Western Imperialism in China: A Collection of Selected Readings

Abstract

This project is intended as a general reader in the history of Western imperialism in China between 1800 and the rise of the Communists to power in 1949. The extended period of time covered accounts for the extreme length of the paper, not any vindictive urge to drive professors mad reading it. Even so, there are a number of important issues or periods that are touched on lightly if at all - the T'ung-chih Restoration, the Boxer Uprising, the extensive reforms following that incident, the Revolution of 1911, the May Fourth Movement and the end of the unequal treaties, to name a few. I have also avoided certain types of selections altogether, specifically those of the documentary and biographical sort. In addition, a number of studies I might have included in place of some of those used were on reserve and therefore unavailable to me. Nevertheless, I hope this selection of readings may aid the novice a little and ease the onerous burden of reading somewhat. This reader is designed to be used as a supplement to a general study of modern Chinese history, a number of which I have listed in the bibliographical note. I have tried to keep the· transitions brief but explanatory. The footnotes are my own, as I found none of those included by the original authors crucial to a basic understanding of the readings, and again are intended to explain certain points in the selections. The unusual means of designating footnotes used in the selected passages, with a red dot in the place usually occupied by the note number and the number itself at the end of the line of print, was employed to avoid cluttering these copies more than necessary as well as to avoid confusion with the note numbers of the various authors. I have also included an extensive bibliographical note, with an indication of those works available in Upjohn Library, in the hope of aiding further reading.