CHAPTER 4

EAST ASIA’S REACTION TO THE

WESTERN IMPACT

“Say (O Muhammad): “O Allah! Possessor of the

kingdom. You give the kingdom to whom You will, and you
take the kingdom from whom You will, and You endue
with honour whom You will, and You humiliate whom You
will. In your hand is the good. Verily, You are able to do
all things.”
(Al-Imran:26)
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4.1 WESTERN INTRUSION (1839 – 1860)

• Biggest and strongest country in

Asia for thousands of years
• Ruled by Manchu dynasty from
1644 – 1911
• Under the Manchus, China
followed a policy of isolation
• China regarded themselves as
superior to other nations. Saw
Westerners as ‘barbarians’

Map of China showing ports

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4.1 WESTERN INTRUSION (1839 – 1860)

Canton Trade

In 18th Century, Canton was

only port opened to the West

Western traders only allowed

to trade with Cohongs

Corruption and bribery part of

the Chinese administration at Chinese official (Cohong)
awaiting a British trader
that time
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4.1 WESTERN INTRUSION (1839 – 1860)

• British bought tea from Chinese

• In 1770s British traded opium with the Chinese
• In 1880, a law was passed banning the import of opium

• However the law was unable to

stop illegal trade of opium
• Lin Tse-hsu asked to stop the
illegal smuggling of opium
• British did not agree to stop
importing opium
Man smoking opium
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4.1 WESTERN INTRUSION (1839 – 1860)
The Opium War 1839 - 42

The British resentment of: The Chinese resentment of:

• trade restrictions on the
foreign traders
• the ban on opium
imports by the Emperor
• British refusal to hand
over soldier who had killed
Chinese sailor
• the outflow of Chinese
silver currency in buying
opium
• harmful effects of opium

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4.1 WESTERN INTRUSION (1839 – 1860)

Chinese junks fighting British warships

• 1839: Battle of Chuenpi fought between Chinese and British
• Many Chinese junks sunk by British warships.
• British won. War ended with Treaty of Nanking in 1842
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4.1 WESTERN INTRUSION (1839 – 1860)

Terms of Treaty of Nanking 1842

• Five ports ( Canton, Amoy,

Foochow, Ningpo and Shanghai)
opened to foreign trade
• Hong Kong island to the British
• Cohong abolished
• British consuls appointed to
protect British interest
China’s first five treaty ports
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4.1 WESTERN INTRUSION (1839 – 1860)

Treaty of Nanking ended

Chinese policy of isolation

Chinese forced to open door

to and sign treaties with
America, France and Holland

Chinese not happy with

treaties. Did not adher to
them. Second Anglo Chinese War
(Arrow War) in 1856. British
won. Led to signing of
Convention of Peking in 1860
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4.2 MODERNISATION AND REFORMS (1860 – 1898)

Attempted Modernisation

AFTER THE CONVENTION OF PEKING CHINA TRIED

TO STRENGTHEN ITSELF BY

1. Using Western 3. Establishing a

2. Creating new
technology to build new foreign office
industries
up military and to deal with
naval strength Western powers

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4.2 MODERNISATION AND REFORMS (1860 – 1898)

1895: Treaty of
Shimonoseki signed.
China recognises
independence of Korea

War won by Japan

1894: China at war with
Japan over Korea

Western powers such as Russia, Germany, France and Britain

demanded new privileges and concessions from China. They
joined in the ‘scramble for concessions’.
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Map showing ‘scramble for concessions and territories’ by Europeans
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4.2 MODERNISATION AND REFORMS (1860 – 1898)

Attempted Reforms

In 1898, Emperor Kuang-hsu

made reforms in government,
education, industry and
international relations

Reforms short-lived because of

Empress Dowager who took over
throne from her nephew.

Chinese hatred of foreigners led to

outbreak of rebellion
Empress Dowager Tzu-hsi
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4.2 MODERNISATION AND REFORMS (1860 – 1898)

• Peasant secret society

• Angry about unequal treaties
imposed on Chinese by foreigners
• 1900 uprising – war declared on
foreigners
• Uprising crushed before end of
year

Failure of Boxer Rebellion

weakened Manchu dynasty.
People wanted a stronger
government. They wanted a
revolution.

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4.3 REVOLUTION AND REPUBLIC (1911-12)
• China was ruled by Manchu government for about 267 years
• Chinese lived in misery due to corrupt and weak government

Dr Sun Yat-sen led

revolutionaries to
overthrow government \
and set up a republic

Dr. Sun Yat-sen

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4.3 REVOLUTION AND REPUBLIC (1911-12)

Aims of Tung-meng Hui:

Dr Sun first started a
secret society called • Overthrow Manchu
Hsing-chung Hui in 1895. dynasty
• End foreign control of
In 1905, he had support China
from other groups. He • Establish a Republic
became leader of the
Tung-meng Hui
(Combined League).

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4.3 REVOLUTION AND REPUBLIC (1911-12)

The 1911 Revolution

October 1911: revolution broke out in Central China, led by an

army commander, Li Yuan-hung.
Revolution spread through Central China and
southern provinces. Military governors took over.
Yuan Shih-kai made head of new government
December 1911: Sun Yat Sen returned to
China and was elected first President of the
Republic of China
Yuan Shih-kai
February 1912: Emperor Hsuan-tung abdicated the throne

April 1912: Sun Yat Sen gave up presidency to Yuan Shih-kai

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4.3 REVOLUTION AND REPUBLIC (1911-12)

Sun Yat Sen died in 1925.

In China, he is still
regarded as the father of
the revolution.

Kuomintang advocated:
After resigning the presidency, Nationalism, democracy
Sun Yat Sen continued to lead and socialism
the Tung-meng Hui. It was
renamed Kuomintang (KMT)
or the Nationalist Party.

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4.4 COMMODORE PERRY’S EXPEDITION

• Japan’s Emperor not very strong

• Real power in hands of military ruler – the Shogun
• Shoguns controlled Japan ever since 1192
• Shoguns did not like Westerners. Advocated closed door
policy towards Westerners
• Policy of isolation ended in 1850. Japan realised need to
adopt Western-influence programs of modernisation

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Map of Japan showing
its ports and cities
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4.4 COMMODORE PERRY’S EXPEDITION

Americans were looking for markets and

raw materials in the East. Also needed a
port to provide shelter for American ships.

In 1850, Commodore Perry arrived in

Japan asking Japanese to consider trade
with America.

One year later, Commodore Perry returned to

get Japan’s answer. In light of American
military strength, Japan agreed.
Commodore Perry

A treaty called the Treaty of Kanagawa was signed in 1854.

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4.4 COMMODORE PERRY’S EXPEDITION

Treaty of Kanagawa signed between Japan and America in 1854.

Terms of Treaty of Terms of Treaty of Edo (1858)

Kanagawa (1854):
• 4 more Japanese ports opened
• ports of Shimoda and to America.
Hakodate were opened to
• Law import duties imposed
American ships
• Foreign residence to be
• American consul sent to
allowed at Edo and Osaka
Japan
• Americans to have
• America given most-
extraterritorial rights
favoured nation status
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4.5 MEIJI RESTORATION
Return of power from the Shogun to the Emperor of Japan

• First Meiji emperor was Emperor Mutsuhito

• Edo renamed as Tokyo
• Emperor Mutsuhito began series of modernisations.

Emperor Mutsuhito Emperor arrives in Tokyo with court

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4.5 MEIJI RESTORATION 1868

Military
Administration Law

Education

Communications Industry
Agriculture

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4.6 SINO-JAPANESE WAR 1894 - 1895
• Both China and Japan wanted to control Korea
• Japan won the Sino-Japanese War
• Treaty of Shimonoseki signed in 1895

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4.6 RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR 1904 - 1905

Japan and Russia both

wanted control of Korea
and Manchuria

War broke out in 1904

Japan won first battle at

the Yalu River Ships that took part in Russo-Japanese war

Japan won second battle Japan and Russia

in 1905 agreed to a peace treaty

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4.7 RUSSO-JAPANESE WAR 1904 - 1905
The Treaty of Portsmouth was signed on 5 Sept 1905 between
Japan and Russia.

Terms of Treaty:
• Russia to recognise Japan’s interest in Korea
• Japan to take over the Liaotung Peninsula lease
• Japan and Russia not to interfere in Manchuria’s
commercial / industrial development
• Japan and Russia to withdraw troops from
Manchuria

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CHAPTER 4: SUMMARY

Opium War Boxer The 1911

1839 - 42 Rebellion 1900 Revolution

Treaty of War on Rise of Secret

Nanking 1842 Foreigners Societies

Convention of Humiliation Overthrow

Peking 1860 and disgrace Manchus

Reforms to Call by people Reforms to

Modernise for a Republic Modernise
China of China China
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 Sun Yat-Sen (1866 - 1925)
• He was the first overseas-educated rebel in Chinese
history.
• He was born in Shanghai but was educated in
Honolulu and Hong Kong. He graduated in medicine in
1892 and worked as a doctor for a short time in South
China.
• He lived abroad till 1911. He had the support of the
overseas Chinese. In 1895, Sun Yat-Sen founded a
secret society called Hsing-chung Hui (Revive China BACK
Society). Its headquarters was in Hong Kong.

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 AGRICULTURE
•New methods of farming were
introduced
•Modern machines were used
•A land tax was introduced to encourage
farmers to grow crops for sale
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 COMMUNICATIONS
•First railway was built in 1872
•New roads were built
•Telegraph and postal systems were
started

BACK

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 INDUSTRY
•Private companies such as Mitsui and
Mitsubishi emerged
•New jobs such as managers, foremen and
factory workers were created

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 EDUCATION
•By 1872, compulsory education was
introduced
•Many primary schools were built
•School systems were based on American
and French models
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 LAW
•Foreigners in Japan were judged by
Japanese law
•By 1890, new criminal and civil codes of
law were introduced

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 MILITARY
•In 1873, compulsory military service was
introduced
•Samurais were abolished
•Peasants were allowed to join the army and
navy
•Modern western weapons used
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 ADMINISTRATION
•Feudal system abolished
•A Constitutional system of government
was introduced

BACK

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