Post #243,882
2/8/06 2:40:52 PM
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here ya go
[link|http://www.smplanet.com/imperialism/fists.html|http://www.smplanet....ialism/fists.html] A secret society, known as the Fists of Righteous Harmony, attracted thousands of followers. Foreigners called members of this society "Boxers" because they practiced martial arts. The Boxers also believed that they had a magical power, and that foreign bullets could not harm them. Millions of "spirit soldiers," they said, would soon rise from the dead and join their cause.
Their cause, at first, was to overthrow the imperial Ch'ing government and expel all "foreign devils" from China. The crafty empress, however, saw a way to use the Boxers. Through her ministers, she began to encourage the Boxers. Soon a new slogan -- "Support the Ch'ing; destroy the foreigner!" -- appeared upon the Boxers' banner. In the early months of 1900, thousands of Boxers roamed the countryside. They attacked Christian missions, slaughtering foreign missionaries and Chinese converts. Then they moved toward the cities, attracting more and more followers as they came. Nervous foreign ministers insisted that the Chinese government stop the Boxers. From inside the Forbidden City, the empress told the diplomats that her troops would soon crush the "rebellion." Meanwhile, she did nothing as the Boxers entered the capital. Foreign diplomats, their families, and staff lived in a compound just outside the Forbidden City's walls in the heart of Beijing. Working together, they threw up hasty defenses, and with a small force of military personnel, they faced the Boxer onslaught. One American described the scene as 20,000 Boxers the mongols did the same, han, ming back into history. wash rinse repeat. thanx, bill Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep
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Post #243,896
2/8/06 5:00:25 PM
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Really reaching there box....
The boxers, iirc, were up in arms because the Chinese government wasn't doing enough to stop the opium trade coming from England. (Long story, China would only trade gold for tea....and Englishmen had to have their tea.)
But while they wanted to throw out the invaders...there were pretty damn good reasons for wanting to do so.
Thuggee is a far better reference.
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Post #243,917
2/8/06 8:51:48 PM
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secret societies with magic powers dime a dozen in china
dont forget one of the main characters of that era the taipeng rebellion [link|http://www.mrdowling.com/613-taiping.html|http://www.mrdowling.../613-taiping.html] The rebellion began in southeast China, a region that never fully accepted the Qing, who came from Manchuria in northeast China. Hong Xiuquan had learned of Christianity from missionaries. In 1843, when he failed his examination for a government job for the fourth time, Hong exploded in rage at the Manchu domination of China. He read a translated version of the Christian Bible, which told the story of how a chosen group of people rebelled against their rulers with God's help. The stories seemed to explain visions Hong had during an earlier mental illness. Hong came to believe that he was the Son of God and the younger brother of Jesus. His mission on earth was to rid China of evil influences. They included Manchus, Taoists, Buddhists, and Confucians. Hong's religion combined traditional Chinese ideas with half-understood Christianity.
Many famine-stricken peasants, workers, and miners were attracted to the new faith. The converts believed that God ordered them to destroy Manchu rule and set up a new Christian brotherhood. A small group of believers grew to more than one million disciplined, zealous soldiers. In 1851, Hong proclaimed a new dynasty, the Taiping, which means "Great Peace," and assumed the title "Heavenly King." Two years later, the Taiping army captured Nanking, a large city in central China. the chinese are as capable of fuckwittery as any mad sinai desert dweller seeing visions. Compare same to crazy horse. Visions, religion and butchery go hand in hand followed by the bean counters to run it like a business and then it becomes a mainstream belief. As to your point about throwing out foreign invaders are the bedrock of both the Jewish and Muslim beliefs. thanx, bill Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep
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Post #243,919
2/8/06 8:54:51 PM
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Interesting that you picked one based on Christianity
I have come to believe that idealism without discipline is a quick road to disaster, while discipline without idealism is pointless. -- Aaron Ward (my brother)
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Post #243,924
2/8/06 9:05:36 PM
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okay the freakin japs wernt christian and they slaughtered
the fuck out of every nation in the orient on behalf of their god emperor in WW2, tough crowd here.
thanx,
bill
Any opinions expressed by me are mine alone, posted from my home computer, on my own time as a free american and do not reflect the opinions of any person or company that I have had professional relations with in the past 50 years. meep
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Post #243,956
2/8/06 10:56:54 PM
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That's a much better example :-)
I have come to believe that idealism without discipline is a quick road to disaster, while discipline without idealism is pointless. -- Aaron Ward (my brother)
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