The Westernization Movement, also known as the self-improvement movement, refers to the nationwide improvement movement of "learning from foreigners for self-improvement" carried out by the Westernization School in the Qing government from 18 1 894. After the two Opium Wars, the ruling class of the Qing government was divided into "Westernization School" and "Old School" on how to solve a series of problems of internal and external troubles. The Westernization School advocated developing new industries, enhancing national strength and maintaining the feudal rule of the Qing government. It also laid a certain foundation for China's modernization.

Representative figures: Aisingiorro Yixin, Li Hongzhang and Zeng Guofan.

Slogan: strive for self-improvement and seek wealth.

Process: The Westernization School, which presided over and advocated Westernization, was a faction developed by the Qing ruling clique with the support of foreign invaders in the process of suppressing the revolution of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. At first, the number was small, but their strength increased day by day. In the imperial court, he was the minister of the two prime ministers' offices, Qi Yi and Wen Xiang. At the local level, Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, Zuo, Zhang Zhidong and others hold real power. Among them, Xiang School headed by Zeng Guofan, Huai School headed by Li Hongzhang and later Zhang Zhidong School had great influence.

Objective reasons: Western powers do not want China to be rich and strong, nor will they let China master the truly advanced technology. Some foreign craftsmen employed by the Westernization School took advantage of China officials' ignorance of technology to extort money and seek huge profits, which made it difficult for enterprises to develop. The die-hards in the Qing government hated all westernization, obstructed and destroyed it in every way, which made the westernization movement difficult.

Subjective reasons: the whole Westernization Movement lacks a sound and powerful leadership core, and its strength is limited. Westernization officials lack their own modernization accomplishment and fail to realize the key role of system construction in western capitalist countries in their economic development. On the contrary, the Westernization School tried to rely solely on the introduction of western advanced technology and equipment, without completely changing the feudal exploitation system, and tried to engage in the so-called "Chinese style and western use" in China, that is, to take China's feudal system as a container to accommodate western advanced technology, without understanding the internal contradictions between the two, which would inevitably lead to failure.

Positive significance: The Westernization Movement promoted China's military modernization, stimulated the emergence of capitalism in China, started the modernization of education, introduced many advanced western science and technology, and promoted the progress of China society.