Why do the Chinese not like the "Qing Dynasty"? Empress Dowager Cixi compensated 400 million taels of silver, which translates into 2 million yuan per person for the people of the mainland today!
The Qing Dynasty was an important dynasty in Chinese history, however, why do so many Chinese have negative feelings towards the Qing Dynasty? This article will reveal the truth and surprise you with a staggering number!
As we all know, the Qing Dynasty was the last feudal dynasty in Chinese history and ruled for nearly 300 years. However, many Chinese have a special feeling for the Qing Dynasty, that is, disgust and dislike. The most important reason for this is a series of actions during the reign of the Empress Dowager Cixi, especially her compensation of 400 million taels of silver, which is still touching today.
Empress Dowager Cixi was a powerful minister in the late Qing Dynasty, and she wielded great power and dominated almost the entire court. However, her rule brought great disaster to China. The most famous event is that after the First Sino-Japanese War, she was forced to sign the Treaty of Shimonoseki and pay 400 million taels of silver to Japan. This figure was so large that it was almost impossible for China at the time to bear. And the huge amount of money she compensated, converted into today's monetary value, each Chinese will receive 2 million yuan!
This figure is staggering, because it is hard to imagine that the Empress Dowager Cixi would have saddled the entire country with such a heavy debt. This is not only a huge pressure on the country's finances, but also brings long-term pain and trouble to the Chinese people. This huge amount of compensation has directly led to a long-term economic backwardness and decline in national strength, and has plunged China into a semi-colonial state.
In addition to the issue of reparations, the Empress Dowager Cixi had many other wrong decisions and malpractices during her reign, such as weakening the imperial examination system, boycotting foreign goods, restricting diplomacy, and so on. As a result of these moves, the gap between China and the rest of the world has widened, and social unrest and national humiliation have become inevitable.
Therefore, it is not surprising that today's Chinese have negative feelings towards the Qing Dynasty. The lessons of history tell us that the rise and fall of a country depends not only on the ability and wisdom of its rulers, but also on the right decisions and policies. The mistakes and disasters of the Qing Dynasty have made us realize how important it is for the country to be strong and for the well-being of the people.
Looking back on history, we should learn lessons from it and cherish today's hard-won happy life. Everyone should contribute to building a strong China, so that the country will be more prosperous and powerful, and each of us can live a happy and beautiful life.
Therefore, let us remember history and move forward bravely! Cherish today and create a better tomorrow!