Chuntian Academy International

Boxer Rebellion

The Boxer Uprising (Traditional Chinese: 義和團起義; Simplified Chinese: 义和团起义; pinyin: Yìhétuán Qǐyì; literally "The Righteous and Harmonious Society") or Boxer Rebellion (義和團之亂 or 義和團匪亂) was a Chinese rebellion from November 1899 to September 7, 1901, against foreign influence in areas such as trade, politics, religion and technology that occurred in China during the final years of the Manchu rule known as the Qing Dynasty. The Boxers began as an anti-Christian, anti missionary, and anti foreign peasant-based revitalization movement in northern China. The Empress Dowager Cixi was pleased when Boxers attacked foreigners who were building railroads, exploiting China's mineral wealth, dividing up the port trading concessions, and converting many peasants to an alien faith. In June 1900 the Boxers invaded Beijing, the Chinese capital, and killed 230 foreigners, and tens of thousands of Chinese Christians. The Cixi government was helpless. Diplomats, foreign civilians, soldiers and some Chinese Christians retreated to the legation quarter and held out for 55 days as a multinational coalition rushed 20,000 troops to the rescue. The Chinese government was forced to indemnify the victims and make many additional concessions. On the one hand, the Boxers have been condemned as a product of uncivilized, irrational, superstitious anti-foreignism among the common people. On the other, the Boxers are praised as patriotic anti-imperialists. Subsequent reforms laid the foundation for the end of Manchu rule and the establishment of a modern nation.