Unit 2 Australia and Asia China (1750 –1918) Chinese society underwent dramatic transformations between 1750 and 1918. At the start of this period, China was a vast and powerful empire, dominating much of Asia. The emperor believed that China, as a superior civilisation, had little need for foreign contact. Foreign merchants were only permitted to trade from one Chinese port. By 1918, China was divided and weak. Foreign nations such as Britain, France and Japan had key trading ports and ‘spheres of influence’ within China. New ideas were spreading from the West, challenging Chinese traditions about education, the position of women and the right of the emperor to rule. chapter Source 1 An artist’s impression of Shanghai Harbour, C. 1875. Shanghai was one11 of the treaty ports established for British traders after China was defeated in the first Opium War (1839–42) 11A 11B 11C 11D What were the main features of What was the impact ofDRAFT How did the Chinese respond What was the situation in China Chinese society around 1750? Europeans on Chinese society to European influence? by 1918? 1 Chinese society was isolated from the rest of the from 1750 onwards? 1 The Chinese attempted to restrict foreign influence 1 By 1918, the Chinese emperor had been removed world, particularly the West. Suggest two possible and crush the opium trade, with little success. Why and a Chinese republic established in which the 1 One of the products that Western nations used, consequences of this isolation. do you think this was the case? nation’s leader was elected by the people. Suggest to force China to open up to trade, was opium. two or three factors that might have led to this What impact would this have had on Chinese change. society and stability? 364 oxford big ideas humanities 9 victorian curriculum chapter 11 China (1750 – 1918) 365 11A What were the main features of Chinese society around 1750? 11.1 China 1750 – 1918 – a timeline 1898–1900 The Boxer Rebellion 1856–1860 The Second Opium War between 1911 China and the forces of Britain The 1911 Revolution; and France. China is defeated uprisings turn into a 1884–1885 and the emperor is forced to national revolt, causing the China defeated in a war 1760 allow foreign traders into many overthrow of China’s last The Chinese emperor bans foreign merchants from trading with France. China loses Chinese ports. dynasty. China becomes in all Chinese ports except Canton (modern-day Guangzhou) control over Vietnam. a republic. 1850 1894–1895 China defeated in a war 1917 1796 The Taiping Rebellion with Japan. The Chinese China enters China bans the import lose control over Taiwan. World War I after of the drug opium declaring war on Germany 1750 1770 1790 1810 1830 1840 1850 1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1861 1773 The Empress Dowager Cixi 1908 Britain starts producing the drug opium in India starts her rule when her son Empress Dowager Cixi dies and selling it in China) is namedemperor at the age of four. She is the real ruler of China for the next 47 years. 1839–1842 1861 The First Opium war The start of the Self- between China and Strengthening Britain. China suffers Movement reforms a humiliatingDRAFT defeat and is forced to hand control of Check your learning 11.1tween 1750 and 1918. Hong Kong to the British. Remember and understand Evaluate and create 1 How many opium wars was China engaged in? 3 What evidence is there that the Chinese attempted to resist Western influence? Apply and analyse 4 Research and write a short report on the Self- 2 What can you learn about Chinese society from the Strengthening Movement. fact that the Empress Dowager Cixi was able to rule for 47 years? 366 oxford big ideas humanities 9 victorian curriculum chapter 11 China (1750 – 1918) 367 11A What were the main features of Chinese society around 1750? The Board of Civil Appointments 11.2 Traditional Chinese In charge of appointing and dismissing all government ofcials The Board of Finance social structure The emperor In charge of collecting taxes and managing money The Board of Rites The Grand Council Managed the examination system and also organised religious worship of ancestors and gods advises the emperor The Board of War In the 18th century China was largely cut off from government examination system. Other classes, in In charge of the army the rest of the world. The country had been ruled by order of wealth but perhaps not in respectability, were The Board of Punishments the emperors of the Qing Dynasty since 1644, also the merchants, artisans and craftsmen, and the farmers In charge of legal matters, including prisons and law courts known as the Manchu Dynasty. There was a strict social and peasants. This social order remained unchanged hierarchy , with the emperor and nobles at the top. from the time of the fi rst emperor of a unifi ed China in The Board of Rites The dominant belief system was Confucianism, which 221 BCE to the late 19th century. Responsible for building projects and minting coins encouraged respect for one’s ancestors. Chinese society The Chinese believed that the emperor received was based on a sense of duty and loyalty between the his power directly from god and he was known as the Governor-general (or viceroy) A governor and Other government ofcials people and their ruler. ‘Son of Heaven’. Anyone coming into his presence Responsible directly to the a military ofcial Collect taxes, pass judgements had to kowtow (kneel and bow their head to touch emperor Only eight of In charge of a and manage building projects The people these in China. Each in charge Must have passed a special the ground) three times. Tradition stated that if the single province Social structure of two or more provinces government exam emperor was worthy and ruled well, the empire would In the 18th century the Chinese emperor had total do well. However, it was also believed that if China Source 2 The Chinese system of government under the Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) authority. He personally directed the army and could faced fl ood, famine or confl ict, this was a sign that overrule any judgment made by any court. Next in heaven was displeased with the emperor and he could Confucianism the social order came the government offi cials, who be overthrown. During the period of the Qing Dynasty reality, poor men did not The main belief system in Imperial China was achieved their positions by performing well in the the emperors were able to convince the people that they have the time or resources Confucianism. Confucianism is not a religion, but a still had heavenly support. to prepare for the test and Source 1 code of behaviour that infl uences the way that people China, showing the boundaries of Qing and modern China women were not allowed live their lives. to apply. The government Confucius was a philosopher and teacher who lived offi cials formed a class that RUSSIA from 551 to 479 BCE in eastern China. He argued that came to be known as the Ta people should live virtuous lives, respect their elders nn u Mandarins . They lived a Un Heilongjiang ian and rulers and do their best to fulfi l their given roles in kha privileged and luxurious Source 3 A group of Chinese i society. Proper rules governed what people of different Kobdo life. government offi cials, referred to by Jilin classes should or should not do, and how they should Europeans as Mandarins Uliassutai Eastern Sea behave towards their superiors. Confucius taught that if everyone followed these rules, society would be BUKHARA Outer Mongolia Xinjiang harmonious. A person should try to treat others kindly, Check your learning 11.2 lia Southern to act nobly and to distinguish right from wrong. go on River Sea Remember and understand Inner M Beijing Confucianism encouraged ‘ancestor worship’. On 1 Examine Source 2. What were the responsibilities Shanxi important days such as anniversaries of deaths, male Yellow of the Board of Civil Appointments the Board of Great DRAFTdescendants offered gifts to their ancestors. During Qinghai Gansu Eastern Rites and the Board of Punishments? Ocean these rituals, men would lay offerings before tablets Shaanxi bearing the names of dead ancestors. Women could not 2 Identify two beliefs of Confucian philosophy. Tibet Hubei Shanghai NEPAL River perform these rituals. Sichuan Wuhan Hangzhou Apply and analyse Zhejiang Great Yangtse 3 How did Confucianism help to maintain social N Jiangxi Southern BHUTAN Ocean The examination system INDIA harmony? Guizhou Yunnan To become a government offi cial, a Chinese man had 0 1000 km BENGAL Evaluate and create to pass a special government examination. The test LEGEND 4 To what extent was the Chinese social system BURMA was based on ancient Confucian philosophy, Chinese Boundaries of modern China ANNAM Southern equal? Boundaries of Qing China, 1820 Sea classics and literature. In theory, any Chinese male SIAM PHILIPPINES was eligible to sit for the examination. However, in 368 oxford big ideas humanities 9 victorian curriculum chapter 11 China (1750 – 1918) 369 11A What were the main features of Chinese society around 1750? worked in the fields or helped make handicrafts for bones bent until the foot was completely deformed. 11.3 Chinese traditions extra income. Daughters were not valued as much as Fifteen-year-old girls often had feet as small as sons and there is evidence that some families killed 7 centimetres long. baby girls at birth. For women with bound feet, walking could be Women faced many restrictions on their activities.