SinoJapanese War on the Reform Movement LO To analyse the significance of the SinoJapanese War and identify the causes amp effects of the 100 Days Reform Emperor Guangxu Battle of the Yalu ID: 681148
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Slide1
What was the impact of the Sino-Japanese War on the Reform Movement?
L/O – To analyse the significance of the Sino-Japanese War and identify the causes & effects of the 100 Days Reform
Emperor Guangxu
Battle of the
Yalu
River - 1894Slide2
Introduction
The Self-Strengthening Movement had made considerable strides in modernising Qing China but resistance to reforms was still widespread amongst large sections of the population.
With defeat in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-95, it became apparent that modernisation needed to be accelerated
.Reform-minded officials and scholars continued to demand reforms, persuading the Emperor Guangxu
to back radical reforms to the entire system.
Emperor GuangxuSlide3
Introduction
This resulted in the ‘100 Days Reform’ in 1898. Emperor Guangxu issued a torrent of reform edicts. It was ended by
Cixi, who returned from semi-retirement and put the Emperor under house arrest.Led by Cixi, the Qing Court returned to
anti-foreign policies, which became heightened as imperial powers began to demand more concessions from China. This in turn sparked the
Boxer Uprising of 1899-1900.
Empress Dowager CixiSlide4
Causes of the Sino-Japanese War
In the 1870s, China was becoming increasingly concerned about growing Japanese influence in Korea, one of its tributary states
.These fears became real in 1876 with the Treaty of Kangwha which gave Japan rich trading concessions
throughout Korea.In the 1882 Imo Incident and 1884
Gapsin Coup, both China and Japan had sent troops to Seoul to put down uprisings against the Korean King. This had nearly led to war.Slide5
Causes of the Sino-Japanese War
Tensions eased slightly in 1885 when Japanese PM Itō Hirobumi met with Li Hongzhang in Tientsin to discuss relations.
In the Convention of Tientsin, both sides promised to withdraw their troops and inform each other first
before sending troops in future.Despite this, China was determined to reassert its influence, appointing Yuan Shikai
as ‘Imperial Resident of Seoul’. He effectively dictated Korean government policy for the next ten years.
Li Hongzhang
Itō Hirobumi
Yuan ShikaiSlide6
Causes of the Sino-Japanese War
Tensions came to a head in 1894. The Tonghak Rebels were advancing on Seoul when
King Kojong called on China for aid.Both Japan and China rushed troops to the region to protect their interests. Japan got their first, seizing the Royal Palace and installing a
pro-Japanese government. China
rejected this new government and in-turn, Japan claimed China had not informed it of sending troops. War loomed.Slide7
Events of the War
It finally broke out on 25th July 1894 when Japanese ships sunk a Chinese troop transport.
By September, the main Chinese force at Pyongyang had been defeated along with the Chinese Beiyang Fleet at the
Battle of the Yalu River.
In October Japanese forces crossed into Manchuria, taking Lushan (Port Arthur) in November where they massacred civilians.
Sinking of the
KowshingSlide8Slide9
Events of the War
In January 1895, 20,000 Japanese troops marched across the Shandong Peninsula, capturing the defensive forts surrounding Weihaiwei
and turned the gun on the remnants of the Chinese Beiyang Fleet, completely destroying it.By March, Japanese forces had captured the Pescadore Islands
on the way to Taiwan. By April, China was defeated and sued for peace.Slide10
Capture of Weihaiwei 1895Slide11
The Treaty of Shimonoseki
Li Hongzhang and Prince Gong were sent to negotiate the peace. They signed the Treaty of Shimonoseki
on 17th April 1895. It stipulated:China had to recognise Korean independence
Ceded the Liaodong PeninsulaCeded
Taiwan & Penghu IslandGave 200 million Kuping Taels
Japanese allowed to operate on the
Yangtze River
and other trade concessions
Li Hongzhang
Prince GongSlide12
Effects of the War on the Reform Movement
The war had a profoundly significant effect on China. It had shown that despite reforms, China was no match
for the recently modernised Japan.The humiliating Treaty of Shimonoseki angered many Confucian scholars and officials into demanding
further and immediate reforms. In this sense, the spirit of Self-Strengthening lived on.Slide13
Effects of the War on the Reform Movement
Conservative Scholars like Zhang Zhidong & Weng
Tonghe were re-awakened to the need for reform and a
consensus emerged that reform was necessary.Zhang developed the idea of ‘
Ti-Yong’ which gave many people hope and reassured conservatives – ‘Chinese learning should remain the essence, but Western Learning should be used for practical development.’
Zhang
Zhidong
Weng
TongheSlide14
Causes of the 100 Days Reforms
This clamour for reform boiled over in Spring 1895 when 600 Confucian Scholars, gathered in Beijing for the Jinshi
examinations, wrote a long memorial to the emperor – urging continued resistance against the Japanese through
modernisation.They were led by the scholars Kang Youwei and
Liang Qichao. Kang & Liang were of a new school of reformers, who advocated drastic institutional change
. Kang was also friends with the Emperor’s tutor,
Weng
Tonghe
, who saw that the young Emperor would read it.
Weng
Tonghe
Liang
Qichao
Kang YouweiSlide15
Imperial Court Politics
The Imperial Court was dominated by conservative Confucian officials. They all realised that reform was necessary but competed to lead these reforms
in order to retain power.These officials were divided into two main groups: the ‘Northern Party
’ led by Hsü
T’ung and the ‘Southern Party’ led by Weng Tonghe
.
The Northern Party appointed
Zhang
Zhidong
to lead the reform movement within Court. However this was blocked by
Weng
Tonghe
who appointed promising young scholars like
Kang Youwei
. Kang turned out to be far more radical then expected!
Zhang
Zhidong
Weng
TongheSlide16
Causes of the 100 Days Reforms
Emperor Guangxu was interested in the proposals but had
no real power as the Court was still dominated by Cixi and her conservative friends.But by the 1890s, calls for reform by were becoming
widespread and the young emperor was looking to regain power to implement reforms.
In June 1898, the Emperor even had a private audience of over 5 hours with Kang Youwei. Listening to his ideas he become determined to institute a reform programme and made Kang his advisor.
Emperor Guangxu
Empress Dowager Cixi
Kang YouweiSlide17
Kang
: “The four barbarians are all invading us and their attempted partition is gradually being carried out: China will soon perish.”
Emperor
: “Today it is really imperative that we reform.”
Kang: “It is not because in recent years we have not talked about reform, but because it was only a slight reform, not a complete one; we change the first thing and do not change the second, and then we have everything so confused as to incur failure, and eventually there will be no success.”
“The prerequisites of reform are that all the laws and the political and social systems be changed and decided anew, before it can be called a reform. Now those who talk about reform only change some specific affairs, and do not reform the institutions.”
Emperor
: “Your reform program is very detailed.”
Kang
: “…why not vigorously carry it through?”
Emperor
: “What can I do with so much hindrance?”
Kang
: “According to the authority which Your Majesty is now exercising to carry out the reforms, if he works on only the mist important things, it will be sufficient to save China…”
Highlights of the five-hour interview by Liang
Qichao
, in I.C.Y Hsu, Rise of Modern China, p369-370Slide18
The 100 Days Reforms
Suddenly in June 1898, the Emperor began issuing an extraordinary series of edicts and decrees in quick succession.
Over 200 edicts were issued between June and September (103 days) and called for changes in four main areas of Qing government and life:
Education, Government, the Military and the Economy.
Emperor GuangxuSlide19
Education Reforms
Replacement of the eight-legged essay in the civil service examination by essays on current affairs
Establishment of an Imperial University at Peking
Establishment of modern schools in the provinces devoted to the pursuit of both Chinese and Western studies…
Establishment of a school for the overseas subjects
Creation of a medical school under the Imperial University
Publication of an official newspaper
Opening of a special examination in political economySlide20
Government Administration Reforms
Abolition of sinecure and unnecessary offices
Appointment of the progressives in government
Improvement in administrative efficiency by eliminating delays and by developing a new, simplified administrative procedure
Encouragement of suggestions from private citizens, to be forwarded by government offices on the day they are received
Permission for the Manchus to engage in tradeSlide21
Economic Reforms
Promotion of railway construction
Promotion of agricultural, industrial, and commercial developments
Encouragement of invention
Beautification of the CapitalSlide22
Other Reforms
Tour of foreign countries by high officials
Protection of missionaries
Improvement and simplification of legal codes
Preparation of a budgetSlide23
How did the Reforms end?
Unfortunately, most of the reforms were boycotted by senior officials in the court and in the provinces. Some officials were willing but had not the ability
to carry out reforms.At first, Cixi and officials supported reforms but soon disliked the radical changes as they
challenged their positions. The reforms to education would have destroyed the power of Confucian officials.Many officials begged Cixi to stop the reforms. Cixi believed the reforms were an attempt to
wrestle power from her.
Empress Dowager CixiSlide24
How did the Reforms end?
The reformers feared Cixi would try to depose the Emperor. They planned to carry out a palace coup against Cixi and asked
Yuan Shikai to support them.Yuan Shikai betrayed the Emperor and informed Cixi of the plot. She immediately raided the Emperor’s palace and
imprisoned the Emperor on 21st September 1898.
She announced publicly that a ‘serious illness’ had overcome the emperor, and she need to rule for him.
Yuan ShikaiSlide25
How did the Reforms end?
Orders were quickly issued to arrest Kang. He and Liang fled to Japan, with other reformers being
executed. Provincial officials that did support the reforms were stripped of their titles.
Most of the reforms were reversed: newspapers closed, formation of reform societies prohibited and the eight-legged essay reinstated.However
some reforms continued. Peking University and provincial schools remained. Cixi made it clear that reform was not bad but Kang Youwei had carried it out badly.
The ‘six gentlemen’
Kang YouweiSlide26
Reasons for the Failure of the Reform
The historian Hsü (2000) argues that there were three main reasons for the failure of the reform:
Inexperience of the Reformers
Powerful Conservative Opposition
The Power of CixiSlide27
1. Inexperience of the Reformers
Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao had no previous experience in government service and had
limited understanding of Western culture and institutions. They were naïve to think the support of the Emperor was enough and ignored
the obvious fact that Cixi had real power.Reforms were too radical and ambitious: education reforms angered
students, elimination of traditional gov. offices angered officials, military reforms angered Manchu Officers etc…
Liang
Qichao
Kang YouweiSlide28
2. Powerful Conservative Opposition
The reforms were seen by conservative scholars as a war on the whole Confucian state and society and saw Kang’s interpretations of Confucius as blasphemous
.Moderate conservative reformers like Weng Tonghe
were alienated by the speed and extent of change.
Manchu officials were worried about their positions as all the reformers were Han Chinese.
“Kang’s face is Confucian… but his heart is barbarian… The Modern Text school of today is not the same as that of the Han period; the latter honoured China whereas the former, the barbarians… even if Kang’s words might be accepted, he as a person should never be used… [he has the respect for] …neither the sovereign nor the fathers.”
Yeh
Te-hui
& Wang
Hsien-ch’ienSlide29
3. The Power of Cixi
Though in retirement since 1889, Cixi commanded huge influence over political and military affairs.Confidants in the Grand Council reported to her all
policy decisions and eunuchs in the palaces spied on the Emperor.She also had the
loyalty of the military surrounding Peking. Kang and the reformers had no power base other then the Emperor himself. Yuan Shikai held the key but he
chose Cixi over the Emperor.Slide30
Effects of the 100 Days Reforms
Revolutionary Growth - Progressive reform from the top down now seemed impossible. Only
overthrow of the Qing Dynasty and revolution could change this. Led to the growth of Sun Yat-sen’s
revolutionary movement.
Growth in Anti-foreign Feeling at Court – The re-establishment of conservative influence at Court led to growth of anti-foreign feeling as Western Powers opposed Cixi’s coup and helped Kang to escape
. Cixi would later support the anti-foreign
Boxer Uprising
in 1900-1901.
Sun
Yat-senSlide31
Effects of the 100 Days Reforms
Growth in Chinese Nationalism- Die-hard conservative Manchu officials were re-appointed, leading an anti-Chinese policy to
punish reformers. This led to growing anti-Manchu and Qing feeling, indirectly leading to 1911 Revolution.
Continued Reforms – Despite ending the 100 Days Reforms, she realised that
reform was necessary, paving the way for the late Qing reforms in 1901-1911.
“Reform benefits the Chinese but hurts the Manchus. If I have properties, I would rather give them to my friends than let the slaves share the benefit.”
Grand Secretary Kang-
iSlide32
Plenary
What effect did the Sino-Japanese War have on the Self-Strengthening Movement?
Which officials spearheaded the reform movement after the war?How was
Kang Youwei different from the conservative reformers?What
types of reforms were announced by Guangxu?Why did the Reforms fail?
What were the
effects
of the 100 Days Reform on China?
Did we meet our learning objective?
L/O – To analyse the significance of the Sino-Japanese War and identify the causes & effects of the 100 Days Reform