TooB Boxers


 

 The Boxers (aka the Righteous Harmonious Fists) believe many and any bizarre, irrational, and derogatory tales about Christians and foreigners. Christians are depraved, murderous, rapacious, etc.; they use a special preparation of menstrual blood which saps the power of the Boxers and keeps them at bay. More notably for the summer of 1900, the foreigners are believed to be responsible for the (terribly dry and hot) weather, and for the great floods of 1898. The "fire carts" (railways) are another pernicious influence, pressing heavily on the head of the Dragon. Telegraph systems, mines, steamboats -- all are the subjects of contradictory and outlandish rumors.

 

The Boxer's most noted slogan is, "Support the Ching, destroy the foreigners" -- interesting in light of the fact that just a few decades ago the Boxers were fervently opposed to the Ching (aka Manchu) dynasty.

 

The Red Lantern Girls are the female wing of the Boxers -- mostly teenagers, devoted to arson.

Boxers receive their powers from rituals, invoking the traditional Chinese gods.

 

The basic unit of the Boxers is called a t'uan in the countryside or a t'an in the urban areas. Its head is called ta-shuai or Lao-shih-fu who commands from 25 to over 100 members. The headquarters of the Boxers is usually a temple. In front of it is a boxing ground (ch'uan-chang). The boundaries of the t'an or t'uan do not seem to have been clearly drawn and there is not much co-ordination between them. There is a lack of unity and uniformity. Under the t'an or t'uan leader, there are hsien-sheng in charge of administrative work and shih-hsiung who are responsible for training new boxers.

 

 


 

The Boxers have risen to prominence within the last two years; previously, the Big Sword Society and the Spirit Boxers claimed similar powers. Those groups have little interest in foreigners, however. Other groups opposed to foreigners or the Manchu are the Golden Candle Society, Pa-Kua Chiao, White Lotus Sect, Ta-tao Hui and Hung Men.

 


 

 

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