The Boxer Rebellion 1900-01

I know that isn't what the Chinese call it, but its hard to break the habit. I am researching the BR for a series of magazine articles, and want to present a more Chinese-focused view than is usual in Western published material. However, I don't read or write Chinese, which cuts off good sources because so little has been translated into English, or any other European language I could handle.

If anyone on the forum shares my interest I would very much like to hear from them, please.

Mike

Hmm... first off I guess it's easier if you state what you want to know? The mindset of the Chinese people going into the Rebellion, the aftermath from their point of view?

From what i remember growing in in mainland, they are portrayed as nationalistic hero who are trying to save china, only to be betrayed by the qing government.
But i think recently alot of media (movies and tv series) has more or less changed into the view of them being masses of ignorants, and even shows the atrocities they commited against chritian missionaries.

It was nothing but today's Muslim rebellion against the west.

Same slogans, same way of fighting, I think Muslims are even more civilized today.

Thanks for the responses.

In answer to The Zergling's qusetion, I am after both, but more the mindset going in than that after. But most of all I am after contemporary Chinese descriptions of the events. I am not looking for modern interpretations or views on the Rising, interesting though they may be, except where they quote from sources contemporary to the Boxer Rebellion.

I have a great deal of information, mostly from primary sources, about the Allied armies, their views of the actions that were fought and of the performance and appearance of the Boxers and the Imperial Chinese army. What I would like to find would be Chinese views at the time of the Allied armies, and of the two Chinese forces. Even the smallest snippets would be useful for giving a different world-view.

All contributions will be acknowledged in the published articles, of course.

Thanks

Mike

Mike Blake said:

Thanks for the responses.

In answer to The Zergling's qusetion, I am after both, but more the mindset going in than that after. But most of all I am after contemporary Chinese descriptions of the events. I am not looking for modern interpretations or views on the Rising, interesting though they may be, except where they quote from sources contemporary to the Boxer Rebellion.

I have a great deal of information, mostly from primary sources, about the Allied armies, their views of the actions that were fought and of the performance and appearance of the Boxers and the Imperial Chinese army. What I would like to find would be Chinese views at the time of the Allied armies, and of the two Chinese forces. Even the smallest snippets would be useful for giving a different world-view.

All contributions will be acknowledged in the published articles, of course.

Thanks

Mike

Click to expand...

Then you need to learn Chinese since the bulk of info were never translated into any western languages.

The only helpful piece of information I can think of is a translated article by Professor Yuan Weishi (Zhongshan University). It's a criticism of what he sees as the prevailing attitude towards the Boxer Rebellion and other associated history.



The website also gives an account of the controversy caused by the article. For those that know about this it's old news, but if you're completely new to the area it might help.

I would suggest you write directly to some academics at major universities in the US, as there are a lot of Asian-focused historians out there.

kunmingren said:

From what i remember growing in in mainland, they are portrayed as nationalistic hero who are trying to save china, only to be betrayed by the qing government.
But i think recently alot of media (movies and tv series) has more or less changed into the view of them being masses of ignorants, and even shows the atrocities they commited against chritian missionaries.

Click to expand...

I call it a shift in politics.

When nationalism seems more in vogue, they're portrayed as national heroes. But when the government has become wary of religious based extremism, the view also changed on the Boxers.

Fishhead - that is the point I made in my original post. But as a freelance writer if I tried to learn every language I really need for primary sources I would be in language school all day everyday and never get any writing done! ;-) Therefore as far as Russian, Japanese & Chinese are concerned I have to rely on others, whilst I cope with French, German, Italian and Spanish.

FuManChu - that is very helpful. I will take a look at this. Translations are what I am after, or someone who is also intrested in the BR and with whom I can exchange information. I would be delighted to share my material from western sources [which includes a great deal of Russian material].

Although I am doing this for publication, the BR has become a very particular interest of mine [my wife says obsession] and I pursue it as a personal interest too.

Many thanks

Mike

FuManChu

That reference really is most useful, many thanks.

Mike

Mike Blake said:

Fishhead - that is the point I made in my original post. But as a freelance writer if I tried to learn every language I really need for primary sources I would be in language school all day everyday and never get any writing done! ;-) Therefore as far as Russian, Japanese & Chinese are concerned I have to rely on others, whilst I cope with French, German, Italian and Spanish.
Mike

Click to expand...

The point is, the Boxer rebellion history is quite contradictive in China, while in the west the opinion is roughly one-side story.

It's rarely mentioned and discussed in the mordern history study, since it has no direct relation with the current political affair(not like the KMT/CCP issue). Also many Chinese don't like the Boxer rebellion way of fight, they don't see it as a glorious story. But on the other side, many still support and endorse the Boxer rebellion, which is still the official line of CCP.

So the translation of material into west language is pretty much selective and political in the nature. You can't claim that it reflects the contemporary or the present Chinese view, neither.