Why Did China Defied The British Empire
Why China Defied the British Empire
Was China being arrogant or justified when it rejected the British? In 1793, King George III of Great Britain sent an embassy to China, with the aim to ease restrictions on trade. However, Chinese emperor Qianlong rejected them completely, setting off a chain of events that would prove to be disastrous for China. While pure arrogance was a factor in determining China’s rejection of the British, traditional Chinese beliefs and policies were also influential in determining that response. China’s Confucian values, economic achievements, and ultimately their celestial kingdom mindset were all very influential in shaping China’s relations with Britain. The Chinese viewed themselves as superior, due to their belief in Confucianism, which was …show more content…
After the fall of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, Fang Xiaoru, a Confucian scholar of the Ming Dynasty, noted “barbarians do not observe the order of human relations”. Since the Mongols did not observe these core Confucian values, they were barbarians in the minds of the Chinese, and in 1793 the Chinese viewed the British as barbarians for the same reasons. Confucianism has always held an important role in Chinese history. Confucianism rose up out of the warring states period, when brutality was frequent and everything was in disarray. Confucianism ultimately unified Chinese society, so it was deeply valued by the Chinese. This mindset made the Chinese feel superior to other cultures, and led them to mistrust anyone who was not Confucian. To the Chinese, Confucianism was seen as the reason for their success. During the Han Dynasty, widely considered to be China’s First Golden Age, Confucianism became an integral part of the government. The Han rulers set up civil service exams for anyone who wished to enter the Government, and these exams tested the applicant’s knowledge of Confucianism. These exams continued to be apart of
Was China being arrogant or justified when it rejected the British? In 1793, King George III of Great Britain sent an embassy to China, with the aim to ease restrictions on trade. However, Chinese emperor Qianlong rejected them completely, setting off a chain of events that would prove to be disastrous for China. While pure arrogance was a factor in determining China’s rejection of the British, traditional Chinese beliefs and policies were also influential in determining that response. China’s Confucian values, economic achievements, and ultimately their celestial kingdom mindset were all very influential in shaping China’s relations with Britain. The Chinese viewed themselves as superior, due to their belief in Confucianism, which was …show more content…
After the fall of the Mongol Yuan dynasty, Fang Xiaoru, a Confucian scholar of the Ming Dynasty, noted “barbarians do not observe the order of human relations”. Since the Mongols did not observe these core Confucian values, they were barbarians in the minds of the Chinese, and in 1793 the Chinese viewed the British as barbarians for the same reasons. Confucianism has always held an important role in Chinese history. Confucianism rose up out of the warring states period, when brutality was frequent and everything was in disarray. Confucianism ultimately unified Chinese society, so it was deeply valued by the Chinese. This mindset made the Chinese feel superior to other cultures, and led them to mistrust anyone who was not Confucian. To the Chinese, Confucianism was seen as the reason for their success. During the Han Dynasty, widely considered to be China’s First Golden Age, Confucianism became an integral part of the government. The Han rulers set up civil service exams for anyone who wished to enter the Government, and these exams tested the applicant’s knowledge of Confucianism. These exams continued to be apart of