THE MANDATE OF HEAVENMING EXPLORATION AND ISOLATION

QING GLORY AND DECLINE

CHINATHE DYNASTIC CYCLE

THE MANDATE OF HEAVEN

• Emperor rules by the grace of Heaven• Emperor has rights and responsibilities• Must do a good job • Gave the emperor legitimacy• Gave the people the right to rebel • Similar to Divine Right of Kings• But, not dependent on social class• Passed on by Emperor

Dynastic Cycle

THE QING MANCHU RULE

Adopted a Chinese Embraced

ConfucianismBut kept apart from

the HanNo inter-marriageAll men wore

“queues”Women did not bind

feet

KANG XI1661 - 1722

Emperor Kang XiScholarlyOpen to Western IdeasTutored by Fr. VerbiestScientific knowledge

strengthened his reignBrought stability and

prosperityProblems with son

TROUBLE WITH THE WESTERN BARBARIANS

Imbalance of TradeBrits don’t want to

pay with silverFlood China with

opiumOpium Wars (1839-

42)“Unequal treaties”Hong Kong to BritsWesterners takeover

“treaty ports”

SPHERES OF INFLUENCE

Spheres of Influence

Treaty Ports – Chinese cities controlled by foreigners

Extraterritoriality – foreign nationals not subject to Chinese law

China is too weak to enforce its own laws within its own country

Loss of sovereigntyOpen Door Policy – US position that all countries

should have equal access to the China trade (1899)

US wants a piece of the pie

CI XIThe Grand Empress Dowager

Concubine at 16Only one to bear a

sonTitle “Mother of

Emperor”1861 Emperor DiesCo-regent for her sonHas a powerful loverRules from “behind

the throne” for Tong Zhi

1860’s Time of Great Unrest

Taiping RevoltCharismatic Leader -

Hong XiuquanRallies the People Controls large areas of

China20 Million DeadDecline of the QingHave the Qing lost the

Mandate of HeavenPut down by Foreigners

Decline of the Qing

Tong Xi Dies1875 Guang Xu (age 4)Ci Xi continues as

regentManipulative

Ineffective rulerSpends $ for modern

navy on Summer Palace

Does not deal with problems

100 Days of Reform

1895 Sino-Japanese War

China humiliatedLoss of TaiwanLoss of tribute1898 Guang Xu

asserts himselfReforms:

Modern industry Military Education Government

The Boxer Rebellion

“Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fist”

Alarmed by Western influence and control

Loss of land and treasure

Missionaries threatened Chinese culture

Attacked foreigners55 days of fightingPut down by western

armies