Yihetuan Movement and Chinese Enlightenment in the Early 20th Century

The Yihetuan Movement (also known as the Boxer movement, 1900), not only heavily attacked imperialism's slicing melon policy, but also offered an impetus to the political struggles of the bourgeoisie, especially to the Chinese enlightenment in the early 20th century. It taught Chinese to realize the aggressive character of imperialism and the reactionary character of the Manchu court, to find the potential power in the masses, and understand the necessity of enlightenment among common people. As result of the Movement, enlightenment movement entered a new stage. The relation between the Yihetuan and enlightenment is dialectical one; the national salvation movement and the enlightenment movement complement each other.