Thematic Study
The Government and Rulers
Potential Subthemes
Structure
Ideology
Foreign Influence
Attitude to Reform
Rebellion
Nature of Manchu Rule in 1839
Ruled by Manchu dynasty emperor, from the Forbidden City within the capital
Beijing.
The right to rule was enforced due to Confucianism, as obedience to a higher power
was viewed as a duty. MANDATE OF HEAVEN
Power centralised, as emperor maintained complete authority over all subjects and
officials
Absolutism – power did not spread downwards
Mandarins – Confucian scholars who comprised the class of officials who made up
the administration of the government and governed local provinces.
Mandarins left a ‘tradition pf bureaucratic control’ that was then mirrored by the
CCP – CONTINUITY
Reasons for and responses to rebellion
Taiping Rebellion
o 1850-1864
o Started in Guandong province, with people protesting against the poor
economy exacerbated by harvest failure and high taxation, then developed
into a generally nationalist movement.
o Led by Hong Xiuqan – claimed to be Jesus’ brother.
o Hong campaigned against the Manch and their regime.
o 20,000 followers by 1850, and continued to grow
o Repulsed all government attempts to stop them.
o Took Nanjing, killed 30,000 Manchu prisoners.
o Constructed a communist community in Nanjing over the next ten years, with
strict imposition.
o Controlled a large part of southern China, with an army of over 500,000.
o Initially received support from foreign missionaries, due to religious links.
o Support lost due to corruption of Christian teaching and brutal methodology.
o Manchu forces, assisted by Charles Gordon (English) dissuaded attempts to
take Shanghai (1860-1862).
o Took till 1864 for the regime to be overcome, and Hong killed himself.
o Reasons for failure:
Brutality alienated Chinese who could have supported them
Dissension within Taiping ranks
Movement of peasantry who didn’t win gentry support
Lost support of Britain and France
Western support for Qing, e.g. Gordon
Zeng Guofan – succeeded in organising Manchu military.
, o The amount of time it took for the government to react and reliance on
foreign support damaged credibility.
Nian Rebellion
o 1853-1868
o Protest against lack of economic support from the Qing for repairs following
Yellow River flooding.
o Eventually failed due to inability to link up with other rebellions.
Panthay Rebellion
o 1856-1873
o Muslim protests against Qing oppression.
o Failed due to French support for the Qing and exacerbation of divisions.
Dungan Rebellion
o Set pf local struggles that was not primarily against the Qing.
o Took 15 years before the rebels were quashed.
Obstacles to reform under Cixi
Cixi was VERY conservative, opposed essentially all reform
She was opposed to the Self Strengthening Movement of 1861 – 1895.
o Movement was backed by reformers Zeng Guofan and Li Hongzhang, and
focused on admin, commerce, finance, textiles, steamships, telegraph, and
railways reform.
E.g. established joint-stock companies, investing in steamships, and
opening cotton mills in Shanghai.
o Cixi and her conservative faction were in opposition of this.
100 Days Reform 1898 were started to majorly reform China, backed by Emperor
Guangxu and Kuang Hsu.
o Reforms included education and industrial reform, and development of civil
service
o Cixi and her conservative faction took over, placing the Emperor under house
arrest and executing many reformers.
o She then attempted to funnel the national empowerment generated by the
100 days of reform to fight back against “foreign devils”
o She then gave her backing to the Boxers
Reforms after 1900
The Boxer Protocol - In reaction to the Boxer Uprising of 1898-1900, the government
lost sovereignty over the areas heavily involved in the Uprising.
Therefore, significant loss of what prestige they had left.
Little popular sympathy from the people.
Late Qing Reforms then rushed into from 1901 to save the dynasty.
o Administrative reform undertaken.
o Local autonomy established, e.g. Tianjin County Council
o Western style schools established
o Imperial examinations abolished.
o Foreign affairs office established in 1901
o Army reorganized into New Army
Reasons for the 1911 Revolution
