1. The Hundred Days Reforms
IB HL History
Learning Objective: To investigate the causes and
effects of the hundred days reforms

2. The Background Causes
•
Calls for institutional reform
•
Failure of the Self-Strengthening Movement
•
The introduction of Western ideas of reform
•
Progressive-minded young intellectuals
•
The effects of the Sino-Japanese War
•
The effects of the Scramble for Concessions
•
Political struggle within the Qing court

3. Reasons for Reform
•
Institutional reform and other changes would
strengthen China's defence against Western
imperialism.
•
A new educational structure would replace the
old, traditional one,
•
The political system would be re-organized to
achieve a greater degree of efficiency.

4. Other Reasons
•
The reform movement was also part of the
struggle for power within the Qing court.
•
The young scholar-reformers advocated
reform out of patriotic reasons, and to
advance to positions of power in the
government.

5. The Reforms Begin
•
Last from June to September 1898,
•
Some 200 or so reform decrees were
issued in quick succession.
•
A wide-reaching program for 'reform of
institutions' was attempted.
•
Too much, too late?

6. Education Reforms
•
Abolition of the 'Eight-legged essay' in the
Civil Service Examinations. Introduction of a
new syllabus based on current political and
economic problems.
•
Introduction of an exam on political economy.
Establishment of an Imperial University in
Peking. Founding of a medical school.
•
Establishment of primary and secondary
schools in the provinces

7. Government administration
•
Appointment of reform-minded officials.
Introduction of stricter discipline for civil
servants. Measures to check corruption and
sinecures.
•
Improvement in administrative efficiency,
simplified procedures. Creation of 12 new
Ministries to replace the old 6 Boards
•
Encouragement of reform suggestions from
private citizens.

8. Q1 How would you best summarize the
reasons for the Hundred Days reforms?

9. Begins to Unravel
•
Too radical for the Empress Dowager
•
Sees it as an attempt to take power from her
•
Yuan Shikai involved
•
Emperor imprisoned and probably poisoned
•
Orders issued to arrest Kang and the reformers
•
Kang’s writing banned
•
6 martyrs (including Kang’s brother)

10. Q2 Why did it fail?

11. Reasons for Failure 1: Inexperience
•
Age of reformers
•
No knowledge of the West
•
No knowledge of power politics
•
Didn’t consider consequences e.g.:
abolition of 8-Legged essay made
students unhappy

12. Reasons for Failure 2: Power of
Tz’u-Hsi
•
Had been the boss for 37 years
•
Experienced and embedded in power
•
Still controlled grand council
•
Had control of Jung-Le’s troops

13. Reasons for Failure 3: Conservative
Opposition
•
Saw Kang’s interpretation of Confucius
as blasphemy
•
Even moderates couldn’t accept it

14. Reasons for Failure 4: Speed of
Reforms
•
Reforms are rushed through and a flurry
of edicts comes from the court
•
Implementation was almost impossible
due to the speed
•
No attempt to build capacity lower down
the imperial administration or clarify
exactly what was wanted

15. Q3: Develop a hypothesis-What will
be the consequences of reform failure?

16. Consequence 1
•
Progressive reform from the top down
now impossible (for a while)

17. Consequence 2
•
Reactionary court incapable of
leadership

18. Consequence 3
•
Reactionary court leads to anti
foreignism and the Boxer rebellion

19. Consequence 4
•
Relations between Han and Manchu
damaged as court pursue anti Chinese
policy to punish reformers
•
Kang-I “ Reform benefits the Chinese
but hurts the Manchus. If I have
properties, I would rather give them to
my friends than let the slaves share the
benefit”

20. Consequence 5
•
Relations between Han and Manchu
damaged as court pursue anti Chinese
policy to punish reformers

21. Consequence 6
•
An increasing amount of Chinese begin
to see that the only path forward is
revolution from below
•
Enter Dr Sun Yat Sen