The Gengzi Upheaval
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Summary
1900 was the most fraught year, the most turbulent and complex of the entire Qing dynasty.
A mutual entanglement of ultra-leftism and populism, a national catastrophe of the century.
Deposing Guangxu, installing a new heir, the Boxers wreaking havoc in Beijing and Tianjin, Cixi declaring war, the German minister killed, attacks on foreign legations, the Eight-Nation Alliance invasion, southeastern provinces defying imperial orders, the Self-Government Army uprising, Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong's aborted bid for the throne, Cixi and Guangxu fleeing west, the Xinchou negotiations and treaty, the death of Li Hongzhang.
There is always some force that leaves you sighing endlessly! There is always some scene that leaves you stunned for a long while!
To write this book, the author, Chen Qingmei of the late Qing, visited historical sites in person and searched out every trace of the late Qing era, such as the old Dagu Fort in Tianjin, the old Zizhulin concession, the old Zhili Governor-General's office, the old East Bureau of the Tianjin Machinery Bureau, the place where Nie Shicheng died... as well as the old multinational legations in Dongjiaominxiang in Beijing, the old Hanlin Academy, the Xishiku Church, the site of Ketteler's murder, the old Xianliang Temple, the old Li Hongzhang residence in Xizongbu Hutong, the old Zongli Yamen, and more.
The author abandoned medicine for literature. With a doctor's delicacy and rigor, he probes historical details with precision. With a journalist's acuity and insight, he unravels the threads and restores the truth.
Gengzi upheaval runs 270,000 characters in seven major chapters. It panoramically records the chaos of all kinds in the first year of China's entry into the twentieth century, and vividly restores a troubled empire suffering from "severe adverse reactions."
A unique vision, distinctive insights. Here, understand modern China.
Editor's review
In terms of reading value, the book's most outstanding contribution lies in its construction of a "dramatic change" framework. It goes beyond the single attribution of "backwardness invites attack" in traditional narratives and systematically reveals how the wavering and dysfunction of decision-making at the Qing court center, the alienation and self-preservation of local governors, the xenophobic sentiments and survival predicaments of civil society, and the complex game of foreign powers' interests in China intertwined into a storm that nearly caused the empire's disintegration. The author's portrayal of characters' psychology and institutional inertia is especially profound, allowing readers to understand why such a vast empire appeared so fragile and bereft of effective response in the face of crisis.
For readers who wish to understand the hardship and twists of modern China's transformation, this book provides an extremely crucial piece. It is not merely a record of a war, but a profound analysis of how an empire moved toward its end and how modern national consciousness sprouted amid humiliation and chaos. Its calm and restrained tone and solid support of historical sources give the argument strong persuasiveness, making it a powerful work worthy of close reading in recent late Qing historical research.
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Readers with a deep interest in late Qing history, especially the Gengzi Incident and the Boxer Movement
- Researchers and history enthusiasts concerned with modern China's social transformation, imperial collapse, and the rise of nationalism
- Readers who prefer historical writing based on detailed sources and analytical depth rather than simple storytelling
- Readers who wish to understand complex decision-making, multi-party competition, and social psychology in major historical events
Not a good fit for
- Readers seeking light entertainment history stories or novelized narratives
- Readers with only a preliminary understanding of late Qing history who want a quick overview and are averse to source analysis and in-depth argument
Reading tips
- Before reading, a preliminary understanding of the Qing empire's basic international and domestic situation in the late nineteenth century will help you enter the context more quickly.
- The book involves multiple forces and complex events; it is advisable to sort out the timeline and key relationships as you read, or consult maps to clarify the geographical situation.
- Pay attention to the author's summaries and analysis at the end of each chapter; these are key to understanding his core historical judgments.
About the publisher
Zhengzhou University Press is a comprehensive publisher based in China that takes academic publishing as its main body while giving equal weight to educational and trade publishing. Its catalog of 24 titles covers biography, history, documentary literature, literary appreciation, education, and inspirational growth, reflecting a focus on both educational and general-interest books. Representative works include From Emperor to Citizen by Aisin-Gioro Puyi, the annotated four-volume Eguo Jintuo Cuibian Xubian, Twilight in the Forbidden City by Reginald Johnston, and titles such as The Southern-Sojourning Monarch: Song Gaozong's Hesitation and Choice and Output-Based Learning: The Secret of Efficient Learning, spanning historical biography and study methods. Among its authors are well-known figures such as Puyi, Yue Ke, Johnston, and Xia Mianzun, alongside Xiong Xi, Li Lan, Yin Xiaofeng, and Tao Shangyun, giving the press a character that combines historical writing with educational publishing. Public information is limited, so this description is based only on in-catalog data.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 自序
- 第一章 己亥建储
- 一 慈禧与光绪
- 二 戊戌余波
- 三 给光绪看病
- 四 浮上水面的派系
- 五 天下扰动
- 六 大阿哥党
- 七 端王的小动作
- 第二章 华北的狂热
- 一 张德成的崛起
- 二 樊国梁的预言
- 三 拳民挺进京津
- 四 火烧前门一条街
- 五 山东由乱到清
- 六 山西由清到乱
- 七 直隶乱象不止
- 第三章 帝国宣战
- 一 攻陷大沽口
- 二 慈禧宣战
- 三 克林德之死
- 四 攻打西什库教堂
- 五 围攻使馆区
- 六 传教士的遗言
- 七 老佛爷的心思
- 第四章 南方的异常
- 一 盛宣怀的串联
- 二 三个幕僚的联手
- 三 刘坤一的忧虑
- 四 张之洞的野心
- 五 李鸿章的秘密
- 六 领事们的小心思
- 七 自立军的怒吼
- 第五章 联军进京
- 一 天津战斗
- 二 斩杀五大臣
- 三 裕禄与李秉衡自杀
- 四 冷血的华勇营
- 五 联军的洗劫
- 六 城市的治理
- 七 侵占保定
- 第六章 两宫西逃
- 一 仓皇出逃
- 二 吴永接驾
- 三 自杀的留京大臣
- 四 慈禧的反思
- 五 光绪的表现
- 六 瓦德西进京
- 七 饥饿的行在
- 第七章 议和、回銮
- 一 中间人赫德
- 二 李鸿章北上
- 三 处决祸首
- 四 议和赔款
- 五 联军撤兵
- 六 西总布胡同的哭声
- 七 回銮
- 参考文献
- 附录
- 1900年前后大事记
FAQ
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About the author
Chen Qingmei of the Late Qing is an author about whom limited public information is available. The library currently holds only one work by this author, the history book The Upheaval of 1900. Judging from the available information, the author's writing focuses on late Qing history, with the events of the Gengzi years as the subject. The Upheaval of 1900 is classified as a history book, suggesting that the author presents the major events of this period in an accessible form for general readers interested in late Qing history. Since the author's dates of birth and death, nationality, educational background, and writing career cannot be verified, this introduction makes no speculation and outlines the author's profile only on the basis of the work in the library: the author enters the field of history writing with a single work, with a clear topic focused on the historical changes around the Gengzi years. The author's style and specific influence await further information, and readers may form their own judgment from the book's contents.
