The Boxer Rebellion: Martial Arts

Martial arts have always played a role in warfare, but in China's Boxer Rebellion the Righteous Harmony Society martial arts were at the core of their beliefs that would lead to a violent uprising. As China approached the 20th century things weren't good in the ancient empire. Over the previous decades thousands of foreign residence from Europe, The United Sates and other countries began calling the country home.

They brought with them western goods to sell and began preaching Christianity. While some embraced the foreigners others wanted them out and if they had to do that by force they were more than willing. So the stage was set for a clash of arms, and those who survive the onslaught would only do so by grit and determination.

The Righteous Harmony Society began as a secret society in Northern China, and was based primarily out of the Shandong providence. Like many groups they practiced unarmed and armed combat and built up their bodies through calisthenics. Despite Chinese martial arts being very different from western styles boxing European began calling the Chinese martial artists Boxers and the name stuck. While martial arts can benefit an individual in many ways the Boxers took it one step further.

They believed that through study and training that an individual not only could perform amazing feats, but could also make them immune to weapons. While some martial artists in China and elsewhere have accomplished a lot through training ignoring bullets and blades is not one of the benefits of intense training.

Supernatural beliefs aside the situation in China only deteriorated as the native Chinese clashed with Christians over offenses real and imagined. Some said foreign imports were destroying the local economy while others saw Christian beliefs as a threat to their culture. Some even blamed natural disasters on the outsiders and violence became more frequent and included acts of arson and murders committed primarily by the Boxers.

The elements within the Chinese government were sympathetic to the Boxer's cause, so little was to prevent the violence, so the western nations sent in troops to protect their citizens. It wouldn't be long before a global conflict erupted in the streets of China.

In June 1900 after all diplomatic efforts had failed the Boxers with the Imperial army along with peasant volunteers began attacking foreign properties and embassies in the cities of Tianjin and Beijing. When the fighting began civilians and government personnel from Europe, the United States, Russia and Japan took refuge in the Beijing Legation Quarter which had been China's diplomatic center for over fifty years. The British delegation put out a call for help, but the telegraph lines were cut as well as the rail lines, so the foreign residence of the city were on their own.

For close two months a ragtag force recruited from eight different nations including American sailors and Marines fought against overwhelming odds. They took on the Chinese martial artists armed with a variety of traditional weapons as well as the Imperial army which was eager to drive out the foreign invaders.

Despite their difference the foreign troops all learned to work together and superior training held up against overwhelming superiority until a relief force arrived. The ramifications of the fighting were long lasting, but the acts of courage and hard fighting should not be forgotten. A small group of allies worked together to combine their strengths, and by doing so were able to defeat and army of fanatical martial artists.