 |
|
Troubled Times at the Beginning of the Century (5)
The Invasion of Eight-Power Allied Forces 
|
|
|
 The Chinese cannot bear to recall that period of time. The film preserved at the Library of Congress in the United States is a true record of the Eight-Power Allied Forces attacking Dagu Fort, Tianjin a hundred years ago.
On June 17, 1900, Dagu Fort fell into the enemy hands. More than 700 officers and men of the insurgent army heroically gave their lives for the country. More than 14,000 troops of the Eight-Power Allied Forces continued to press on towards Beijing. Empress Dowager Cixi was compelled to declare war on the imperialist powers. Soldiers of the Qing army and Yihetuan insurgents began to attack the foreign legations. Dongjiaominxiang Lane, the Legation Quarter, became the forward position where a most furious battle was fought.
On June 20, the German minister Klemens von Ketteler was killed at the Dongdan crossing. The Eight-Power Allied Forces had reached the city gates. The solid city wall of Beijing was vulnerable to attack by the enemy troops equipped with modern weapons. The Qing troops and the Yihetuan insurgents were unable to hit back.
Empress Dowager Cixi fled westwards before the capital fell into the enemy hands. On the point of leaving, she ordered a eunuch to throw the Pearl Concubine into a well. The Pearl Concubine had supported Emperor Guangxu's reform and become his favourite. Empress Dowager Cixi left a decree to punish the Yihetuan. The insurgents were betrayed.
On August 14, the Eight-Power Allied Forces began to round up and kill Yihetuan insurgents in Beijing.
Soon afterwards the legations of various countries were rebuilt. Bells at the churches chimed again. The aggressors said order had been restored in Beijing.
Under this kind of order, they could have photos taken at will in front of the throne of the Chinese emperor.
They visited prostitutes at brothels in the Eight Alleys.
 Beijing was looted. Countless cultural relics and national treasures were lost. Precious astronomical instruments at the Ancient Beijing Observatory were looted by German and French troops.
At Tianqiao (The Bridge of Heaven) where many entertainers performed, a magician from the American army was turning out living men.
He turned national flags of various countries into gallant soldiers.
Then he turned a black flag into a short Chinese clown. At the end of the juggling, the Chinese was given a sound beating.
The incident in 1900 not only left a scene of ruins. To apologize for the death of the German minister, the Qing government built a high memorial archway-Klemens von Ketteler Archway. An inscription was written for the archway in the name of the Chinese emperor.
The archway stood at the busy Dongdan crossing, looking at the Chinese for nearly 20 years.
Today you can still see bullet holes left on the awe-inspiring stone lions at Tian'anmen a hundred years ago.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
