QING DYNASTY AND XHINAI REVOLUTION Flashcards
what was china’s foreign policy under the Qing dynasty ?
Sinocentrism-the idea that china was the centre of the world and that all other nations were subservient to it.
this meant that weaker countries around China had to pay tribute to the empire (eg taiwan korea and vietnam)
what did the opium wars in the mid 19th century force China to do ?
through the exploitation of western powers (france germany russia japan) China was forced to cede territory to them and open its ports to foreign trade.
this lead to the creation of unequal trade treaties - where it was made easy to exploit China’s resources.
how was China’s population characterized in 1900
Estimated at about 400 million people, china was the most populous country on earth.
it was a mainly agrerian society, living in rural areas.
its population was marked by :
-high birth rates
-low life expectancy
-poor healthcare and sanitation
what were some key problems with the Qing dynasty?
-there was a lack of industrialisation
-rigid social hierachy—> lead to a lot of social discontent
-inequality for women (E.G-concubines/divorce not allowed)
-patrilinear society
-western exploitation(treaty ports)
CENTURY OF HUMILIATION
How was the Qing dynasty’ characterised by the Manchu leaders?
They were considered to be outsiders by the Han ethnic majority of central china
How was chinas image of their international stance different from their actual position?
By 1900 china had been subject to significant foreign influence and imperialism. European powers (and Japan) had carved out spheres of influence. The foreign powers had exerted economic and political control over various regions often to the detriment of china’s sovereignty
What was china renowned for?
- natural resources around the country
- abundant agricultural land (not limited to but including around Yangtze and yellow rivers)
- rich minerals; coal, iron, salt. Concentrated mainly in northern regions like Shanxi and shandong
- substantial reserves of timber, (northeast)
- copper, silver, and tin found in provinces
- all resources were unevenly exploited
Problems during the Qing dynasty?
- rigid social hierarchy = social discontent; if Qing dynasty is weak could cause uprising
- poor sanitation and healthcare; inequality for women
- high birth rate, low life expectancy
-western exploitation ‘treaty ports’ - “century of humiliation”
- economic loss
- extraterritorialality, undermines Qing authority
- military weakness
- “outsiders” of their society
What was the Xinhai revolution?
-Qing dynasty came to an end in 1911 when the Xinhai revolution overthrew the ruling monarchs; they then established The Republic of china
What sparked the Xinhai revolution
It was sparked by the Qing’s urgency to survive after the first sino-Japanese war (1894-95)
The qings then made sudden reforms that modernised the community and it was heavily opposed; they were also corrupt
Who supported the Xinhai revolution? Did they all want the same thing?
- empress dowager and a group of conservative Manchu princes
-Lower class court officials - workers and businesses over seas
What might the new republic of china look like
- would consist of moving social classes
- more movement away from rural areas
- closed off from forgiveness and tourist
Chinese nationalism in early 20th century
Chinese nationalism is very prominent
