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In the turbulent era, the international pattern is changing with each passing day, on the one hand, the door of the country was opened in the last years of the Qing Dynasty, and the Qing court and the international community became more and more frequent, on the other hand, wolves were around, and the great powers of various countries coveted the fat of China. The image of the mysterious ruler of the Qing court also began to appear on the international stage, arousing the attention and speculation of various Western media. However, these reports often carried the color of Western colonial interests, and portrayed the Qing dynasty in a distorted and satirical way, making the image of the Qing court even more confusing.
An 1898 color lithograph "Soldiers Coming to the City, Fierce and Evil Monarchs" vividly shows the face of the emperors and ministers of the Qing court. The emperor sat on a chair with a fierce and vicious look, wearing a strange hat and slender and twisted fingernails, which echoed the terrifying dragon statue carved on the chair. Facing him was a bent Qing court official with only a long braid on the top of his head and also showing terrifying nails. At the bottom of the picture, the subtitles ironically depict the emperor asking the minister for Confucius's advice on the situation, and the minister's answer hints at the absurdity of the Qing court. In the background, foreign ships from different countries are approaching, several powerful countries are like wolves in the city, and the Qing court is in a dilemma of external troubles.
Another lithograph from 1900, Western Civilization with Fingers, depicts the Qing court in an exaggerated manner when it faced the Boxer Rebellion. In the painting, a "civilized" woman wearing a cuirass and a helmet rebukes the dull-faced Qing emperor. In the background, an ugly dragon wrapped in smoke climbs over the city wall, marked with the words "BOXER", "Anarchy", "Murder" and "Riot", indicating that China is in chaos. Through exaggeration, the painting depicts the Qing court as a weak figure of losing control over the Boxers, while Western civilization prides itself on being the savior, although its actual actions are not necessarily "civilized."
Then, a picture depicting the role of the Eight-Nation Alliance, "The 'Problem' of Other Countries in the Eyes of the Great Powers", was presented in 1900. IN THE PAINTING, UNCLE SAM AND JOHN BULL GAZE AT THE MOUNTAIN MARKED "CHINESE QUESTION" WITH THE RULERS OF THE EIGHT-NATION ALLIANCE COUNTRIES, AND THE FACES OF ANGRY QING DYNASTY FIGURES ON THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN. By gathering the characters of the eight-nation coalition, this painting conveys the onlookers' attitude of the great powers towards the China issue and their perception of the situation in China, which seems to imply that the answer to this "question" is already on the horizon.
A 1900 lithograph "Dialogue between Confucius and Jesus" places Confucius and Jesus Christ in the clouds, overlooking the confrontation between the Boxers and the Eight-Nation Alliance. In the painting, the Boxers and the Eight-Nation Alliance express the same beliefs but go to different paths under the famous words of Confucius and Jesus respectively. By implanting images of two great thinkers into the China issue, the painting suggests that China's destiny is closely linked to the choice of cultural traditions.
In a 1901 lithograph "Traps in the Eyes of the Great Powers", Uncle Sam and John Niu hold lanterns and lead the eight-nation coalition through the trap set by the Qing court. This image humorously expresses the attitude of the Western powers on China, and they seem to be unafraid to overcome the trap and show their assertiveness towards China.
Finally, a 1903 lithograph "First Come, First Served" shows the great powers competing to eat China, against the backdrop of a Chinese restaurant. A man labeled "Russian" was enjoying food labeled "Manchuria," while a Qing court man told French and German representatives outside the door that whoever came first would enjoy the service. This picture reveals the competition for China's interests among countries, and people can't help but sigh at the struggle caused by China's fat meat.
This series of lithographs, through exaggerated techniques and satirical pictures, presents the Western media's views on the situation in the last years of the Qing Dynasty. The mysterious image of the Qing court, the Boxer Rebellion, and the appearance of the Eight-Nation Alliance were all amplified and distorted by the media, presenting one eye-catching visual effect after another. However, the purpose behind these pictures
It is the control and intervention of Western powers in the China issue, as well as their misunderstanding and disregard of Chinese culture and tradition.
These lithographs at different time nodes, through exaggerated painting style and satirical techniques, outline all aspects of the international situation in the last years of the Qing Dynasty. However, these pictures are often the personal imagination and perspective of Western painters, with strong cultural prejudices and political stances. They represent the whole of China with the image of Qing emperors and officials, and in a mocking and playful tone, they reveal the Western media's confusion and fooling of Chinese politics and society.
However, these images also reflect the plight of the Qing court at that time and the challenges facing China. The outbreak of the Boxer Rebellion and the strong intervention of the imperialist powers caused the Qing court to fall into a situation of external troubles and internal worries. The image of the fierce emperor and the humiliating state of the Qing court officials presented in the painting are undoubtedly an exaggerated reflection of the predicament of the Qing Dynasty at that time.
In short, although these lithographs were the personal imagination and creation of Western painters, they also reflected the international environment and challenges faced by the Qing Dynasty at that time. Through exaggeration, they portrayed the Qing court as weak and powerless, emphasizing the intervention of Western powers and China's predicament. However, these images should also be seen as the product of prejudices and misunderstandings of Western cultural concepts against the East, and are unique pictures presented by a special period in history.
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