There have been numerous reform movements in China over the past two centuries, so I will select two of the most significant ones: the Hundred Days' Reform and the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution.
The Hundred Days' Reform occurred in 1898 during the Qing Dynasty and was an attempt to modernize and reform the government and society in China. Led by Emperor Guangxu, the reformers sought to implement changes such as the establishment of a modern education system, a new legal code, and the creation of a constitutional monarchy. However, the conservative faction at court, led by Empress Dowager Cixi, opposed the reformers and ultimately staged a coup to remove Emperor Guangxu from power and end the reforms.
In contrast, the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution occurred in the 1960s during the Mao Zedong era of the People's Republic of China. Mao believed that the country had become too bureaucratic and that the Communist Party had become disconnected from the masses. The Cultural Revolution was a mass movement aimed at purging capitalist and traditional elements from society and promoting Maoist ideology. The movement was characterized by political violence, public humiliation, and the establishment of paramilitary groups known as the Red Guards. The Cultural Revolution caused significant social and economic disruption and resulted in the deaths of thousands of people.
While both the Hundred Days' Reform and the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution were attempts at reforming Chinese society, they had vastly different goals and outcomes. The Hundred Days' Reform was focused on modernizing the government and legal system, while the Cultural Revolution aimed to eliminate perceived bourgeois and traditional elements in society. Additionally, the Hundred Days' Reform was ultimately unsuccessful, while the Cultural Revolution had a profound and lasting impact on Chinese society.