Righteous Harmony Society

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Boxers, drawn by Johannes Koekkoek circa 1900.

The Society of Right and Harmonious Fists (traditional Chinese: 義和團; simplified Chinese: 义和团; pinyin: Yìhétuán) or the Boxer was a secret society founded in the Northern Shandong province of China that executed the unsuccessful Boxer Rebellion in the closing years of the 19th century. Their goal, at first, was to overthrow the imperial Ch'ing government and destroy all the "foreign devils" or outside spheres of influence from China. Eventually however, Empress Dowager Cixi began to manipulate the Society through ministers, turning them to her own purposes. A society that had previously stood in opposition to the Empress had subtly been converted into a group of lackeys. In short order, at the urging of the ministers, the Society adopted its slogan "Support the Ch'ing; destroy the foreigner!"^[1] ^[2]

The Boxer Rebellion lasted for 55 days during which time numerous Western interests such as railroads and mines were destroyed and many Europeans were killed including Protestant Missionaries and their children. Demands were placed upon the Empress to quash the rebellion but eventually forces from the West marshaled as the Eight-Nation Alliance ended the rebellion and destroyed the short-lived Society.

[edit] Theory on the name "Boxers"

Westerners came to call well-trained, athletic young men "Boxers" due to the martial arts and calisthenics they practiced.^[3] Despite the obvious differences between Chinese Wushu and Western pugilistic boxing, the training for unarmed combat took on the same name to the Europeans. The Boxers believed that they could, through training, diet, martial arts, and prayer, perform extraordinary feats, such as flight and could become immune to swords and bullets. Further, they popularly claimed that millions of "spirit soldiers," would descend from the heavens and assist them in purifying China from foreign influences.