Question

Early in June my college friend K'ung Hsiang Hsi came back from T'ungchou for his vacation, reporting that the state of affairs there and at Peking was growing worse, that the local officials were powerless against the Boxers, and that the Boxers, armed with swords, were constantly threatening Christians scattered in the country. . . . The wicked Governor, Yü Hsien, scattered proclamations broadcast. These stated that the foreign religions overthrew morality and inflamed men to do evil, so now gods and men were stirred up against them, and Heaven's legions had been sent to exterminate the foreign devils. Moreover there were the Boxers, faithful to their sovereign, loyal to their country, determined to unite in wiping out the foreign religion. He also offered a reward to all who killed foreigners, either titles or office or money. When the highest official in the province took such a stand in favor of the Boxers, what could inferior officials do? People and officials bowed to his will, and all who enlisted as Boxers were in high favor. It was a time of license and anarchy, when not only Christians were killed, but hundreds of others against whom individual Boxers had a grudge.1 Who was the intended audience

Answer 1

The account describes the anti-foreign and anti-Christian uprising known as the Boxer Rebellion, intended for an audience interested in this historical event. The Boxers aimed to rid China of Western influences with support from the Empress Cixi, but their rebellion was ultimately quashed by an international force.

Step-by-step explanation:

The intended audience of the account describing the Boxer Rebellion could be either individuals seeking to understand the complexities of this historic event or scholars researching anti-foreign sentiment and the collapse of the Qing Dynasty in China. The Boxer Rebellion, which occurred at the end of the 19th century, was a significant anti-colonial and anti-Christian uprising led by the Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fists, also known as the Boxers. It represented a culmination of discontent against foreign interference and missionaries, leading to widespread violence against foreigners and Chinese Christian converts.

The Boxers feared that Western influences were corrupting their society and protested against their government's inability to keep Western traders and culture out of China. With the support of the Empress Cixi, the uprising spread rapidly, although it was eventually suppressed by an international coalition force. The aftermath of the rebellion saw the Qing government capitulate to foreign demands, further eroding its power and leading to its eventual downfall.

Answer 2

Step-by-step explanation:

First of all, the audience obviously does not know (or least well), who the boxers are. Moreover we can suspect that it is a Christian community because the writing style sets out to prove how

corrupt Yu Hsien is

• how the propaganda machine painted Christians (as anachists who wanted to overthrow the current government).
• So now the gods and men were stirred up against them to exterminate the foreign devils.
• The Boxers were united and angry -- probably something the intended audience didn't know