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Total Categories: 7
The Self-Strengthening Movement occurred roughly between 1861 and 1895, following major military defeats.
Answer: True
The movement is generally dated from 1861 to 1895, a period initiated in response to significant military setbacks, including the Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion.
Early proposals for adopting Western technology emerged only after the formal start of the Self-Strengthening Movement in 1861.
Answer: False
Proposals for adopting Western technology predated the formal start of the movement, with scholars like Chen Lujiong and Wei Yuan advocating for such measures in earlier periods.
The Taiping Rebellion was technologically primitive and did not utilize modern weaponry.
Answer: False
The Taiping rebels actively acquired and employed modern Western weapons, and their leadership even advocated for technologies such as railways and steamships.
Which of the following events most directly prompted the initiation of the Self-Strengthening Movement?
Answer: The Taiping Rebellion and the Opium Wars.
The movement was largely initiated as a response to the severe military defeats and crises posed by the Taiping Rebellion and the Opium Wars, which exposed the Qing dynasty's vulnerabilities.
The "Canton System" imposed by the Qing government primarily aimed to:
Answer: Limit foreign trade to the port of Canton and control interactions.
The Canton System was a restrictive trade policy designed to confine foreign trade to the port of Canton and regulate interactions between Chinese and foreign merchants.
The "Amur Annexation" refers to the process by which:
Answer: Russia acquired territories along the Amur River region from China.
The "Amur Annexation" refers to the historical process through which Russia gained control of territories situated along the Amur River from China.
Which of the following was a consequence of the Taiping Rebellion on the adoption of Western technology?
Answer: The rebels actively acquired and utilized modern Western weapons and advocated for technologies like railways.
The Taiping Rebellion demonstrated an early adoption of Western technology, as the rebels utilized modern weaponry and expressed interest in advancements like railways and steamships.
The phrase "self-strengthening" has its origins in the ancient Chinese text, the Yijing (Book of Changes).
Answer: True
The concept of "self-strengthening" is indeed derived from the Yijing (Book of Changes) and was also utilized by earlier scholars and emperors to denote the necessity of state fortification.
Western newspapers and books had minimal impact on the intellectual climate of the Self-Strengthening Movement.
Answer: False
The translation and dissemination of Western newspapers and books significantly influenced the intellectual climate, fostering enthusiasm for Western science and knowledge.
The Self-Strengthening Movement successfully integrated Western science into Confucianism by treating it as a practical application of its principles.
Answer: True
The movement facilitated an integration of Western science within the Confucian framework, often viewing it as a practical extension of established principles, leading to a more pragmatic approach to governance.
The "School of Practical Learning" (jingshi), which influenced the intellectual climate before the movement, advocated for:
Answer: Practical approaches to government and institutional reforms.
The "School of Practical Learning" (jingshi) promoted pragmatic methods for governance and institutional reform, moving away from purely abstract philosophical debates.
The phrase "self-strengthening" was also used historically by which figures before the Qing reform period?
Answer: Scholars during the Southern Song dynasty and the Qianlong Emperor
The concept of "self-strengthening" predates the Qing reform period, having been employed by scholars during the Southern Song dynasty and by the Qianlong Emperor to describe the imperative of state fortification.
What was the "Kaozheng" movement, which influenced the intellectual climate leading up to the Self-Strengthening Movement?
Answer: An intellectual movement emphasizing rigorous, evidence-based scholarship.
The Kaozheng movement, meaning "evidentiary research," was an intellectual trend that emphasized empirical study and rigorous scholarship, influencing the pragmatic turn in Qing thought.
Prince Gong and Wen Xiang were key figures in establishing the Zongli Yamen, which acted as Qing China's foreign ministry.
Answer: True
Prince Gong and Grand Councilor Wen Xiang were instrumental in the establishment of the Zongli Yamen, which served as the Qing dynasty's de facto foreign ministry.
Feng Guifen coined the term "self-strengthening" and presented his ideas in 1861 to Li Hongzhang.
Answer: False
Feng Guifen coined the term "self-strengthening" and presented his ideas in 1861, but his recipient was Zeng Guofan, not Li Hongzhang.
The Tongwen Guan, established in 1862, was initially created to train diplomats in foreign languages and later expanded to include sciences.
Answer: True
The Tongwen Guan was established in 1862 primarily to train diplomats in foreign languages, and subsequently broadened its curriculum to encompass subjects such as astronomy and mathematics.
The Chinese Educational Mission to the United States successfully enrolled hundreds of Chinese cadets in American military academies.
Answer: False
The Chinese Educational Mission to the United States ultimately failed to enroll cadets in American military academies, as the academies refused admission, and the mission was recalled due to conservative opposition.
Empress Dowager Cixi consistently supported Prince Gong's reformist agenda throughout the movement.
Answer: False
Empress Dowager Cixi's political stance shifted; while initially supportive of Prince Gong, she later favored conservative factions, leading to his removal from power and undermining reform efforts.
What was the primary function of the Zongli Yamen, established during the Self-Strengthening Movement?
Answer: To serve as a de facto foreign ministry for Qing China.
The Zongli Yamen was established to manage foreign affairs, functioning as the Qing dynasty's primary diplomatic and foreign policy institution.
Which official is credited with coining the phrase "self-strengthening" and presenting his ideas to Zeng Guofan?
Answer: Feng Guifen
Feng Guifen is recognized for coining the term "self-strengthening" and presenting his reformist ideas in essays to Zeng Guofan in 1861.
What was the initial purpose of the Tongwen Guan established in 1862?
Answer: To train diplomats in foreign languages.
The Tongwen Guan was initially established to train Qing diplomats in foreign languages, enabling more effective engagement with Western powers.
Which of the following arsenals was established by Zeng Guofan and Yung Wing?
Answer: Shanghai Arsenal
The Shanghai Arsenal, a significant institution for arms production, was established through the collaborative efforts of Zeng Guofan and Yung Wing.
The Chinese Educational Mission to the United States, though ultimately unsuccessful in its primary goal, represented an early effort in:
Answer: Overseas education for modernization.
The Chinese Educational Mission to the United States was an pioneering initiative aimed at providing overseas education to Chinese students, fostering modernization through foreign learning.
Empress Dowager Cixi's shifting political stance, particularly her favoring of conservatives, led to which consequence for the movement?
Answer: The removal of Prince Gong from power.
Empress Dowager Cixi's shift towards conservative factions led to the dismissal of Prince Gong from his influential positions, significantly weakening the reformist impetus of the movement.
How did the Qing dynasty attempt to assert authority over Tibetan governance and religious appointments?
Answer: Using the "Golden Urn" method for selecting lamas and officials.
The Qing dynasty asserted its authority in Tibet by employing the "Golden Urn" method for the selection of reincarnated lamas and key officials, thereby influencing governance and religious appointments.
The Self-Strengthening Movement primarily focused on political and social reforms within Qing China.
Answer: False
The Self-Strengthening Movement predominantly concentrated on military and economic modernization, rather than political and social reforms, which were largely resisted by the conservative elite.
Zeng Guofan exclusively relied on traditional Chinese military tactics and weaponry throughout the Self-Strengthening Movement.
Answer: False
Zeng Guofan, a key figure, actively imported Western military technology and established arsenals and munitions factories, demonstrating a departure from exclusive reliance on traditional methods.
Li Hongzhang initially advocated only for the adoption of Western military technology in his memorials.
Answer: False
While Li Hongzhang initially focused on military technology in his 1864 memorial, he later expanded his advocacy to include civilian technology as well.
The "Ever Victorious Army" was a Qing-led force composed entirely of Chinese soldiers trained in Western military tactics.
Answer: False
The "Ever Victorious Army" was led by European officers and comprised Chinese soldiers, but it was supported by European arms companies and represented an early instance of foreign-assisted military modernization.
The main goal of military modernization during the movement was the development of traditional Chinese weaponry.
Answer: False
The primary objective of military modernization was the development of Western-style weaponry and industries, including arsenals and shipyards, rather than the enhancement of traditional arms.
Efforts were made to modernize the Green Standard forces, reducing their size and integrating them into new units.
Answer: True
Attempts were made to reform the Green Standard forces by reducing their numbers and integrating them into more modern military structures, alongside the creation of entirely new units.
The Beiyang Fleet was considered the strongest navy in East Asia before the First Sino-Japanese War, but suffered from inconsistent development.
Answer: True
The Beiyang Fleet was indeed the most formidable navy in East Asia prior to the First Sino-Japanese War, though its development was marked by inconsistency and eventual underfunding.
What was a key factor contributing to the decline and eventual underfunding of the Beiyang Fleet?
Answer: Emperor Guangxu's advisor, Weng Tonghe, advocating for cuts.
A significant factor in the Beiyang Fleet's decline was the advocacy of Emperor Guangxu's advisor, Weng Tonghe, who argued for reduced naval funding, viewing Japan as a lesser threat and prioritizing other state expenditures.
The "Yong Ying" forces, such as the Huai Army, were significant because they:
Answer: Represented modernized armies raised by provincial governors.
The "Yong Ying" forces, including the Huai Army, were crucial as they represented modernized armies that were raised and commanded by provincial governors, often with significant autonomy.
The Maritime Customs Service, established in 1861, was primarily responsible for managing internal trade routes within China.
Answer: False
The Maritime Customs Service, under figures like Sir Robert Hart, was primarily responsible for collecting tariffs on foreign goods, thereby generating crucial revenue for the Qing government.
Chinese industrial projects faced little competition from established foreign companies during the movement.
Answer: False
Chinese industrial projects encountered substantial competition from established foreign companies, often operating under advantageous terms due to unequal trade agreements.
The "dragon dollars" were the first foreign currency widely accepted in Chinese trade during the movement.
Answer: False
The "dragon dollars" were not foreign currency; they were China's first domestically mass-produced, machine-minted silver coins, representing an effort to modernize the financial system in response to foreign currency proliferation.
Beyond military applications, Li Hongzhang later advocated for the adoption of which type of Western technology?
Answer: Civilian technology
Following his initial focus on military technology, Li Hongzhang expanded his advocacy to include the adoption of Western civilian technologies.
The Maritime Customs Service, managed by figures like Sir Robert Hart, primarily contributed to the Qing government by:
Answer: Collecting tariffs on foreign goods, generating revenue.
The Maritime Customs Service was instrumental in collecting tariffs on imported goods, providing a vital and consistent source of revenue for the Qing government.
The production statistics for the Jiangnan Arsenal between 1867 and 1895 indicate:
Answer: It produced a significant quantity of arms and ships, but it was insufficient for the entire army.
The Jiangnan Arsenal produced substantial quantities of arms and ships, yet its output was insufficient to fully equip the entire Qing military establishment.
Bureaucratic inefficiency and nepotism were significant challenges faced by the military modernization program.
Answer: True
The military modernization program was indeed significantly hampered by pervasive bureaucratic inefficiency, nepotism, and corruption within the administrative structures.
Opponents of the reforms feared that railways would primarily benefit foreign merchants, not Chinese industry.
Answer: False
Concerns were raised that railways could be used by foreign armies, and that foreign companies might exploit Chinese labor and resources, but the primary fear regarding railways was not solely about benefiting foreign merchants over Chinese industry.
Historian Immanuel C. Y. Hsu identified a lack of coordination between central and provincial governments as a key weakness of the movement.
Answer: True
Immanuel C. Y. Hsu identified several weaknesses, including a significant lack of coordination between central and provincial governmental bodies.
Government-supervised merchant undertakings, like the China Merchants' Steam Navigation Company, were largely free from bureaucratic interference.
Answer: False
These undertakings, while supervised by officials, frequently suffered from significant bureaucratic inefficiencies, including nepotism and corruption, which hampered their operations.
Provincial governors played a minor role in financing industrial projects, with most funding coming from the central government.
Answer: False
Provincial governors, such as Li Hongzhang and Zhang Zhidong, played a major role in financing industrial projects by utilizing tax revenues controlled at the provincial level.
According to historian Immanuel C. Y. Hsu, which of the following was a weakness of the Self-Strengthening Movement?
Answer: A limited vision focused on strengthening the old order.
Immanuel C. Y. Hsu identified a key weakness as the limited vision of the movement's leaders, who aimed to strengthen the existing Qing order rather than fundamentally modernize the state.
How did regionalism, stemming from the rise of powerful provincial governors, impact the Self-Strengthening Movement?
Answer: It resulted in decentralized control over finances and military forces, hindering coordination.
The rise of powerful provincial governors led to decentralized control over finances and military forces, which ultimately hindered effective national coordination and unified strategic development.
Government-supervised merchant undertakings, such as the Kaiping Mines, often suffered from which internal problem?
Answer: Bureaucratic inefficiencies like nepotism and corruption.
These state-supervised enterprises frequently faced internal challenges such as nepotism, corruption, and general bureaucratic inefficiencies, which impeded their success and profitability.
What was a key difference between the modernization efforts of provincial governors like Li Hongzhang and Meiji Japan's approach?
Answer: Qing governors used provincially controlled tax revenues, contrasting with Meiji Japan's centralized funding model.
A key distinction was that Qing provincial governors utilized tax revenues under their control for modernization projects, whereas Meiji Japan adopted a more centralized funding strategy.
China's defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895 marked the abrupt end of the Self-Strengthening Movement's successes.
Answer: True
The decisive defeat of China in the First Sino-Japanese War in 1895 is widely considered to have marked the end of the Self-Strengthening Movement's period of progress and influence.
Which war decisively ended the successes of the Self-Strengthening Movement?
Answer: The First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) resulted in a humiliating defeat for China, effectively marking the end of the Self-Strengthening Movement's period of advancement.
What was the "Gongche Shangshu movement" initiated in 1895?
Answer: A reformist petitioning campaign advocating for modernization and constitutionalism.
The Gongche Shangshu movement was a significant reformist petitioning campaign launched in 1895, advocating for modernization and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy.
The "Tongzhi Restoration" is described in the source as:
Answer: A conservative reform period aimed at stabilizing the empire by adopting some Western technologies.
The Tongzhi Restoration is characterized as a period of conservative reform focused on stabilizing the Qing empire through the selective adoption of Western technologies and strengthening of central authority.
What was a significant outcome of the Self-Strengthening Movement regarding the dynasty's lifespan?
Answer: It sustained the dynasty for approximately fifty additional years.
While ultimately unable to prevent the dynasty's fall, the Self-Strengthening Movement successfully revived the Qing state from imminent collapse, extending its lifespan by approximately fifty years.
What was the divided historical evaluation of the Self-Strengthening Movement?
Answer: Some view it as inadequate due to its ideology, while others emphasize its adaptive success in spreading Western ideas despite limitations.
Historical evaluations are divided; some scholars critique the movement's ideological limitations and ultimate failure, while others highlight its adaptive success in disseminating Western knowledge and fostering change despite constraints.