The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising or the Righteous and Harmonious Fists Uprising, was an anti-imperialist, anti-foreign, and anti-Christian upsurge of Chinese nationalism that occurred in China from 1899 to 1901. The rebellion was mainly concentrated in northern China and was ultimately suppressed by a military expedition composed of an international force, which was organized by the Eight-Nation Alliance.
The uprising began in the late 19th century in response to increased foreign influence and presence, especially those of Westerners, in China and their interference in internal politics and economic enterprises. The Chinese government was weak and ineffective, and unable to protect its citizens from foreign aggressors. Fanned by resentment and growing xenophobia, many Chinese began to form secret societies such as the “Fists of Righteous Harmony,” whose members were known as the Boxers.
These secret societies started small-scale attacks on missionaries, churches, and foreign-owned enclaves and soon turned into a large-scale rebellion against foreign rule. In June of 1900, the Boxers marched on Beijing and besieged the foreign legations there, thus beginning the Boxer Rebellion. Despite the Boxers having sparked the rebellion, the movement had only limited support from the Qing court, who saw the Boxers as a potential threat to their own power.
The uprising lasted for over a year and a half before being quelled by an international military force of over 40,000 soldiers sent by the Eight-Nation Alliance. By the end of 1901, the rebellion had been suppressed, and foreign embassies were reopened in Beijing. However, this suppression had come at a great cost: the death and displacement of thousands of Chinese citizens.
To this day, the Boxer Rebellion is seen as a major event in Chinese history, with many experts and historians citing it as one of the catalysts of the eventual overthrow of the Qing Dynasty in 1911.