The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Righteous and Harmonious Fists Rebellion, was an anti-foreign, anti-Christian, and pro-imperialist uprising in China between 1899 and 1901. It began as a peasant movement led by young members of the Yihequan (“Righteous and Harmonious Fists”) who were opposed to foreign influence, especially that of Christian missionaries, in China. The rebellion also sought to restore imperial authority over the provinces where foreigners had gained significant influence.
The uprising was organized in Beijing and was initially successful in repelling foreign forces. The Boxers besieged Beijing, making their presence felt in the capital city and elsewhere. In response, the Eight-Nation Alliance, an international coalition of forces drawn from Germany, Japan, Russia, Britain, the United States, France, Italy, and Austria-Hungary, was formed to crush the revolt. On 14 August 1900, the Alliance began its march towards Beijing, arriving in the Chinese capital on 14 August 1901. After several weeks of fighting and bombardment, the city eventually fell to the Alliance on 13 September 1901, signaling the end of the rebellion.
The defeat of the Boxers and their supporters resulted in major concessions from the Chinese government to the foreign powers, including large indemnity payments, increased diplomatic and commercial privileges, and the permanent presence of Alliance forces in China. The consequences of this loss for the Chinese people were devastating. Thousands of Chinese were killed or wounded in battles with the Alliance military, while tens of thousands of civilians perished in the subsequent plundering of Chinese cities.1
The Boxer Rebellion marked a major turning point in Chinese history, as it revealed the extent of poverty and oppression that faced the peasants of China and highlighted how vulnerable the Qing ruling dynasty had become to foreign interference. The reprisals of the Eight-Nation Alliance devastated much of northern China and ushered in a period of Westernisation and modernisation. In addition, the rebellion exposed weaknesses in China’s military and political system, which led to reforms such as the creation of a professional army and a constitutional monarchy. Moreover, the conflict helped lead to the end of Imperial rule in China and to the establishment of the Republic of China in 1912.
The Boxer Rebellion is widely seen as a pivotal event in modern Chinese history, marking the end of the country’s traditional order and the beginning of a long period of social, political and economic transformation. While the immediate impacts of the rebellion are clear, its legacy continues to be debated by scholars and commentators alike.
1 “Boxer Rebellion History: Causes, Events & Aftermath”. Accessed November 08, 2020. https://www.history.com/topics/boxer-rebellion