The Boxer Rebellion was a political, social and military uprising of the Yihetuan, known popularly as the “Boxers,” in China against the foreign influence in the country. The outbreak occurred in Shandong Province in 1899 and quickly spread to Beijing, where it was stopped by an international force in 1900.
At the roots of the rebellion was a growing dissatisfaction with the presence of foreigners in China, especially the missionaries and traders who came to do business in the country. Chinese nationalists saw the foreign influences as a threat to the country’s independence and traditional culture. As anti-foreign sentiment grew, so did the Boxers, a nationalist group made up of peasants and some disaffected members of the army. The group claimed to possess supernatural powers which would protect them from bullets and bayonets.
In the spring of 1900, the Boxers revolted and attacked foreign embassies, churches, and businesses in Beijing and elsewhere around the country. The violence soon reached a fever pitch and the Emperor, who had previously supported the movement, denounced it and ordered his troops to suppress it. The reaction of foreign powers to the uprising was swift; they sent in an international military force to protect their interests in China.
Ultimately, the Boxer Rebellion failed in its goal of expelling all foreigners from China. However, it did succeed in making the Chinese government aware of the anger and discontent among its people. In response, the government introduced reforms to address the grievances of the Chinese people, including abolishing unfair taxes and corrupt local officials. It also completed the construction of Shandong Railway, which had been started by the foreigners.
The Boxer Rebellion also succeeded in demonstrating to the world the power of nationalism and the need for reform in China. In the years that followed, the Chinese people emerged more united and determined to protect their country against Western imperialism. Ideas such as these, which first emerged with the Boxer Rebellion, would eventually lead to the foundation of the Republic of China in 1912.
The Boxer Rebellion also had a lasting impact on international relations; it led to the signing of the Boxer Protocol of 1901, in which China accepted complete responsibility for the damage caused by the uprising and agreed to payment of large reparations to the foreign powers. This set a precedent for future international agreements involving China and other countries.
In the end, the Boxer Rebellion was a short-lived yet powerful movement that sought to expel the foreigners from Chinese soil, protect Chinese independence and culture, and reform the government. Although it ultimately failed in achieving its goals, its impact is still felt today in a variety of ways.