Page 45 - A Re-examination of Late Qing Dynasty Porcelain, 1850-1920 THESIS

constructed at the Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan 圓明園). The financial costs resulted

in Cixi having to appropriate the entire naval budget in the beginning of 1894 at the time

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of China’s entry into the Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895). Fighting quickly broke out

between China and Japan over control of Korea. Contemporary military leaders of the

time thought China would secure an easy victory over Japan. However, Japan had

undergone major reforms under the Meiji Restoration and had established a modern

national army and navy. China’s traditional army based on troops grouped by ethnic

lines and its significantly underfunded navy were no match for Japan’s modernized

forces. Despite efforts to maintain Chinese borders, the war resulted in a loss of territory

for the Qing dynasty: China was ultimately forced to cede Taiwan.

By 1889, Guangxu reached maturity and no longer required Cixi as regent.

Despite this milestone and her retirement to the Summer Palace, historic records indicate

the Cixi still maintained a powerful hold over the imperial government. Guangxu was

becoming increasingly influenced by reformers who promoted dramatic modernization

within China, especially following the dramatic loss to Japan in the Sino-Japanese War.

The defeat highlighted China’s weakening state and called for the country’s concession to

Western powers. Realizing the precarious position that China was in, Guangxu created

reforms to move China in a more modern direction and ignite the hope of restoring the

Qing dynasty to its former glory. While Guangxu moved in a more progressive and

radical direction, Cixi held fast to more traditional, Confucian-based political ideals. In

his supposed attempt at modernization, Guangxu issued a series of approximately 40

21 Mair, Chen, and Wood, 196. The navy had previously been established by Cixi in 1888.
Known as the Beiyang Fleet, the Chinese navy was considered to be quite advanced.

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