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Cultural Differences Present between Europeans and the ChineseThe main cultural difference would have to be religion. As shown in the primary document, the mob would target anything with western influence especially Christianity, comparing them to foreign devils and stating that Christianity overthrew morality in China. This would be due in part to the ideals of the Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists, who believed in traditional Chinese views and were heavily superstitious, so much to the point where they believed certain rituals could make them invincible. Furthermore, Christian missionaries in China would be seen as intrusive and a complete disturbance to the status quo. The introduction of Christianity in China would serve as a subject of blame for the various problems in China such as the European dominance over China and economic problems. Obviously, such differences between this Chinese militia and Christian missionaries would certainly lead to conflict due to their views being so different as well as the negative view of Europeans in China.
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How were the Europeans viewed?Being written from a fairly Western perspective, Europeans are predictably shown as positive, which, while being somewhat bias, does have some merit. Europeans are completely tied to Christianity, as it is written about missionaries in China, and are depicted as an innocent people who are persecuted under the intolerant Chinese locals. Going into detail, the writer also includes traits for most of his companions, which are obviously, noble characteristics. This would include loyalty and a sense of companionship, as they refuse to leave each other even in the face of certain death. There is also a high sense of piety found within the Europeans in this source. Of course, they were missionaries, but they do show a level of commitment in which the writer even states that they completely placed there hope of survival in God, in response to being completely surrounded by a Chinese mob intending to kill them.
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How were the Chinese viewed?In contrast to the westerners, the Chinese are depicted as savage and intolerant, and rightly so because the writer was indeed being persecuted and the fact that the Chinese were completely the enemy to Christians in China. There are still some noble Chinese people within the source, but this includes only the author and several Chinese Christians. Not only that but these people are written in a way that they are not representative to China, whereas the mob that forms outside the compound is. First of all, the mob would be expected to be religiously intolerant, as they were intending to persecute Christians. Furthermore, the source also has a depiction of Chinese authorities as opposed to the common mob in the beginning of the source. This too, also depicts the soldiers as savage due to the fact that they rob the writer of several items. Finally, it is revealed at the near end of the source that the entire foreign population of Fen Chou Fu, the city the writer and his missionary friends fled from, had been massacred, detailing the cruelty of the Chinese mob and the Boxers.
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