background to china

• what is confucianism?

  • patriarchal(footbinding-beauty standards)
  • respect for elders
  • constant self-improvement
  • communists claimed to subvert Confucian/old beliefs
• how did arrival of westerners destabilise the Qing Dynasty?

  • late qing dynasty
  • westerners import opium on mass
  • China bans all western trading to prevent opium importation
  • opium wars(1839-1842)
  • port treaties eventually created, giving british full control over many ports in China, Hong Kong, Shanghai and canton(bejing)
  • weakens Qing-chinese saw emeperor as weak
  • western introduction of chirstianity creates a culture war that undermines traditional Chinese society
• taiping rebellion:

  • 1880's-religious 'messiah' claims to have been sent to make China christian
  • conquered Central China Christian( creates 'Heavenly state of great peace-Nanjing)
  • bloodiest civil war in History-200,000 died in one day
  • seen as war between the old and the new
  • 'messiah' executed
• what was the consequences of the Boxer rebellion?

  • wanted to rid china of westerners; Christianity; if needed,Qing emperors
  • Qing support them
  • massacre Chinese Christians+ westerners
  • British,French,Dutch send their armies to treaty ports to protect their influence
  • undermines Qing ( Qing was on wrong side)
  • westerners demand reparations-$443 million, unequal treaties
• how and why did the Qing fall?

  • qing introduces reforms-seen as to little too late
  • led to dissent
• why did China split into rival regions+what is the significance of control of beijing?

  • military looks to japan-they have massive influence despite the fact they were poorer+smaller than china
  • emperor dies +is replaced with a 6 year old
  • uprisings begin in Wuhan under military leader Sun Yatsen (warlord era)
  • new Qing emperor flees to japan
• summarise the militarist regional governments?

  • sun Yatsen wanted modernisation,China to join the community of nations(equivalent to modern day united nations)
  • some democratic reform, and freedom from western control(this became a period of liberalisation)
• in the contwxt of ww1 what did the chinese do, and what were the 21 demands?

  • china forced to give money,food+ soldiers during ww1 (due to boxer rebellion agreements from 1911), and 2,000 soldiers die
  • anger-communist organisations created,many in universities
  • 21 demands of japan-they want access to the economy of Manchuria or they will invade
• what lead to the may 4th movement?

  • china wanted germany territory/treaty ports back in the treaty of versailles, but these german treaty ports are actually givento the british
  • these terms were announced in China on 4th may 1919-May 4th movement
  • symbolised communism against nationalism
• why did chiang kai-shek emerge as dominantleader of GMD?

  • sun yatsen dies+is replaced by jiang jieshi
• what vision did the GMD have for China?

  • warlords who were loyal to sun yatsen are not loyal to jiang
  • northenr expedition- civil/unification wat to make the northern warlords submit, and unify with the rest of China
  • strangely, this is supported by the USSR, who tells the CCP to support jiang(called the 1st united front)
• key features of the nationalist government?

  • one party state, centralist, remove imperialist power, reduce rural poverty, industrialisation, against superstition
• what was the long march?

  • CCP was forced to flee to the yun'an mountains by the GMD 1/4 of 800,000 remained(1930-33). army needed elsewhere.