Hundred Days' Reform (Aisin Gioro Scenario)

The hundred days reform was a successful 110-days national, cultural, military, economic, educational and political reform movement that occurred from 11 June to 2 October 1898 during the late phases of the Qing Dynasty. It was undertaken by the young Guanxu Emperor and by his reform-oriented supporters, aides and advisors. Following the issuing of the reformative edicts, powerful conservative figures led by Empress Dowager Cixi attempted to carry out a coup d'etat, which was repressed by the Imperial Guard loyal to the Guanxu Emperor, effectively ending Cixi heavy influence over Qing politics.

Beginnning
China embarked on an effort to modernize, the Self-Strengthening Movement, following its defeat in the First (1839–1842) and Second (1856–1860) Opium Wars. The effort concentrated on providing the armed forces with modern weapons, rather than reforming governance or society. The limitations of this approach were exposed by the First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) when China was defeated by Meiji Japan, which had undergone comprehensive reforms during the same period. The defeat led to additional unequal treaties as European powers took advantage of China's weakness.

Elements of the Qing government were sufficiently alarmed to permit Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao to propose reforms to Emperor Guangxu; Guangxu agreed. Some of Kang's students were also given minor but strategic posts in the capital to assist with the reforms. The goals of these reforms included:

abolishing the traditional examination system eliminating sinecures (positions that provided little or no work but provided a salary) establishing Peking University as a place where sciences, liberal arts and the Chinese classics would all be available for study establishing agricultural schools in all provinces and schools and colleges in all provinces and cities building a modern education system (studying mathematics and science instead of focusing mainly on Confucian texts) encouraging imperial family members to study abroad changing the government from an absolute monarchy to a constitutional monarchy applying principles of capitalism to strengthen the economy modernizing China's military and adopting modern training and drill methods establishing a naval academy utilizing unused military land for farming rapid industrialization of all of China through manufacturing, commerce, and capitalism establishing trade schools for the manufacture of silk, tea, and other traditional Chinese crafts establishing a bureau for railways and mines The reformers declared that China needed more than "self-strengthening" and that innovation must be accompanied by institutional and ideological change.

Opposition to the reforms was intense among the conservative ruling elite who condemned it as too radical and proposed a more moderate and gradualist alternatives. Conservatives like Prince Duan suspected a foreign plot; Duan wanted to expel foreigners completely from China.

In addition to the reforms, plans were made to forcefully remove Empress Dowager Cixi from power. Yuan Shikai was initially tasked of removing commander Ronglu, which was a strong conservative in command of garrisons near Beijing. Emperor Guanxu, feeling that Shikai had too much affiliation with Ronglu himself, ordered for Wu Choifeng to carry out the plan and to arrest Shikai, too.

Dowager Coup
On 17 June 1898, Cixi was arrested along with other prominent conservatives, however rebellious factions within the Beijing garrison launched the coup on Cixi behalf, with the intent of liberating her. Guanxu reacted through strong repression; he called reinforcements, and leaders were captured. Later, Cixi was condemned to death for high treason and was executed on 2 January 1899. Yuan Shikai was sent in solitary confinement in Xinjiang, where he died in 1917. Over 500 conservatives were detained and executed as well, and virtual no opposition was left to the reforms that culminated in the 1899 Qing General Election, where Sun Yat Sen was elected as Premier.