David Terry

# Words: 464

The aftermath of the Second World War left China facing a civil war. The country was
unevenly divided between nationalists and communists. A few decades earlier China was a
united empire that was ruled by the Manchu Dynasty. The Manchu Dynasty gained power in
1644 and ruled until 1912. How did China go from a united empire to one facing a civil war in a
very short time period?
The clash with the West played a major role in the division and breakup of the Chinese
government and customs. There was a major clash between China and the West in the nineteenth
century. Craig writes that millions of Chinese lived their lives without responding at all to this
clash of civilizations. The size of the population helps to explain why millions of people did not
react to the West. The size of China’s population is something that is always part of the
narrative. China developed a government capable of dealing with an enormous population. In
many aspects, it was a modern government when it met the West.
If the Chinese government was a modern one, why did it succumb to the West? This
question is intriguing because answering it involves understanding the culture of China. I think
that the treasure fleet is a clue towards answering this question. China had the resources to build
an impressive fleet. The technology required to build the treasure fleet surpassed European ocean
going vessels. There is a difference between knowing how to build something and having the
desire to use it. China decided not to use their maritime knowledge to explore the oceans of the
world. The empire of China turned inward instead of looking outward.
The examination process played an integral role in Chinese dynasties. The examination
system helped to maintain the bureaucracy between dynasties. I think it also played a role in
China’s turn inward. The examination system is part of a larger system based on Confucian
values. The future of China relied on looking into its past. The culture of China spread beyond its
bureaucracy. Other cultures that China encountered adopted similar systems. Chinese culture did
not have the same influence on western culture. It must have been a shock to encounter the West
and not see the same type of influence occur. Craig gives the impression that Confucian ideals
hampered innovation within China.
The Opium War did not occur at the end of a dynasty but it was an indication of a weak
empire in decline. It took another seventy years for the empire to finally fall. The West was able
to take advantage of the situation within China. A strong bureaucracy and a weak military was an
advantage to the West. China abandoned core aspects of its culture to fight off the West.

Questions
1) If you could go back and participate in the Chinese civil war between the Communists
and the Nationalists, which side would you choose? List the reasons why you would join
one side over the other.
2) Mao said, “the political consciousness of the broad masses is rising rapidly…judging
from this, it will probably take less time than previously estimated for our industry and
agriculture to catch up with that of the capitalist powers.” What factors do you think
hampered this optimistic outlook?