret society • Society of Harmonious Fists (Boxers) • Boxers surrounded foreign section of Beijing for several months “Death to the Foreign Devils” • Defeated by a multi-national army, but spirit of nationalism emerged & idea of resisting more foreign intervention

22. By 1905, Cixi sent officials abroad to learn from different gov. • 1906, officials recommended a restructuring to a constitutional monarchy (like Japan’s) by 1917 (it would be too late!)

23. C. Women in China • Exposure to Western ideas & fashion, Chinese women began to unwrap bound feet • Foot binding popular in late imperial China • Small feet seen as sexually attractive • ½ - 2/3 of Chinese women estimated to be subjected to foot binding • Practice became illegal after Revolution of 1911 • Many “non-traditional” women worked for political reforms & many joined the Revolutionary Alliance

24. Foot binding

25. China had to pay for the value of the opium and all of Britain's military costs; • Britain received the island of Hong Kong as a permanent possession; • Five major seaports were opened to foreign trade; • A fixed tariff (5% ad valorem) was set on imports and exports; • British subjects in the trade ports enjoyed extraterritoriality, i.e., they were subject to British, not Chinese, law, enforced by British officials; • Britain received "most favored nation" status such that if any other country got better concessions from China, Britain, too, would automatically receive the same; • Terms like "barbarian" were no longer to be used in reference to Britain in official Chinese correspondence, and both Britain and China were to be treated equally in the phrasing of official correspondence.