Conclusion
"Hail the victory of the People's War of Liberation and the people's revolution!"
"Hail the founding of the People's Republic of China!"
"Hail the triumph of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference!"
-Opening address given by Mao Ze-dong at the First Plenary Session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, September 21, 1949
The fall of the Qing Empire, in fact, has minor significance as multitudes of Chinese empires had collapsed throughout the long dynastic cycle of Chinese history. What is important is the process of the long decline of the empire; the 19th century had been period of unspeakable humiliation and great cultural shock. At the core of the immense transformation of China was the growing rejection and denial of Confucianism and Han superiority. Indeed, Confucianism and Chinese culturalism had been the most profound and fundamental basis of the Chinese empires. Chinese subjects obeyed their rulers according to Mandate of Heaven; the society remained patriarchal and family-based; commerce was discouraged. These traditional beliefs had prevailed in China for thousands of years.
Thus, when the Western intrusions "humiliated" China and brought the superiority and legitimacy of the Chinese culture to questions, China never revived so quickly. When the unity and the dignity had been destroyed, so did the society and political institutions utterly shatter. Before China could once again revive, it was to experience long period of further humiliation, exploitations, atrocities, and devastations.
However, China had survived the century, unified. As a republic with Capitalist (and Communist) economy and individualistic society, there it stands, completely transformed.
Thus, when the Western intrusions "humiliated" China and brought the superiority and legitimacy of the Chinese culture to questions, China never revived so quickly. When the unity and the dignity had been destroyed, so did the society and political institutions utterly shatter. Before China could once again revive, it was to experience long period of further humiliation, exploitations, atrocities, and devastations.
However, China had survived the century, unified. As a republic with Capitalist (and Communist) economy and individualistic society, there it stands, completely transformed.