WARNING:
JavaScript is turned OFF. None of the links on this concept map will
work until it is reactivated.
If you need help turning JavaScript On, click here.
This Concept Map, created with IHMC CmapTools, has information related to: CHINA VS JAPAN VS WEST.cmap, Korea/Taiwan Inspired by the West and their power, Japan tried to imitate them and followed suit in their imperialist habits. Taiwan was Japan’s first overseas colony, and so they tried to make it a “model colony.” On the other hand, Japan controlled Korea for 35 years during Japanese Imperialism. Initially, they treated the Koreans very poorly. They later created policies in an effort to treat the Koreans better, before they tried to make the Koreans Japanese. Both colonies were eventually freed from Japan’s rule. JAPAN, Fukuzawa Yukichi These three figures each played a role in the Westernization and/or modernization of their country. Fukuzawa Yukichi’s mindset was to completely absorb everything possible from the West, believing that if it worked for them, it would work for the Japanese. Chinese Emperor Henry Puyi was also somewhat like this. He was brought up learning about the West and was more of an influential force in China than others that had interest in applying Western techniques within the country. Ito Hirobumi and the Empress Dowager Cixi were similar in their thinking as well. While Ito Hirobumi was much more lenient and open-minded about the West than Cixi, he still strongly believed that Japan should be kept Japanese, that modernization was more important than Westernization. Cixi, a xenophobe, quite resistant to Western influence in China. However, she later loosened herself enough to have a public philosophy of “Western Methods-Chinese Core.” Ito Hirobumi, Xinhai Rebellion The Xinhai Revolution of 1911 officially ended China’s Qing Dynasty and in doing so completed the collapse of the once strong Chinese state on both a national and global scale. The accidental bomb explosion, the mutiny of the Qing army and the declaration of independence of 15 provinces made it very clear to the Chinese government that the country was falling apart. The Qing Dynasty, although foreign, was one of the most thriving periods in Chinese history and found itself falling from the high pedestal it worked so hard to reach. Now in disarray, the Chinese were vulnerable to the powers of the West and were faced with the choice to conform or not. CHINA, Bushido The moral code of the samurai class, otherwise known as bushido, formed a large part of the foundation of Japanese culture. Originating with the legend of the 47 Ronin and ultimate self-sacrifice for the good of the group, this way of behaving, worshipping, living, was ingrained in the history of Japan, defining what it meant to be truly Japanese. As Japan later looked toward the West for inspiration to improve, the Western ideals came into conflict with the Japanese traditions, especially bushido. Despite the reluctance of those wishing to preserve the national heritage, Japan’s Western thinkers thought it best to push the old ways aside in order to make room for the new, hoping that the methods of the West would overpower any benefits that once came from strictly adhering to old Japan. Samurai, 100 Days of Reform The 100 Days of Reform were an attempt to modernize China culturally, politically, and educationally. It was undertaken by the emperor at the time and his reform-minded supporters, who believed that the western way of doing things was the better way to promote strength and prosperity. Unfortunately for them, this attempt was disjointed all throughout China, and didn’t have a solid base of support for the reform to really take root. It ended in a overthrow led by the conservative Empress Dowager Cixi. CHINA, Xinhai Rebellion The Qing Dynasty was China’s last grande stand on a national and global scale until the late 20th century. Despite its being a foreign dynasty, the Manchurians brought a period of great prosperity and international status to China. Rudely interrupted by the introduction of opium into the population, the Qing Dynasty began its rapid decline finally ending with the Xinhai Revolution. Because of its inability to adapt quickly enough to the Western powers’ influences, China could not maintain its position among the powers. Qing Dynasty, JAPAN Fukuzawa Yukichi was the chief promoter of Western knowledge during the Meiji Restoration. Once he realized that the ways of the West were successful, he abandoned the culture of his native country and pursued everything Western, saying “Goodbye to Asia” in the process. However, he did not see this as stealing or simply copying others. He had the idea of: “If we use it, that will make it Japanese.” Many Japanese were influenced by the spread of knowledge given out by Fukuzawa Yukichi, making him essentially the national representation of the goals and spirit of the Meiji Restoration. Meiji Restoration, CHINA The Opium Wars instigated the decline of China during the Qing Dynasty. For so long the Chinese dominated the silver trade with Europe, enticing the Europeans with authentic silk and other oriental luxuries. Once the Europeans exposed the Chinese to opium, the trade balance shifted to the West and the Chinese were left to clean up the mess. The majority of the population had become addicted to opium within a few short years, influencing the mindset of the leaders and the people, creating a state of distress spread wide across the country. Having maintained a high status among the world and staying isolated for so long, China had a long and prolonged fall from their pedestal of power after making themselves open to West. Qing Dynasty, Empress Dowager Cixi Empress Dowager Cixi was one of the last rulers of China in the Qing Dynasty. She had immense dislike for the Western powers and their policies. Ruling secretly from the backseat, she heavily influenced many affairs in the palace. She is credited for causing the decline of the Qing dynasty due to her lust for power. An extreme conservative, she opposed any reforms for modernization. She wanted China to be kept in its traditional sense, and not move towards any attempt towards the future. Despite her anti-foreign beliefs, she was still a master strategist and had great political ability. CHINA, Paris Peace Conference World War I was the first major European conflict both Japan and China were involved in and it painted a picture of how the two nations had developed. Japan, allied with Western Europe, actually had a seat at the conference, showing the other major powers at the time that Japan had made a name for itself worthy of being at Versailles. China, on the other hand, was not much more than a discussion, of where lands would be allotted, traded, and given back. This first encounter with the glorified West was very telling ofJapan and China’s new relationship, which was very dependent on their individual acceptances, or lack thereof, of Western technique and idea. CHINA, Bushido The moral code of the samurai class, otherwise known as bushido, formed a large part of the foundation of Japanese culture. Originating with the legend of the 47 Ronin and ultimate self-sacrifice for the good of the group, this way of behaving, worshipping, living, was ingrained in the history of Japan, defining what it meant to be truly Japanese. As Japan later looked toward the West for inspiration to improve, the Western ideals came into conflict with the Japanese traditions, especially bushido. Despite the reluctance of those wishing to preserve the national heritage, Japan’s Western thinkers thought it best to push the old ways aside in order to make room for the new, hoping that the methods of the West would overpower any benefits that once came from strictly adhering to old Japan. JAPAN, CHINA The Opium Wars instigated the decline of China during the Qing Dynasty. For so long the Chinese dominated the silver trade with Europe, enticing the Europeans with authentic silk and other oriental luxuries. Once the Europeans exposed the Chinese to opium, the trade balance shifted to the West and the Chinese were left to clean up the mess. The majority of the population had become addicted to opium within a few short years, influencing the mindset of the leaders and the people, creating a state of distress spread wide across the country. Having maintained a high status among the world and staying isolated for so long, China had a long and prolonged fall from their pedestal of power after making themselves open to West. Opium War, Empress Dowager Cixi When in power, Cixi wished to keep China genuinely Chinese and to do so, she believed that her country needed to continue to adhere to its traditional ways. However, pressured by those who sought Western solutions to their problems, Cixi came to a middle ground. She thought that China could use “Western Methods” but still needed to maintain a “Chinese Core.” She worried that too much Westernization would lead her nation to becoming non-Asian, non-Confucian and non-Chinese. Though Japan took an approach much different than this, taking up everything Western possible, Ito Hirobumi, a highly influential character in Japan’s modernization process, also found some value in Cixi’s philosophy. He personally did not wish to see Japan become “Western.” He was more concerned with its industrialization and progression to becoming a world power comparable to those in the West. Ito Hirobumi, Western Methods - Chinese Core When in power, Cixi wished to keep China genuinely Chinese and to do so, she believed that her country needed to continue to adhere to its traditional ways. However, pressured by those who sought Western solutions to their problems, Cixi came to a middle ground. She thought that China could use “Western Methods” but still needed to maintain a “Chinese Core.” She worried that too much Westernization would lead her nation to becoming non-Asian, non-Confucian and non-Chinese. Though Japan took an approach much different than this, taking up everything Western possible, Ito Hirobumi, a highly influential character in Japan’s modernization process, also found some value in Cixi’s philosophy. He personally did not wish to see Japan become “Western.” He was more concerned with its industrialization and progression to becoming a world power comparable to those in the West. CHINA, Boxer Rebellion At the start of 1898, a group of peasants formed together into a group called “Boxers” by the Western press. They believed that foreign influence from the West was a threat to the Chinese culture, and wanted to rid China of all foreigners. Backed by Empress Dowager Cixi, they went off and killed Christians in China, both missionaries and converted Chinese. When they started to leave their countryside and move toward Peking, an international force of 2,100 American, British, Russian, French, Italian, and Japanese soldiers was sent to China and squashed the rebellion. CHINA, Self Strengthening The Self-Strengthening Movement was a period of institutional reforms during the final years of the Qing Dynasty after suffering embarrassment at the hands of Japan and the concessions made. One period emphasized the adoption of firearms, machines scientific knowledge of the modern inventions, and training of diplomacy. Commerce, industry, and agriculture were highlighted and made more important, and the textile industry was given more attention. Qing Dynasty, JAPAN Fukuzawa Yukichi was the chief promoter of Western knowledge during the Meiji Restoration. Once he realized that the ways of the West were successful, he abandoned the culture of his native country and pursued everything Western, saying “Goodbye to Asia” in the process. However, he did not see this as stealing or simply copying others. He had the idea of: “If we use it, that will make it Japanese.” Many Japanese were influenced by the spread of knowledge given out by Fukuzawa Yukichi, making him essentially the national representation of the goals and spirit of the Meiji Restoration. Fukuzawa Yukichi, Samurai The destruction of the samurai class played a major role in the decline of the Tokugawa Shogunate, leading to Japan’s period of mass reform. The Tokugawa Shogunate upheld a very strict feudal hierarchy which was very dependent on the samurai class. The dissolution of this class of powerful individuals marked the commencement of Japan’s absorption of Western culture and technique. Tokugawa Shogunate, 21 Demands After the first Sino-Japanese War and the Russo-Japanese War, Japan had gained a big sphere of influence in China. The demands included extending Japanese influence over structures such as railroads, extending influence overs areas like Manchuria, control over mining in certain provinces, and banning China from making any further coastal or island concessions to any other foreign power other than Japan. There had been another demand that would give Japan influence over China’s police and finances, but they were struck out after China vehemently said no. The loss of that delittle from it that they did not already have. CHINA, Meiji Restoration The restoration of the emperor to the Japanese throne represented the beginning of a new era for the company. Emperor Meiji, the “Enlightened One,” reigned during a period of major reform and development. Japan decided to make a name for themselves among the great Western powers, and to do so they adopted everything Western possible, from the formal attire to the French/German based constitution. During the Meiji Restoration, the Japanese accomplished in 30 years what took the Western powers 100. JAPAN