1. The New Policies Reforms 清末新政
Lane J. Harris, Furman University

2. 19th Century Reform Movements
Tongzhi Restoration 同治中興,
Self-Strengthening Movement 自強運動,
Court Reforms,
Hundred Days Reforms 戊戌變法, 1898

3. The Empress Dowager’s Conversion
Boxer Rebellion, 1900
Allied Occupation of Beijing
Aug Sept. 1901
Dismemberment of China?
Restoration of Guangxu?
Cixi’s “Tour of Inspection”
Aug Jan. 1902
1st Reform Edict, 29 Jan. 1901
Removal of Heir Apparent
Empress Dowager distributing food in Xi’an

4. The Calendar of the New Policies
Military Reforms
Educational Reforms
Political Reforms
Constitutional Reforms
Legal Reforms
Social Reforms
Other Reforms
Purposes:
Creation of the modern state
Centralization, standardization
Foster civil society
contact with “the people” 慈禧

5. Bureau of Government Affairs 督辦政務處
Est. April 1901
Reorganized in 1905 as 內閣會議政務處
Clearinghouse for Xinzheng reforms
Initial Members:
Prince of Qing 慶親王
Li Hongzhang 李鴻章
Ronglu 榮祿
Kungang 崑岡
Wang Wenshao 王文韶
Co-adjutors:
Liu Kunyi 劉坤一
Zhang Zhidong 張之洞
奕劻 Yikuang, Prince of Qing
Wang Wenshao

6. Military Reforms Yuan Shikai 袁世凱 Military Reforms, 1901-03
Leading military reform advocate
Military Reforms,
Military Training
Abolition of military exams, 1901
Est. of Military Academies, 1901
Military Reorganization, 1903
Commission for Army Reorganization 練兵處
Central control of armies
Ministry of War 陸軍部, 1906
National Army Plans, 1907
36 divisions, 450,000 soldiers
Military school pyramid
Uniform armaments
Goals: Increase prestige of military, professionalization, centralization

7. The New Education Committee of Educational Affairs 學務處
Zhang Baixi 張百熙
Compromise Plan,
National School System
Elementary, Middle, Colleges
Confucian classics & Western knowledge
Ministry of Education 學部, Jan. 1904
Zhang Baixi, Zhang Zhidong’s Plan
Five-levels of school
Chinese and Western learning
Provincial Commissioners of Education
Abolition of Civil Service Exams, 1905
Results (1910)
57,000 schools, 1.6 million students
Study Abroad Students
Goal: From elite recruitment to educating “citizens” 國民
Zhang Baixi

8. Shift in the Reform Movement
The Crisis of 1905
Russo-Japanese War,
Anti-American Boycott, 1905
Formation of Revolutionary Alliance
The Japanese Model
Rapid, effective modernization
Imperial sovereignty with appearance of democracy
Strong military
The Japanese Filter
Chinese students in Japan
Japanese advisors/teachers in China
“Translingual practice”
Towards Constitutionalism & Public Administration

9. Reforms to the Official System 官制
Foreign Commission, 12/ 出使各國考察政治大臣
Two commissions, tour nine countries
Zaize 載澤, Duanfang 端方
Ad-hoc Royal Commission, 25 August 1906
Reforms public administration
Reorganization of Ministries, Nov. 1906
Ministerial-style government
Specialized functions
One minister, two vice-ministers
No Manchu-Han distinction
Provincial Reorganization
Three Eastern Provinces 東三省, April 1907
Daotai to Commissioners, July 1907
Goal: Creation of a ministerial government, streamline bureaucracy

10. “A Unity of Mind”: Late Qing Constitutional Reforms
Office for the Investigation of Political Affairs 考察政治館, 1905
Bureau for the Investigation of the Principles of Constitutional Government 憲政編查館, 1906
Advocates constitution
Constitutional Monarchy
Embraced, 30 Sept. 1907
9-year plan adopted, 1908
Provincial Assemblies 諮議局, 1909
Opened October 1909
National Assembly 資政院, 1910
Opened October 1910
Goal: Retain imperial sovereignty, allow “public” deliberation
Prince Pulun 溥倫
President of National Assembly
The National Assembly

11. Legal Reforms Leading Reformers, 1902-1911 Modern Police Force, 1902
Shen Jiaben 沈家本
Wu Tingfang 伍廷芳
Modern Police Force, 1902
Ministry of Police 巡警部, 10/1905
Became Ministry of Interior 民政部, 11/1906
Prison Reforms
Judicial Reforms
Elimination of “barbaric” punishments, 1905
Lingchi 凌遲 (slow death by slicing)
Judicial torture
Ministry of Justice 法部, 1906
System of Courts, 1907
Supreme Court of Justice 大理院
Judicial Commissioner, 1907
New Codes
Commercial, Criminal (draft), plentora of new laws (bankruptcy, press, associations, etc.)
Goal: To abolish extraterritoriality
Shen Jiaben

12. Social Reforms Elimination of Manchu-Han distinctions
Intermarriage, 1902
Anti-footbinding, 1902
Bannermen, 1907
Transition to professions, agriculture (keep stipends)
Queue-cutting optional, Dec. 1911
Abolition of “slavery”
Servants and concubines
Opium Prohibitions

13. Financial Reforms Financial Reforms Currency Reforms
“Abolition” of lijin, 1902
Ministry of Finance 度支部, 1906
Imperial budget, 1909
Currency Reforms
Gold v. Silver
Reform efforts, 1902, 1905, 1908
Establishment of Central Mint, 1903
Foreign loans, 1910-

14. The Prince Regent’s Reforms
Zaifeng 載灃
As regent, 14 Nov. 1908—6 Dec. 1911
25 years old, indecisive
Banner stipends continue, 1908-
Provincial Assemblies, 1909
Agitation for Parliament
National Assembly, 1910
Zaifeng grants Cabinet in 1911, Parliament in 1913
Cabinet, May 1911
Imperial Kinsmen’s Cabinet皇族内阁
Prime Minister Yikuang
Abolition of Grand Secretariat, Grand Council, Office of Government Affairs
State takeover of railways
Zaifeng
Imperial Kinsmen’s Cabinet

15. Conclusion
The New Policies Reforms gave birth to the modern, centralizing state.
Endorsed constitutional and ministerial-style government, two features of all twentieth-century Chinese states.
Established many of the standard goals and methods embraced during China’s twentieth-century revolutions (i.e. “citizen education,” “rule of law,” top-down revolutions).
Probably as significant as New Culture/May Fourth Movements in “breaking” with the past.
Incidently, created the social and political groups who would overthrow the Qing in 1911.