Although the redirection of violence into rebellion against the state necessitated the intervention of precipitating historical events, the preconditions of recurring rebellion can be sought in longer lasting adaptive processes. Naturally, she added, the style of adaptation itself underwent changes over time, as new circumstances and past experiences altered the forms of human activity. Nevertheless, as long as society proved unable to shackle the forces of nature, an essential continuity prevailed. Once the rebellions started, the Qing government had greater difficulty to successfully carry out its intended reforms, which caused more hardship to the Chinese people. This motivated even more people to enter the revolutions. (Major).
Yet it was the arrival of the Western countries and modernization in China that brought the most changes and final destruction of the Qing Dynasty. For numerous years, the Qing Empire did all it could to protect itself not only from internal revolutions but also from foreign invasions. The Qing became the first dynasty to eliminate successfully all danger to China from across its land borders. Under Manchu leadership, the nation expanded to include the largest area from before or ever since. In addition, Qing emperors received tribute from the various border states (Gernet).
Now that the Qing reforms were no longer working, however, the Chinese people were open to western ideas. Before the reform movements, China was not a modern country compared to most others, and the majority of people practiced antiquated policies. This started to change across the country. At first the modernization of China was very limited. Yet, at the same time, a number of forward-looking Chinese officials recognized that the country would have to adjust to the rapidly changing modern world. Their slogan became "Enrich the state, strengthen the military," and they demonstrated what China had to do in order to survive -- it was necessary to end isolation and self-sufficiency (Gernet).
Southeast Asia went to France, Manchuria went to Russia and Japan, and Burma went to Great Britain. Foreign wars, famine and rebellions crossed the country, while the leaders struggled and then failed to hold onto the world they had for so long before. At the same time, the British had built a brisk trade in opium, and a tremendous drug problem plagued China. About 4,000 chests of opium were being imported into the country per year, compared to 40 just a few decades before. When the Chinese retaliated and cracked down on the influx of opium, the Chinese and British clashed with each other in the Anglo-Chinese or so-called Opium War. The Chinese lost and were forced to sign the Treaty of Nanjing, which gave Hong Kong to England. If this was not enough, while China was fighting Europe during the Opium War, it was also convulsed by a major internal revolution called the Taiping Rebellion (Gernet).
Next, it was Japan's turn, and they, too, overtook China. Also, as before, once again internal problems exacerbated the problem. A society called the Boxers roamed the countryside attacking Christian establishments and foreigners. Finally, the United States entered China to put down the rebellion. The Qing Empire at last lost all its influence, and the Open Door Policy with the external world now reigned.
References
Fairbank, John and Reischauer, Edwin. China. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1989.
Gernet, Jacques. History of Chinese Civilization. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1972.
Major, John. The Land and People of China. New York: J.B. Lippincott, 1989.
Perry, Elizabeth. North China, 1845-1945. Stanford, CA: Stanford University, 1980.
Qing Dynasty, Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2007. 9, March 2008. http://encarta.msn.com1997-2007 Microsoft Corporation..
Robert, J.A.G. Modern China. Great Britain: Alan Sutton, 1998.
