Manchu Study Before And After The Revolution Of 1911

The 1911 Revolution propelled the cause of Chinese history forward in two ways.First,directed by democratic spirit, Chinese people subverted autocratic system and established republic system, thus broke though the bottleneck of modernization;Second,Inspired with the Principle of Nationalism,"republic of five nations"and ethnic equality became new pattern of ethnic relationship, the topic of"combine various nationalities into a unity"was highligtened.In the course of history, the experience and transmutation of the Manchus is undoubtedly a focus deserving special attention.The author will study the historical changes of the Manchus around the 1911 Revolution following the aforementioned clues, and starting with their changes in the system of state power and the adaptation of the Eight Banner system. After inquired about the tripods in the Central Plains in the mid-seventeeth cetury, the Manchus took wiser tactics than that of the Mongols and Tuobaxianbei .On one hand, they earned legitimate rule over the Han by taking advantage of the Confucian culture ;On the other hand, they set themselves up as a privileged minority by dividing official posts between Manchus and Han and pursuing the Eight Banner system which was organized along military lines. But with national crisis sharpening and modern nationalism rising after the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895 ,the Qing dynasty was challenged fiercely,which means the need for adaptation of the Eight Banner system and equalization of Manchu-Han rights.The adjustment of Qing power structure and adaptation of the Eight Banner system began with the Reform of 1898,and came to the climax in 1907 when Cixi issued the edict of"eliminate differences between Manchus and Han".Facing appeals of constitutionary-minded intellectuals and officials,Qing government reformed the bureaucratic system and the Eight Banner system in order to remove boundaries between Manchus and Han:administratively,occupationally,residentially,and socially.Authough these measures took positive parts in pushing political and social...