1900 in China
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| 1900 in China | |
|---|---|
| Year | 1900 |
| Monarch | Guangxu Emperor |
| Regent | Empress Dowager Cixi |
| Viceroy | Li Hongzhang (as Viceroy of Zhili) |
| Event | Boxer Rebellion |
1900 in China was a year of profound crisis and violent upheaval, dominated by the cataclysmic Boxer Rebellion. The ruling Qing dynasty, under the de facto control of Empress Dowager Cixi, declared war on the foreign powers, leading to the Siege of the International Legations in Beijing and a massive military intervention by the Eight-Nation Alliance. The year culminated in the brutal suppression of the Boxers, the occupation of the capital, and the imposition of the punitive Boxer Protocol.
Events
The central event was the eruption of the anti-foreign and anti-Christian Boxer Rebellion, which reached its peak in the summer. Key military actions included the Battle of the Taku Forts in June, which triggered open war, and the prolonged Siege of the International Legations and separate Siege of the Catholic Northern Cathedral in Beijing. In August, the Eight-Nation Alliance, consisting of forces from the British Empire, Empire of Japan, Russian Empire, United States, French Third Republic, German Empire, Kingdom of Italy, and Austria-Hungary, captured Tianjin and then marched on Beijing, lifting the sieges. The Qing court, including Empress Dowager Cixi and the Guangxu Emperor, fled the capital to Xi'an. In the northeast, the Russian Empire used the chaos to launch a separate invasion and occupation of Manchuria.
Politics and government
The political landscape was defined by the Qing court's radical shift in policy. In June, Empress Dowager Cixi, influenced by conservative Prince Duan and other hardliners in the Grand Council, issued an imperial decree supporting the Boxers and declaring war on all foreign powers. Senior officials like Li Hongzhang, Yuan Shikai, and Zhang Zhidong, governing southern and eastern provinces, largely ignored the declaration, enacting the Southeast Mutual Protection to avoid conflict. Following the Allied capture of Beijing, the court appointed Li Hongzhang and Prince Qing to negotiate with the Eight-Nation Alliance. The year ended with the Qing government in disarray and under effective foreign military occupation.
Society and culture
Society was torn apart by sectarian violence and foreign invasion. The Boxers, originating from groups like the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, targeted Chinese Christians and foreign missionaries, leading to massacres such as those at Taiyuan. The foreign community, including diplomats, soldiers, and missionaries, endured the harrowing 55-day siege in the Beijing Legation Quarter. The subsequent looting of Beijing and the Forbidden City by Allied troops caused immense cultural loss. The crisis deepened anti-Manchu sentiment among Han Chinese reformers and revolutionaries like Sun Yat-sen, whose Revive China Society gained sympathy.
Economy and infrastructure
The economy was severely disrupted by widespread warfare, particularly in Zhili (modern Hebei) and Shandong. The Battle of Taku Forts and fighting in Tianjin crippled key trade and transportation hubs along the Grand Canal and at the Bohai Sea coast. The Imperial Chinese Railways suffered damage, and the foreign-controlled Imperial Maritime Customs Service, led by Sir Robert Hart, faced immense operational challenges. The financial system was strained by military expenditures, setting the stage for the massive indemnity that would be formalized in the 1901 Boxer Protocol.
Births
* Zhang Wentian, future senior leader of the Chinese Communist Party (d. 1976) * H. H. Kung, future financier and politician (d. 1967)
Deaths
* Xu Jingcheng, former Qing minister to Russia and Germany, executed for opposing the Boxer policy * Yuan Chang, official of the Zongli Yamen, executed for advocating peace * Lü Haihuan, official involved in early Boxer negotiations * Zhang Boxing, Confucian scholar and official * Numerous foreign missionaries and Chinese Christians killed during the Boxer violence, including many associated with the China Inland Mission.