Five countries have united to soon cease the Boxers in China; a rebellious group that is well known for their belligerent actions towards foreigners and "Chinese converts to Christianity" (1). The Boxers don't believe in peace, and have aimed their aggression at foreigners because they believe that the Europeans and the Americans are out to destroy traditional Chinese culture. The Boxers or the 'Society of the Harmonious Fist' have confined the rebellion to the North (2). The Boxers have thousands of followers. Foreigners call the secret society "Boxers" because they practice many kinds of martial arts, such as shadowboxing. The group believes that their magical powers will protect them from bullets (3).The foolish Empress Tz'u Hsi has supported the Boxers and their main goal, "to destroy the foreigner" (4). She delivered an noble message to all the Chinese regions:

The present situation is becoming daily more difficult. The various Powers cast upon us looks of tiger-like voracity, hustling each other to be first to seize our innermost territories. . . . Should the strong enemies become aggressive and press us to consent to things we can never accept, we have no alternative but to rely upon the justice of our cause. . . . If our . . . hundreds of millions of inhabitants . . . would prove their loyalty to their emperor and love of their country, what is there to fear from any invader? Let us not think about making peace.(5)

This has set up the ring for the Boxers to take a stronger stand.

Luckily for our sake the five countries will soon step in and stop the Boxers. The Boxers have disrupted China and have humiliated all of us. It looks to outsiders as if we don't know how to run our own country, that we can't control what goes on. It also looks to outsiders that we have ignorant leaders who support such a violent cause and do not stop the rebellion even when "foreign ministers insist that the Chinese government stop the Boxers" (6). The Empress has done nothing while they have entered the Chinese capital, Beijing. One American recalls the account in Beijing.

20,000 Boxers advanced in a solid mass and carried standards of red and white cloth. Their yells were deafening, while the roar of gongs, drums and hornssounded like thunder. . . . They waved their swords and stamped on the ground with their feet. They wore red turbans, sashes, and garters over blue cloth. [When] they were only twenty yards from our gate, . . . three volleys from the rifles of our sailors left more than fifty dead upon the ground. (7)

 

The Boxers have disturbed the peace in China and need to be stopped. An artist has portraied them as seen aside in the picture. The Boxers have made their point and have been heard, the way that they have done so has not been so honorable. In the long run I think our country is goning to suffer from this, by taking a punch in the face.

Sources:

(1) Aurthur Cotterell, China's Civilization (New York: Praeger Publishers, 1975), 242.

(2) Ibid

(3) J. Buschini, "The Boxer Rebellion", [http://www.smplanet.com/imperialism/fists.html], January 31st, 2002.

(4) Jackson J. Spielvogel, World History The Human Odyssey (New York: West Educational Publishing, 1998), 774-775.

(5) Buschini.

(6) Ibid

(7) Ibid

Images:

(1) Buschini.

(2) Ibid

(3) Philip Dutre, "Wargaming The Boxer Rebellion". [http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~phil/GM/BOXER/boxerrebellion.html], January 31st, 2002.

Back to D Block