When we look at what the Boxers have done, we know that they are not good people:
First, the origin of the boxer rebellion
In China at that time, only missionaries were allowed to enter inland areas, and an important goal of Boxer Rebellion was church organization. The church absorbed its congregation in China, which caused great dissatisfaction among the local people. Of course, part of the reason is that missionaries are mixed. However, with the ability of a few missionaries, how many things can be done out of line? Why can they set off such a huge wave of xenophobia?
Looking back at the "religious plans" that happened at that time, most of them were not conflicts of interests, but conflicts of ideas. At that time, China people accused foreigners' religions of advocating "no monarch and no father", and religious women were regarded as "immoral". For example, 1875 1 month, the Jingzhou religious plan, women chanting in the flag camp, were forced to kill by their husbands.
The opposition between China's ancient culture and western religious culture is the root of the rampant xenophobia. In addition, people's ignorance at that time was also an important factor causing this hostility. For example, make up some absurd "foreign devil crimes" through your own imagination:
Silver (foreign) must take medicine from China. Westerners' eyes are useless, so it has nothing to do with the demise of that country, but with the acceptance of independent China people. ..... (foreigners) can curse the water to fly, steal people's souls and rape them, saying that they are in harmony. You can also take women's hair claws and put them at the bottom of the mat to make them feel free. Stick boys and girls' birthdays on trees, curse them, treat their souls as ears, … even cut off women's uterus and children's kidneys, and take out children's brains and hearts by surgery! (Page 9 of Selected Exposed Posts of Anti-Westernization Articles)
The wall of Beijing Xishiku Church is covered with human skin and blood, and countless women are naked, standing on the wall with filth in their hands, nailed upstairs by caesarean section with pregnant women. Therefore, the members of the Boxer League invited God to the front of the building, and he was washed away by evil, so the god horse went to the Dharma and could not move forward, so it was difficult to burn. Besides, there are old devils in the church who specialize in witchcraft and hurt people. It's hard to win, but it does more damage. (The Chronicle of Gengzi, page 28)
Many similar accusations against foreign religions were recorded in the posts of the Boxer Rebellion which were widely circulated at that time. People who have experienced modern science education will not believe this, but the Boxer Rebellion itself was opened everywhere at that time, so people naturally believed it.
The boxer movement originated in Shandong and Zhili in the second half of 1990s. Organize in the name of "practicing boxing", attack the church and oppose foreign religions. 1898, 10 year 10 in late October, the Boxer Rebellion in Liyuantun, guanxian, Shandong Province rose rapidly, developing from Shandong to Zhili and entering Beijing and Tianjin in the summer of 1900.
Second, the boxer's prosperity
If this extreme emotion is only among the people, it won't cause any big trouble. Unfortunately, however, this force was involved in a bigger political struggle and was quickly urged to produce a more terrible political movement. In the 24th year of Guangxu (1898), the Reform Movement of 1898 failed, and Cixi resumed political training through a coup. However, Cixi was still very dissatisfied with Emperor Guangxu, who repeatedly violated his wishes, and planned to set up another monarch. I didn't expect envoys from all over the world to like Guangxu's opening up and unite against it, so Cixi had to give up. In the 25th year of Guangxu1Feb. 24th, Cixi summoned her ministers and declared the son of Zaiyi, the king of Feng Duan County, as the prince, again trying to abolish Guangxu. Two days later, Jing Yuanshan and 1200 people in the general office of Shanghai Radio and Television Bureau sent a telegram opposing the abolition of legislation, saying that "all countries have the theory of mobilizing troops to interfere." Cixi was bent on abolishing Guangxu, but she was frightened by foreigners. At this time, Duan Jun recommended the Boxer Rebellion to her, saying that they could be invulnerable and not afraid of foreign guns.
Originally, the Boxer Rebellion was the most powerful in Shandong, because Yu Xian, the governor of Shandong, connived at the local Boxer Rebellion. Later, they caused a disaster (killing foreigners), which provoked criticism from foreign ministers. The Qing court only removed Yuxian officials, recalled the capital and reassigned Yuan Shikai as the governor of Shandong. After Yuan arrived in Shandong, the local Boxer Rebellion relentlessly fled to Zhili, Beijing and Tianjin. Besides, Yuxian came to Beijing and boasted to princes and ministers everywhere. The Boxers were invulnerable. At that time, Wang Duanjun, Zhuang and the university students, the representatives of the die-hards in Beijing, got treasures and encouraged Cixi to use the Boxer Rebellion against foreigners. Speaking of this Xu Tong, Mr. Lu Xun once said that he "only knows that there are Britain and France in the world, but he doesn't know Portugal and Spain. He thought it was because foreigners wanted too much embarrassment, so he made it up, and this Xu was the actual commander of the Boxer Rebellion.
2 The truth of the Boxer Rebellion-the shadow that has enveloped China for a hundred years.
In May of the 26th year of Guangxu (1900), Cixi sent military minister Zhao Shuqiao to Zhuozhou and Liangxiang to announce the Boxer Rebellion. Late at night on the 20th of this month, someone sent a foreigner note to Rong Lu, asking Cixi to return to Guangxu immediately. On the 23rd, the Qing court held a meeting and decided to declare war. Later, Cixi discovered that the original note was fake. It was Duan County King who dared his son to be emperor, but it was too late. The next day, German minister Cleander was killed in Chongwenmen Street. The Qing army and the Boxer Rebellion besieged the Embassy in Dongjiaominxiang and the Sisiku Church. On the 25th, the Qing court officially sent a letter to declare war. Since June, the Boxer Rebellion has entered Beijing on a large scale, and its robber nature has really been exposed. It is common to rob the property of the parishioners, and it is also common to sit on the ground and sell the robbed things. They said, "All the burned houses are religious, but they don't extend to kind people." (Boxer Notes Page 13) In the logic of the Boxer Movement, all China people who believe in religion should be killed. /kloc-In July of 0/5, the Boxer Rebellion attacked more than 3,000 parishioners gathered in Songjiahe. Three days later, Chen brought 2,500 new soldiers to join; By the 20th, the Boxer Rebellion broke through the fence with explosives, killing all the nuns who made the last resistance, and then burning 1000 men, women and children trapped in the church, only 50 people escaped from the window; In addition, only 500 people survived when Chen brought them back to Beijing, sold them as slaves by the Boxers and escaped at night.
The Boxer Rebellion called missionaries "Russian children", parishioners "Russian children", and "learning foreign languages" and "using foreign goods" were successively called "three Russian children" and "four Russian children" until "ten Russian children", all of which were severely cracked down. They often find a big house at random, describe it as "connected with foreign countries", and then rush into the house and ransack it. Because the Boxers hate everything related to foreigners' education, those who use foreign things will be killed without forgiveness. If cigarettes, glasses or even umbrellas and socks are used, users will be put to death. Six bachelors fled the chaos in a hurry. Because they took a pencil and a piece of foreign paper with them, they were found by bandits on the road and they were all dead. There is even a saying that "a family has matches and eight people kill together" ... It is even more explicit to kill enlightened gentry, reformists and Boxers, and to "tear down Wentong Museum and University Hall". All teachers and students will not be spared. "
Because the boxer was ordered to do it, its strength is unparalleled. They even dared to rush into the Forbidden City to catch Guangxu, the "number one traitor", and were scolded by Cixi. Other officials, big and small, foreign envoys, don't even care. It turned out that Li Hongzhang, Minister of Westernization, was also the target of the Boxer Rebellion. However, he had the foresight to seek refuge as governor of Guangdong and Guangxi in advance. It was not until Cixi fled the capital that she was given full responsibility for cleaning up the mess.
Third, the decline of the boxer rebellion.
The decline of the Boxers was doomed from the beginning, and their invulnerability myth was completely shattered in front of a temporary "Eight-Nation Alliance" with about 20,000 people. Ironically, Eight-Nation Alliance has called, but the Boxers are still keen on burning churches and killing parishioners. Even in order to protect personal grievances, Tianjin Boxer attacked Nie Shicheng's department of the Qing army who was resisting Eight-Nation Alliance from behind.
On June 12, Cixi was transferred to Li Hongzhang, the governor of Guangdong and Guangxi, as the governor of Zhili to handle foreign negotiations. 18, Eight-Nation Alliance was trapped in Tianjin. On the 27th, Xu Jingcheng and Chang Yuan, officials of the peace faction, played the role of disintegrated ministers who believed in witchcraft and endangered the country and people. On the fourth day of July, Cixi executed Xu Jingcheng and Chang Yuan. /kloc-on 0/7, Xu Yongyi, Lishan and Lianyuan, both peacemakers, were executed. On the 20th, Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing. The next day, Cixi and Emperor Guangxu fled from Beijing to the west.
The movement ended with the signing of the Treaty of Xin Chou, and each of the 450 million people in China gave one or two taels of silver for the Boxer Rebellion. At the same time, Russia also took the opportunity to occupy the northeast.
Fourthly, the later generations' views on the Boxer Movement.
Zou Rong said in the book Revolutionary Army that "there are barbaric revolutions and civilized revolutions." "The barbaric revolution is destructive, without construction, violent and reckless. Contentment causes terror, such as the Boxer Rebellion of the Boxer Rebellion and Gabonari of Italy, which adds disaster to the people."
Lu Xun said in "Two or Three Events Recorded by Mr. Taiyan": "During the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty, Kang Youwei failed in his political reform. In response, it was the Boxer Movement ... ".
Cai Yuanpei said in 19 16: "Since Empress Dowager Cixi, the Manchu government has been stubborn because it hates the new law and outsiders." (Lectures of South China University of Technology)
Li Dazhao said in his famous declaratory paper "Fundamental Differences between Eastern and Western Civilizations" (1 965438+July 20081): "So far, what we should strive to do is how to learn from the strengths of western civilizations to help the poor of our eastern civilizations. Never use the ideas of the Boxer Rebellion to ruin the world with the weather of my death and silence. "
Chen Duxiu's article "Monument to the Cleaners" published in "New Youth" comprehensively analyzes the characteristics of the Boxer Rebellion against the trend of the times from five fundamental aspects. Chen Duxiu finally concluded: "According to the above facts, it seems that the reason why China wants to engage in Boxer Boxing has not decreased at all compared with before the Boxer Rebellion, and the future results can be imagined. If our people want to dismantle the monument of national humiliation at present and in the future, they must prevent the boxer movement from happening. If the Boxer Rebellion never happens again, we must completely eliminate all the reasons for creating the Boxer Rebellion. There are two roads in the world now: one is the road to scientific harmony without god; One is the dark road to despotism and superstition of theocracy. If our people hope that the righteous act of the Boxer Rebellion will never happen again, and that such a shameful monument as the Monument to the Cleaners will never be erected again, which way should we go? "
3 The Truth of the Boxer Rebellion-the shadow that has enveloped China for a hundred years.
Even Wen Yiduo, when talking about his change from supporting the Kuomintang to supporting the * * * production party, said that because Chiang Kai-shek published the book "The Destiny of China" in 1943, it is necessary to vigorously carry forward China's traditional culture such as eight virtues and four dimensions. He wrote: "The publication of The Destiny of China is a very important key for me. I was shocked by the boxer spirit. Is that what our wise leader thinks? The May 4th Movement had a profound influence on me. The fate of China openly challenges the May Fourth Movement, and I can't stand it anyway. " ("Eight Years of Memories and Perceptions")
It can be seen that the Boxer Rebellion has just passed for decades, and the thinkers of the May 4th New Culture Movement have a striking similarity in their understanding of the Boxer Rebellion.