The Hundred Days Reforms of 1898 in China aimed to modernize and strengthen the country through institutional, educational, and governmental reforms. However, the reforms faced opposition from conservative forces and the Empress Dowager Cixi, who saw it as a threat to her power. After just 100 days, Cixi halted the reforms and had their leaders, including Kang Youwei, arrested or exiled. The failure of the reforms weakened China and left it more vulnerable to foreign domination.

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

3. Reasons for Reform
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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
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Last from June to September 1898,
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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
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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
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Too radical for the Empress Dowager
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Sees it as an attempt to take power from her
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Yuan Shikai involved
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Emperor imprisoned and probably poisoned
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Orders issued to arrest Kang and the reformers
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Kang’s writing banned
•
6 martyrs (including Kang’s brother)

10. Q2 Why did it fail?

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

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

13. Reasons for Failure 3: Conservative
Opposition
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Saw Kang’s interpretation of Confucius
as blasphemy
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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
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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