Society in China
Potential Subthemes
Women
Peasantry
Middle Class
Family Structure
Land
Living standards
Education
Medical Care
Society in China under Manchu rule
Population of 300 million, 95% Han Chinese.
Majority of population peasantry working in agriculture.
Society hierarchical, based on Confucianist obedience to authority.
Small middle class comprised of primarily landlords and lower rank officials.
Small class of elite officials – Mandarins – PRC officials would later mirror their role
and authority.
Confucianism
Deference to authority figures.
Child to parent, wife to husband, people to authority – e.g. emperor
1000s of years old philosophy that China’s society was based around.
The Role of Women
Strict patriarchal society, reinforced by Confucianism.
Denied formal education.
Role considered a domestic one.
Forced and arranged marriages were prolific, as were bride prices. Mao’s subjection
to this system was key in his reforms under his regime.
Foot-binding was a notorious practice used to make girls more attractive to potential
suitors as small feet were deemed erotic.
Rural Society
The majority of population were peasants who rented land on which they worked.
Peasant and landowner resembled outlawed feudal system.
Famines were common, due to things like flooding and a lack of agricultural
development – leading millions to die from starvation over the period.
Social Changes in the later Manchu period
The self-strengthening movement 1861-1895 led to some reform that impacted
Chinese Society.
Economic reform like the establishment of joint-stock companies, opening of
factories and the encouragement of foreign commerce arrangement led to the
growth of a new middle class.
o Made up of urban based businessmen, merchants, entrepreneurs etc
o Numbered 1.5 million by 1900.
o Urban based unlike the previous small rural gentry.
The Boxers
Boxer Uprising 1898-1900
Boxer movement comprised of:
Potential Subthemes
Women
Peasantry
Middle Class
Family Structure
Land
Living standards
Education
Medical Care
Society in China under Manchu rule
Population of 300 million, 95% Han Chinese.
Majority of population peasantry working in agriculture.
Society hierarchical, based on Confucianist obedience to authority.
Small middle class comprised of primarily landlords and lower rank officials.
Small class of elite officials – Mandarins – PRC officials would later mirror their role
and authority.
Confucianism
Deference to authority figures.
Child to parent, wife to husband, people to authority – e.g. emperor
1000s of years old philosophy that China’s society was based around.
The Role of Women
Strict patriarchal society, reinforced by Confucianism.
Denied formal education.
Role considered a domestic one.
Forced and arranged marriages were prolific, as were bride prices. Mao’s subjection
to this system was key in his reforms under his regime.
Foot-binding was a notorious practice used to make girls more attractive to potential
suitors as small feet were deemed erotic.
Rural Society
The majority of population were peasants who rented land on which they worked.
Peasant and landowner resembled outlawed feudal system.
Famines were common, due to things like flooding and a lack of agricultural
development – leading millions to die from starvation over the period.
Social Changes in the later Manchu period
The self-strengthening movement 1861-1895 led to some reform that impacted
Chinese Society.
Economic reform like the establishment of joint-stock companies, opening of
factories and the encouragement of foreign commerce arrangement led to the
growth of a new middle class.
o Made up of urban based businessmen, merchants, entrepreneurs etc
o Numbered 1.5 million by 1900.
o Urban based unlike the previous small rural gentry.
The Boxers
Boxer Uprising 1898-1900
Boxer movement comprised of:
