Impact of Defeat in the Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895)
- The Qing dynasty’s defeat by Japan shocked China and exposed how far behind it had fallen in modernization.
- The once-powerful Beiyang Fleet, built during the Self-Strengthening Movement, was destroyed, showing the failure of military reforms.
- The Treaty of Shimonoseki (1895) forced China to give up Taiwan, recognize Korea’s independence, and pay large indemnities to Japan.
- China’s weakness invited foreign powers to carve out new spheres of influence, taking control of ports, mines, and railways.
- Defeat caused educated Chinese to lose faith in the Qing government, leading reformers to demand deeper political change.
Definition
Indemnity
- a payment made by a defeated country to cover the costs of war.
Definition
Spheres of Influence
- areas where foreign powers had economic and political privileges inside China.
Political and Social Reactions to Defeat
Calls for Reform
- Reformers such as Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao argued that China needed constitutional and educational change, not just weapons.
- Newspapers and pamphlets criticized corruption and the slow pace of modernization.
- Younger officials looked to Japan as a model of how an Asian nation could modernize successfully.
- The defeat encouraged reformers to organize study societies and write petitions to the emperor.
Government Response
- Empress Dowager Cixi blamed military commanders rather than policy failures.
- Some reforms were promised, such as expanding the navy and reorganizing education, but they were not carried out effectively.
- The emperor began to consider new reform ideas but faced strong opposition from conservative officials.
- The government’s limited response increased the popularity of reformers who demanded real change.
Guangxu Emperor and the Hundred Days’ Reform (1898)
- The Guangxu Emperor, influenced by reformer Kang Youwei, attempted to modernize China quickly after the humiliating war.
- The reforms aimed to transform China into a constitutional monarchy, similar to Japan or Britain.
- Reforms included modern schools, updated civil service exams, a national railway system, and a restructured military.
- Conservatives at court, especially Cixi, feared losing power and viewed the reforms as too radical.
- The reforms lasted only about 100 days before Cixi staged a coup and placed the emperor under house arrest.
