Between Adoption and Resistance: China’s Efforts of ‘Understanding the West’, the Challenges of Transforming Monarchical Legitimacy and the Rise of Oriental Exceptionalism, 1860–1910

Christian Mueller

doi:10.1007/978-981-15-3133-0_10

Between Adoption and Resistance: China’s Efforts of ‘Understanding the West’, the Challenges of Transforming Monarchical Legitimacy and the Rise of Oriental Exceptionalism, 1860–1910

Christian Mueller

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceeding › Book Chapter › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Qing officials and intellectuals were interested in European concepts of law, statehood, society, and the individual after China’s conflicting encounter with the ‘West’ in the two ‘Opium Wars’. The Marxist narrative of the Qing decline and the new Belt and Road programme ideologically highlight the lost harmonious vision of a Chinese world order facing European imperialism. As both interpretations do not pay adequate attention to Chinese adoptions of the ‘West’, this article argues that Chinese functional adoption of Western concepts served a Western-style ‘modernisation’ as long as it did not undermine the monarchical legitimacy of the Qing dynasty. Active Chinese import of ‘Western’ concepts to further modernise China only encountered official resilience when the concepts could undermine monarchical legitimacy and revolutionise the Empire.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	International flows in the Belt and Road Initiative
Subtitle of host publication	business, peoples, ideas and history
Editors	David O'Brien
Place of Publication	Singapore
Publisher	Palgrave Macmillan
Chapter	10
Pages	219-252
Number of pages	34
ISBN (Electronic)	9789811531330
ISBN (Print)	9789811531323
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3133-0_10
Publication status	Published - 2020

Publication series

Name	Palgrave Series in Asia and Pacific Studies
ISSN (Print)	2662-7922
ISSN (Electronic)	2662-7930

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Free Keywords

Cultural transfer
Framing
Internationalism
New imperialism
Qing China

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Development
Sociology and Political Science
Political Science and International Relations

Access to Document

10.1007/978-981-15-3133-0_10

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-981-15-3133-0_10Licence: CC BY

Cite this

Mueller, C. (2020). Between Adoption and Resistance: China’s Efforts of ‘Understanding the West’, the Challenges of Transforming Monarchical Legitimacy and the Rise of Oriental Exceptionalism, 1860–1910. In D. O'Brien (Ed.), International flows in the Belt and Road Initiative: business, peoples, ideas and history (pp. 219-252). (Palgrave Series in Asia and Pacific Studies). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3133-0_10

Mueller, Christian. / Between Adoption and Resistance : China’s Efforts of ‘Understanding the West’, the Challenges of Transforming Monarchical Legitimacy and the Rise of Oriental Exceptionalism, 1860–1910. International flows in the Belt and Road Initiative: business, peoples, ideas and history. editor / David O'Brien. Singapore : Palgrave Macmillan, 2020. pp. 219-252 (Palgrave Series in Asia and Pacific Studies).

@inbook{1bc0b60d05c7479e91b68f0140b0a79e,

title = "Between Adoption and Resistance: China{\textquoteright}s Efforts of {\textquoteleft}Understanding the West{\textquoteright}, the Challenges of Transforming Monarchical Legitimacy and the Rise of Oriental Exceptionalism, 1860–1910",

abstract = "Qing officials and intellectuals were interested in European concepts of law, statehood, society, and the individual after China{\textquoteright}s conflicting encounter with the {\textquoteleft}West{\textquoteright} in the two {\textquoteleft}Opium Wars{\textquoteright}. The Marxist narrative of the Qing decline and the new Belt and Road programme ideologically highlight the lost harmonious vision of a Chinese world order facing European imperialism. As both interpretations do not pay adequate attention to Chinese adoptions of the {\textquoteleft}West{\textquoteright}, this article argues that Chinese functional adoption of Western concepts served a Western-style {\textquoteleft}modernisation{\textquoteright} as long as it did not undermine the monarchical legitimacy of the Qing dynasty. Active Chinese import of {\textquoteleft}Western{\textquoteright} concepts to further modernise China only encountered official resilience when the concepts could undermine monarchical legitimacy and revolutionise the Empire.",

keywords = "Cultural transfer, Framing, Internationalism, New imperialism, Qing China",

author = "Christian Mueller",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020, The Author(s).",

year = "2020",

doi = "10.1007/978-981-15-3133-0\_10",

language = "English",

isbn = "9789811531323",

series = "Palgrave Series in Asia and Pacific Studies",

publisher = "Palgrave Macmillan",

pages = "219--252",

editor = "David O'Brien",

booktitle = "International flows in the Belt and Road Initiative",

}

Mueller, C 2020, Between Adoption and Resistance: China’s Efforts of ‘Understanding the West’, the Challenges of Transforming Monarchical Legitimacy and the Rise of Oriental Exceptionalism, 1860–1910. in D O'Brien (ed.), International flows in the Belt and Road Initiative: business, peoples, ideas and history. Palgrave Series in Asia and Pacific Studies, Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore, pp. 219-252. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-3133-0_10

Between Adoption and Resistance: China’s Efforts of ‘Understanding the West’, the Challenges of Transforming Monarchical Legitimacy and the Rise of Oriental Exceptionalism, 1860–1910. / Mueller, Christian.
International flows in the Belt and Road Initiative: business, peoples, ideas and history. ed. / David O'Brien. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan, 2020. p. 219-252 (Palgrave Series in Asia and Pacific Studies).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Conference proceeding › Book Chapter › peer-review

TY - CHAP

T1 - Between Adoption and Resistance

T2 - China’s Efforts of ‘Understanding the West’, the Challenges of Transforming Monarchical Legitimacy and the Rise of Oriental Exceptionalism, 1860–1910

AU - Mueller, Christian

PY - 2020

Y1 - 2020

N2 - Qing officials and intellectuals were interested in European concepts of law, statehood, society, and the individual after China’s conflicting encounter with the ‘West’ in the two ‘Opium Wars’. The Marxist narrative of the Qing decline and the new Belt and Road programme ideologically highlight the lost harmonious vision of a Chinese world order facing European imperialism. As both interpretations do not pay adequate attention to Chinese adoptions of the ‘West’, this article argues that Chinese functional adoption of Western concepts served a Western-style ‘modernisation’ as long as it did not undermine the monarchical legitimacy of the Qing dynasty. Active Chinese import of ‘Western’ concepts to further modernise China only encountered official resilience when the concepts could undermine monarchical legitimacy and revolutionise the Empire.

AB - Qing officials and intellectuals were interested in European concepts of law, statehood, society, and the individual after China’s conflicting encounter with the ‘West’ in the two ‘Opium Wars’. The Marxist narrative of the Qing decline and the new Belt and Road programme ideologically highlight the lost harmonious vision of a Chinese world order facing European imperialism. As both interpretations do not pay adequate attention to Chinese adoptions of the ‘West’, this article argues that Chinese functional adoption of Western concepts served a Western-style ‘modernisation’ as long as it did not undermine the monarchical legitimacy of the Qing dynasty. Active Chinese import of ‘Western’ concepts to further modernise China only encountered official resilience when the concepts could undermine monarchical legitimacy and revolutionise the Empire.

KW - Cultural transfer

KW - Framing

KW - Internationalism

KW - New imperialism

KW - Qing China

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85129650548

U2 - 10.1007/978-981-15-3133-0_10

DO - 10.1007/978-981-15-3133-0_10

M3 - Book Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:85129650548

SN - 9789811531323

T3 - Palgrave Series in Asia and Pacific Studies

SP - 219

EP - 252

BT - International flows in the Belt and Road Initiative

A2 - O'Brien, David

PB - Palgrave Macmillan

CY - Singapore

ER -

Mueller C. Between Adoption and Resistance: China’s Efforts of ‘Understanding the West’, the Challenges of Transforming Monarchical Legitimacy and the Rise of Oriental Exceptionalism, 1860–1910. In O'Brien D, editor, International flows in the Belt and Road Initiative: business, peoples, ideas and history. Singapore: Palgrave Macmillan. 2020. p. 219-252. (Palgrave Series in Asia and Pacific Studies). doi: 10.1007/978-981-15-3133-0_10

Between Adoption and Resistance: China’s Efforts of ‘Understanding the West’, the Challenges of Transforming Monarchical Legitimacy and the Rise of Oriental Exceptionalism, 1860–1910

Abstract

Publication series

UN SDGs

Free Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this