西太后의 政治權力 硏究 -義和團運動期를 중심으로

Abstract

ABSTRACT A Study on The Xitaihou's Political Authority - Centering on The Yihetuan Movement -

Han, Juyon Advisor : Prof. Choe Chinkyu, Ph.D. Major in History Education Graduate School of Education, Chosun University

This study aims to identify the reasons for declaring war and negotiating for peace based on the results of the studies of the Boxer Rebellion and the political path of xitaihou And it is to analyze and assess the characteristics of her political path. First, xitaihou declared war on the foreign Powers by relying on boxer powers, which was the result of a combination of the following seven factors: emergence of anti-foreign conservatives and their insistence, failure of jihaijianchu(己亥建儲) and distrust of the foreign Powers, same anti-foreign feeling of xitaihou and boxer power, severe intervention of the foreign Powers and expanded military delegations, expansion of the boxer power and difficulty in suppression of the Qing court, advanced weapons, and documents of guizhengzhaokuai(歸政照會). This study identified the reason why xitaihou decided to resort to negotiation for peace in respect to her weakened determination. There were only a few studies on her reasons for her decision to negotiate, but the reasons are roughly presented as follows: revealing false guizhengzhaokuai documents, recognition of military priority of the foreign Powers, empowerment of boxer forces and limited suppression, organization of dongnanhubao(東南互保), risk of yangwu(洋務) force and local military forces in collusion with the foreign Powers, independent army of tangcaichang(唐才常), sunwen's(孫文) huizhouqiyi(惠州起義), an indication of popular secession, and refuge to xian(西安). And finally, this study examined her efforts to deal with the negotiation and chaos of that time and limitations. She made such efforts as approval of dongnanhubao, punishment of anti-foreign conservatives, support of yangwu forces, declaration of xiazhaozuiji(下詔罪己), conclusion of Peace Treaty(辛丑條約), suppression of many rebellions, and decisive action of guangxuxinzheng(光緖新政), but the rebellion became enormously enlarged and ended with collapse of Qing Dynasty. Often, xitaihou is judged as a conservative, opportunist, and principal offender of anti-modernism. We can see much of her through her activities during the Boxer Rebellion. The Boxer Rebellion was expanded and the foreign Powers sent military power as she did not actively deal with it though she could dissolve or suppress it in its beginning. Though the activities of the Boxer Rebellion were based on nationalistic emotion, it was necessary to predict the risk they would bring. However, xitaihou was not able to deal with it properly and she thought the rebellion would end in a peaceful way, even when intervention by the foreign Powers was getting aggravated, and they sent military power. Due to the pressure from the foreign Powers and the delegation of military power, she declared war on them relying on the Boxer’s power, but the results were not satisfactory. Then she decided to suppress the Boxer rebellion, which highlights her attitude as an opportunist. And as she concluded shameful treaties with western powers to maintain her political power and used them to suppress the rebellion, she was judged as a person who relied upon imperialistic powers. xitaihou broke the patriotic intention of the public to maintain her political power and had no ability to identify political reality of the world, and her excessive desire for political power hindered the development of her country.