Crisis in China, Christian villages burnt
This is a diplomatic despatch from the Portuguese Consulate in Canton, dated 26 September 1900, comprising a series of transcribed memoranda, telegrams, and reports sent to the Government of Macau concerning civil unrest in southern China during the late stages of the Boxer Rebellion. The document d...
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| Format: | Documents |
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| Language: | Portuguese |
| Published: |
Setembro 1900
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| Subjects: |
Anti-Christian violence
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Arson and looting
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Author anticipation
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Black Flag collusion
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Boxer Rebellion
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Chinese troops deployment
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Christian converts
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Civil Unrest Southern China
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Diplomatic Despatches
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Empress sanction
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Government of Macau correspondence
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Gunboat Eva Lanche
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Historical diplomatic reporting
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Horizon Hon'teir
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Imperial directives
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Kuenchuli Village
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Liyngpan
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Local magistrates
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Portuguese Consulate in Canton
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Public order deterioration
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Secret Societies
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Sim Tong Wampo
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Temporary calm
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Tong Lee
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Villages surrounding Canton
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Documents
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| Online Access: | https://macau-legacy.usj.edu.mo/docs/LI6V8ULP/viewer_LI6V8ULP.html |
| Summary: | This is a diplomatic despatch from the Portuguese Consulate in Canton, dated 26 September 1900, comprising a series of transcribed memoranda, telegrams, and reports sent to the Government of Macau concerning civil unrest in southern China during the late stages of the Boxer Rebellion. The document details disturbances in villages surrounding Canton, including Kuenchuli, Liyngpan, Tong Lee, Sim Tong in Wampo, and Horizon (Hon'teir), located approximately 40 miles east of the city. It records the flight of indigenous Christian converts into Canton, the deployment of local magistrates with armed forces, and the dispatch of 4,000 Chinese troops to affected areas. Mention is made of the French gunboat "Eva Lanche" en route to Kwan-chuk, where insurgents were reported, and of the alleged involvement of the 'Lady of the Black Flag' in collusion with secret societies. The consul expresses concern over escalating violence—including arson, looting, and anti-Christian attacks—and notes restrictive imperial directives reportedly sanctioned by the Empress, which appear to legitimise military actions against foreign interests. Despite temporary calm in Canton, the author anticipates further deterioration of public order, drawing parallels with events in Tientsin. The despatch reflects contemporary anxieties about regional stability, the role of Chinese authorities under the Interior Viceroy, and the vulnerability of foreign and Christian communities amid widespread rebellion. This primary source offers critical insights into localised responses to the Boxer Uprising in Guangdong province. |
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