ASIA 110: Introduction to Asia (China)
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
Cixi Discussion
DISCUSSION: What do you think of Cixi? What evidence do we have?
(1) a power-hungry villain, just out for herself?
 put 4-year old nephew Guangxu and 2-year old Puyi on throne, in order to stay in power
controlled young emperors, listened behind the curtain, told them what to say
 eliminated Eight Regent Ministers, controlled all she could
 maybe killed her son Tongzhi at 19 by encouraging his debaucheries (“too much fun”)
 locked Guangxu in Summer Palace to stop his 100 Days Reforms—or him ruling at 19?
 killed rivals: maybe son and nephew, maybe Guangxu’s wife, maybe others
(2) an ignorant fool, afraid of progress?
 didn’t fight all the corruption and competition among palace officials
 used navy money unwisely: “marble boat” and Summer Palace
 doesn’t like change (conservative): believes the Chinese tradition is the best/only way,
against Later Reforms, New Reformers, Guangxu’s 100 Days Reforms
 isolated her country from the West
 encouraged anti-foreign activities
 believed in the magic powers of the Boxers
 bad at treaties: signed many treaties without thinking of the consequences
 understanding of Western ideas limited: against railroad cutting through graveyards,
electric wires in the rain looked like blood, etc.
(3) a preserver of China, against foreign forces?
 kept traditional ways and Chinese identity, keep Chinese names
 defeated “Christian” Taiping Rebellion against the Qing, with help of provincial armies
 supported the Early Reforms: Confucianism, agriculture, traditional life, help the South
 was against New Reformers, who believed in rejecting Confucius and Chinese tradition
 used Western technology but not ideas: prevented China from becoming a ‘Western’
country, e.g. sent students to Europe to learn Western science and technology but brought
them back realized they were ‘becoming Western,’ wanted boats but not British sailors
 turned the Boxers against foreigners, used them to fight Western influence in China,
declared war against the foreign powers, signed treaties to save China when Boxers lost
 fought wars in Vietnam and Korea to try to save them from France and Japan
 struggled with Russia wanting Manchuria, wanted to fight, didn’t have enough strength
 compromised to save China when provincial armies could not win: railroads, wars/treaties
ASIA 110: Introduction to Asia (China)
Instructor: Jennifer Lundin Ritchie
(4) a capable Second Empress, ruling in a difficult time?
 after her husband died, she was able to control all the authorities by herself
 many problems already existed before she came to power, e.g. floods, famine, Western
imperialism, opium, unfair treaties, examinations, Taiping Rebellion, etc.
 compared to other rulers, she did ok: rulers before her had not solved problems, Qing
collapsed after she died
 not a lot of money, but rebuilt the South/agriculture that were ruined by natural disasters
 had no national army: used and controlled powerful provincial armies
 stopped the Taiping Rebellion from overthrowing the Qing
 stopped the Boxer Rebellion from overthrowing the Qing
 controlled Guangxu when he wanted to completely change the government to a republic
 resisted Western colonization: didn’t just give in or accept it, even went to war
 borrowed some useful ideas from the West: languages, science, technology, military
 used much Western technology: boats, electricity, telegraph, mining, industry
 negotiated to save China when she could not win: railroads, wars/treaties
(5) a smart strategist, who could outmanoeuvre many?
 managed to stay in power a very long time, adapt the power of government for herself
 convinced Xianfeng’s official Empress to become co-regent, then took over all political
decision-making, maybe even killed her
 kept putting child rulers on the throne, used as puppets, actually she controlled the power
 manipulated child rulers into self-destructive behaviors, maybe even their deaths
 defended against the Taiping Rebellion by using regional armies
 managed to hold control over powerful regional generals/army
 destroyed New Reformers when they thought they had support of Emperor
 convinced Boxers to change targets: from Qing government to foreigners
 signed fake treaties: to buy time, trick enemies into thinking she wouldn’t attack, fight
more than one war at once
 sent students to Europe to get info, but pulled them back before they “turned Western”
(6) a scapegoat for the dynasty’s problems?
 many problems already existed before she came to power, e.g. Yellow River reversed,
floods, famine, Western imperialism, Canton system isolated China from the mainstream,
opium, unfair treaties, outdated systems like examinations, Taiping Rebellion, corruption
 woman ruler not popular, not accepted
 she usurped the throne = unpopular, not legitimate ruler, not royal (just a concubine)
 people needed someone to blame for suffering caused by the natural disasters
 easy to blame her for corruption, signing treaties, seemingly selfish behavior
 Christian West was “helping” China develop and she didn’t welcome it
 Christian West “taking over” China and she couldn’t stop it
 central government is supposed to be “in charge”, so it’s her responsibility
 history written by winners and she lost
 she was the last ruler: last ruler of a dynasty always painted as evil, wicked
 it was the LAST dynasty of China, so blamed for fall of entire Empire