Western Powers In China And Changes In The Society Of Jiangnan (1840-1911)

China’s exchanges with foreign countries has a long history, which includes trade contacts, cultural exchanges, military conflicts, etc. The intercourse between China and some western countries are fairly equal before1840.However, after First Opium War,western powers started to invade China by violent means. On the vast China’s territory, the rich Jiangnan area was coveted by western powers. There are a series of changes in politics, economy, culture and other aspects of Jiangnan area by western powers. This thesis attempts to carry out study on Wanjiang region--the old Jiangnan province as the representative, in order to reflect the changes of whole Jiangnan society under the action of Western powers.This thesis is divided into three chapters. The first chapter discusses the important place of Wanjiang region in Jiangnan society. It firstly analyzes the geographical concept of Jiangnan area,then describes that Wanjiang region not only is a part of Jiangnan society in geography from aspect of evolution of administrative divisions,natural geographic conditions,social economy,etc,but also has close relations with Jiangnan area in aspect of capital circulation,complementary of handicraft industry,etc.The second chapter discusses the "gunboat policy" of Western countries in a logical method of spatial contrast,and analyzes the situation of import and export trade in each treaty port along the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze river under the influence of the "gunboat policy" in the method of quantitative history, then comes to the conclusion that the growth rate of Wuhu Port took first place during treaty ports along the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze river in the end of19th century.This chapter also carry out study on the changes of shipping circumstances of lower reaches of Yangtze river (including Anhui section),and describe that the shipping of Wanjiang region reached a new stage following the pace of modernization of the Yangtze River shipping under the action of Western powers.This chapter focuses on the motivational role of Wuhu port in promoting economic development and social change of Jiangnan area. The third chapter expounded on the social situations of jiangnan area before and after the invasion of Western powers in a logical method of time comparison.Before the invasion of Western powers,like China’s other areas,Jiangnan area was under the rule of feudal system,showing characteristics of feudal society from every aspect.However, it had its own uniqueness due to its special status.Under the action of western powers,Wuhu urbanised gradually after opening to western powers,and Anqing made outstanding contributions to the modernization of Jiangnan area and even China.So it embodies that the changing process of Wanjiang region played an important role during the process of social transition in Jiangnan area under the action of western powers,and the former was a typical approach of the latter.