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126-789: The Legation Quarter was the location of the 55-day siege of the International Legations , which took place during the Boxer Rebellion of 1900. After the Boxer Rebellion, the Legation Quarter was under the jurisdiction of foreign countries with diplomatic legations (later most commonly called "embassies") in the quarter. The foreign residents were exempt from Chinese law. The Legation Quarter attracted many diplomats, soldiers, scholars, artists, tourists, and Sinophiles . World War II effectively ended

252-676: A 50% interest in Maxim's, Hong Kong's leading restaurant chain. Jardine Strategic has a 78% shareholding in Dairy Farm. As of 8 March 2012 , Dairy Farm owned 70% of the shares of Lucky Group, the largest grocery mall operator in Cambodia. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group is an international hotel investment and management company operating deluxe and first class hotels and residences in city and resort destinations around

378-468: A Japanese diplomat, Sugiyama Akira, was murdered by soldiers of Gen. Dong Fuxiang and the next day the first Boxer, dressed in his finery, was seen in the Legation Quarter. The German Minister, Clemens von Ketteler , and German soldiers captured another Boxer. In response, that afternoon thousands of Boxers burst into the walled city of Beijing and burned most of the Christian churches and cathedrals in

504-577: A brief war with Chinese forces near Shanghai in 1932, and steadily encroached on the area around Beijing. World War II in East Asia properly began on July 7, 1937, when Japanese and Chinese soldiers clashed in the Marco Polo Bridge Incident . The Marco Polo Bridge was about 20 km (12 mi) west of the Legation Quarter. More fighting ensued and on August 8, the victorious Japanese army marched into Beijing. Foreigners observed

630-625: A dilemma," said Sir Robert Hart . "If the Boxers are not suppressed, the Legations threaten to take action—if the attempt to suppress them is made, this intensely patriotic organization will be converted into an anti-dynastic movement." The event that irrevocably pushed the Chinese government to the side of the Boxers was the attack by foreign warships on the Taku Forts on June 17. The attack

756-643: A full range of automobile and motorcycle products in partnerships with companies which include Toyota, Daihatsu, Isuzu, UD Trucks, Peugeot and BMW for automobiles, and Honda for motorcycles. Astra also has a strong presence in the automotive component sector through its subsidiary PT Astra Otoparts Tbk. In addition, Astra has interests in financial services; heavy equipment and mining; agribusiness; infrastructure and logistics; and information technology. In financial services, Astra's businesses provide financial products and services to support its automotive, heavy equipment sales, and general and life insurance. Henry Keswick,

882-532: A mine beneath the French Legation, destroying most of it, killing two soldiers and pushing the French and Austrians out of most of the French Legation. Frank Gamewell began digging bombproof shelters as a last refuge for the besieged. The end seemed near. The next day, a conciliatory message received from the Chinese raised hopes, but those hopes were dashed on July 16 when the most capable British officer

1008-476: A missionary woman. American Minister Conger said, "that some of them, for furious firing, exceeded anything he experienced in the American Civil War ." The hard-pressed Legation guards saw their numbers diminish daily with casualties. The Chinese were divided on the prosecution of the siege. The anti-Boxer faction, headed by Ronglu, and the anti-foreign faction, headed by Prince Duan , squabbled at

1134-514: A number of foreign businesses and banks. Ethnic Chinese-occupied houses and businesses were also scattered about the quarter. The twelve or so Christian missionary organizations in Beijing were not located in the Legation Quarter, but rather dispersed around the city. In total, about 500 citizens of Western countries and Japan resided in the city. The northern side of the Legation quarter was near

1260-693: A number of well-known local brands. It has a significant presence in Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Indonesia, and a growing presence in China, India and Vietnam. Dairy Farm operates supermarkets under the banners of Wellcome, Jasons, Shop N Save, Cold Storage, Hero, Yonghui, and MarketPlace; hypermarkets under the Giant brand; health and beauty stores under Mannings and Guardian; IKEA furniture stores in Hong Kong, Macau, Indonesia, and Taiwan; as well as 7-Eleven convenience stores. The group also has

1386-640: A presence since 1926. JC&C has an interest of just over 50% in Astra, a listed Indonesian conglomerate and the largest independent automotive group in Southeast Asia, as well as other motor interests in the region. Together with its subsidiaries and associates, Jardine Cycle & Carriage employs 250 000 across Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Thailand. Jardine Cycle & Carriage operates in Singapore, Malaysia, and Myanmar under

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1512-586: A significant stake in Indonesia's leading supermarket group Hero . Hotel brand Mandarin Oriental also embarked on a strategy to double its available rooms and improve returns. The first decade of the new millennium saw Jardine Cycle & Carriage acquire an initial 31% stake in Astra International , which has since been increased to just over 50%. Hongkong Land became a Group subsidiary for

1638-570: A white woman for a dollar or less, and Russian officers in tattered uniforms begged at the doors of Chinese theaters." The people of the Legation Quarter suffered a series of political shocks: the fall of the Qing dynasty in 1911 to Yuan Shikai , the warlord era from his death in 1916 until 1928 when Chiang Kai-shek and the Republic of China army consolidated its rule over China and the growing influence of an increasingly aggressive Japan. The capital

1764-441: A wholly owned subsidiary. Jardines today comprises a group of companies with extensive operations across Asia and, through some of its businesses, the world. The firm's business interests include Jardine Pacific , Jardine Motors , Hongkong Land , Dairy Farm , Mandarin Oriental , Jardine Cycle & Carriage , through which its interest in Astra is held. The Group also has strategic interests in other entities. Jardine Pacific

1890-415: Is a Fortune Global 500 company. In 2013, both Jardine Matheson and Jardine Strategic were among the top 200 publicly traded companies in the world, as valued by market capitalisation . The firm of Jardine, Matheson & Company emerged in 1832 from an evolving process of partnership changes in the trading business Cox & Reid, a partnership established in 1782 between John Cox and John Reid ,

2016-512: Is a holding company which represents a significant number of the Group's non-listed interests in Asia, principally in engineering and construction, transport services, restaurants and IT services. These include a number of Jardines’ long-standing businesses such as Jardine Engineering Corporation (JEC), Jardine Aviation Services , Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals , Jardine Schindler (joint-venture with

2142-571: Is active in the sales and service of motor vehicles in Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China and the United Kingdom. Subsidiary Zung Fu, which has held the Mercedes-Benz luxury vehicle franchise in Hong Kong for over 50 years, has achieved one of the highest market penetrations in the world for the luxury brand and ranks among its top international performers. The group also represents Smart and Hyundai passenger cars in Hong Kong. Zung Fu

2268-534: Is expanding its presence across the growing market of Southern China where it is actively developing a network of Mercedes-Benz dealerships. In the United Kingdom, Jardine Motors is one of the country's largest retail dealership groups with a portfolio of specialist franchises that includes Aston Martin, Audi and Volkswagen, Jaguar and Land Rover, Mercedes Benz and Porsche. Hongkong Land is an Asian property investment, management and development group. Established in Hong Kong in 1889 by Sir Paul Chater and William Keswick,

2394-672: Is the former office of the International Banking Corporation , now the Beijing Police Museum . For the Europeans or Americans visiting or living in the Legation Quarter, it was a familiar environment of paved streets, western architecture, lawns, trees, social clubs, bars and restaurants. Chinese servants of foreigners were allowed to live in the Legation quarter, but others could only enter with temporary passes from guards at every entrance to

2520-556: The New York Sun "the most exciting episode ever known to civilization." In mid-June the Chinese government was still indecisive about the Boxers. Some officials— Ronglu , for example—counseled the Empress Dowager that the Boxers were "rabble" who would be easily defeated by foreign soldiers. On the other side of the question were anti-foreign officials who advised cooperation with the Boxers. "The Court appears to be in

2646-1049: The Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall , and the St. Michael's Church from 1904. 39°54′11″N 116°24′06″E  /  39.90306°N 116.40167°E  / 39.90306; 116.40167 Siege of the International Legations Boxer Protocol The siege of the International Legations was a pivotal event during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, in which foreign diplomatic compounds in Peking (now Beijing ) were besieged by Chinese Boxers and Qing Dynasty troops. The Boxers, fueled by anti-foreign and anti-Christian sentiments, targeted foreigners and Chinese Christians, leading to approximately 900 soldiers, sailors, marines, and civilians from various nations, along with about 2,800 Chinese Christians, seeking refuge in

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2772-589: The Chink coolies do it for you. You get waited on hand and foot." He added however, that he was leaving because China was not a "white man's country." An exception to the privileged status of the foreigners in the Legation Quarter were the "White Russians" who flooded into China after World War I and into the early 1920s after their defeat in the Russian Civil War in the Soviet Union . Most of

2898-688: The Imperial City where the Empress Dowager Cixi resided. The massive Tartar Wall which ringed the entire city of Beijing bordered the south. The eastern and western sides of the Legation Quarter were major streets. By 1900, foreign powers had been chipping away at Chinese sovereignty for over six decades. After Chinese defeats in the Opium Wars and Tonquin War , the Qing government

3024-541: The Jardine Scholarship in 1982 and Mindset, a mental health-focused charity, in 2002. Jardines was one of the original Hong Kong trading houses or Hongs that date back to Imperial China . 58 percent of the company's profits were earned in China in 2019. The company is controlled by the Keswick family , who are descendants of co-founder William Jardine's older sister, Jean Johnstone. Jardine Matheson

3150-488: The Keswick family , who are direct descendants of William Jardine's sister Jean through the marriage of her daughter to Thomas Keswick, father of William Keswick , an early Tai-pan of the firm. While the leadership of Jardines is Scottish, the firm is international in its dealings. The staff of Jardines is predominantly Asian, with senior management levels composed of a mixture of British, Chinese, Indonesians, Europeans, Australians and Americans. The Keswicks have maintained

3276-490: The Legation Quarter . The Qing government, initially ambivalent, ultimately supported the Boxers following international military actions. The siege lasted 55 days, marked by intense combat and a brief truce, until an international relief force arrived from the coast, defeated the Qing forces, and lifted the siege. The failure of the siege and the subsequent occupation of Peking by foreign powers significantly weakened

3402-609: The Peking-Mukden Railway from Tianjin had been extended to the Qianmen gate, just across the inner city walls from the Legation Quarter. Foreign soldiers patrolled the streets of the Legation Quarter, and Chinese houses and property had been expropriated or purchased. A wall had been constructed around the Legation Quarter and outside the wall a grassy area, a glacis , gave the soldiers a field of visibility to warn them of advancing trouble—and also isolating them from

3528-560: The Qing dynasty the next year, and demolished the next year. In the early decades of the 20th century, Jardines built cotton mills, a press packing plant, and a brewery in Shanghai while expanding into Africa, America, and Australia. When war came to China in 1937 , the firm suffered heavily both in Hong Kong and in mainland China. After the 1949 foundation of the People's Republic of China, trading conditions for foreign companies under

3654-537: The Schindler Group which evolved from JEC's earlier appointment as Schindler 's sole Hong Kong representative), Gammon Construction as well as more contemporary interests that reflect the demands of Asian consumers; among them Pizza Hut restaurants in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Vietnam and Myanmar, KFC franchises in Hong Kong (not part of Yum China or Yum Brands ), Macau and Taiwan. Pizza Hut and KFC operations are under Jardine Restaurant Group. Jardine Motors

3780-575: The "Badlands" area adjoining the Legation Quarter on the east, centered on Chuanban Hutong (alley). The American explorer Roy Chapman Andrews said he frequented the "cafes of somewhat dubious reputation" with the explorer Sven Hedin and scientist Davidson Black to "have scrambled eggs and dance with the Russian girls." An Italian diplomat condemned the White Russians: "The prestige of the white race fell precipitously when Chinese could possess

3906-579: The 'east coast of England' [a reference to Cambridge] I do feel that men from north of the border are the most suitable for our routine business... I am very keen on keeping the Scottish entity of the Firm. But I hope I have not conveyed that I have swung against the University man... I merely consider that he must be aided and abettered by the solid, plodding type from Scotland." Jardines is controlled by

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4032-546: The 1997 handover of Hong Kong , in 1990 Jardine Matheson Holdings and four other listed group companies arranged primary share listings on the London Stock Exchange in addition to their Hong Kong listings. Other significant developments during this decade included the merging of Jardine Insurance Brokers with Lloyd Thompson to form Jardine Lloyd Thompson , the acquisition of a 16% interest in Singapore blue-chip Cycle & Carriage and Dairy Farm ’s purchase of

4158-608: The American Marines had sufficient ammunition. The defenders had three machine guns. The Italians had a small cannon. An old cannon barrel was found in the Legation Quarter and from it a serviceable artillery piece was constructed that the Americans called "Betsy" and others called "the International". The foreigners ransacked the Legation Quarter for food and other supplies. Food and water were adequate, although

4284-405: The Boxer Rebellion, and also securing the roads and railroad from Beijing to Tianjin , the line of escape from China for the foreigners if worse came to worst. A departing Marine in the late 1920s described the leisurely life of the legation guards. You "get the afternoons off....You don't make your own bed; you don't shine your own shoes; you don't fill your own canteen; you don't shave yourself;

4410-401: The Boxer Rebellion, leading to its eventual suppression and resulting in increased foreign influence and intervention in China. The Legation Quarter was approximately 2 mi (3.2 km) long and 1 mi (1.6 km) wide. It was located in the area of the city designated by the Qing government for foreign legations . In 1900, there were eleven legations located in the quarter as well as

4536-490: The Boxers, began to turn away from proselytizing, and more toward education, health, and women's issues in attempting to accelerate a century of very slow progress in achieving their goal of making China into a Christian nation. A few foreign businessmen came to Beijing and many foreign enterprises were located in the Legation Quarter, but Beijing never became a mercantile center for foreign companies comparable to Shanghai and other Treaty Ports . The foreign population in Beijing

4662-600: The British Embassy, the largest and most defensible of the International Legations despite the burning of Peking University in an effort to damage the British Legation, which was only a few feet away. A census of civilians counted 473 foreign civilians in the Legation Quarter: 245 men, 149 women, and 79 children. About 150 of the men volunteered to participate, to a greater or lesser extent, in

4788-678: The British Treasury since May 2010, joined Jardine Matheson as an executive board member in January 2013. This appointment brought together members of two great Asian trading dynasties, since Jardine Matheson and the Sassoon family were rivals in the 19th century when they competed to open up and grow trade in Hong Kong and China. He retired on 9 April 2020. Until 1936, principles of staff recruitment remained Scottish first, Oxbridge second. W. J. Keswick said: "With all due deference to

4914-598: The Chinese Christians, and the domain of Lt. Col. Gorō Shiba , the most admired military officer in the siege. Shiba, with his small group of Japanese soldiers, mounted a skillful defense against the Chinese who advanced behind walls built ever-closer to the Japanese, threatening to surround them in a vise-like grip. British soldiers were often detailed to reinforce the Japanese during attacks and all admired Shiba's work. The most desperate fighting took place near

5040-533: The Chinese court. Cixi, the Dowager Empress, vacillated between the two. She declared a truce for negotiations on June 25, but it endured only a few hours. She declared a cease-fire on July 17 which lasted for most of the remainder of the siege. As a sign of good will, she sent food and supplies to the foreigners. The disagreements among the Chinese occasionally resulted in altercations and violence between Boxers and soldiers and between different units of

5166-511: The Chinese military performance. "Upon unnumbered occasions, had they been ready to make a sacrifice of a few hundred lives, they could have extinguished the defence [of the Legation Quarter] in an hour." However, the equivocation on the part of the Chinese to use their military assets decisively against the Legation Quarter does not deny the fact that soldiers on both sides fought and died in large numbers. The foreign soldiers defending

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5292-682: The Chinese. Jardine Matheson Jardine Matheson Holdings Limited (also known as Jardines ) is a Hong Kong –based, Bermuda -domiciled British multinational conglomerate . It has a primary listing on the London Stock Exchange and secondary listings on the Singapore Exchange and Bermuda Stock Exchange . The majority of its business interests are in Asia, and its subsidiaries include Jardine Pacific, Jardine Motors , Hongkong Land , Jardine Strategic Holdings , DFI Retail Group , Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group , Jardine Cycle & Carriage and Astra International . It set up

5418-432: The Chinese. In the years after the Boxer Rebellion, foreign influence increased in Beijing, a conservative bastion of China. Missionaries, tourists, artists, soldiers, and businessmen came in larger numbers to visit or reside in the Legation Quarter. The "place just crawls" with "globetrotters" said a British diplomat in 1907. The ubiquitous Protestant missionaries, mindful of the anti-missionary and anti-Christian fervor of

5544-527: The Cycle & Carriage banner. The group represents some of the world's best-known motoring marques including Mercedes-Benz, Toyota, Honda and Kia. Jardine Strategic has a 72% shareholding in Jardine Cycle & Carriage. Astra is Southeast Asia's largest independent automotive diversified business group with seven primary businesses in Indonesia. Operating predominantly in Indonesia, it is a provider of

5670-647: The European countries and the United States a diplomatic presence in the imperial capital of Beijing. However, the Convention of Peking after China's defeat in the Second Opium War of 1856–60, required the Qing dynasty government to permit diplomatic representatives to live in Beijing. The area around Dong Jiangmi Xiang was opened for the establishment of foreign legations. The Zongli Yamen

5796-473: The French Legation, where 78 French and Austrians and 17 volunteers were under assault in convoluted urban terrain, in which the front lines were only 50 ft (15 m) from each other. The French also feared that Chinese sappers were digging tunnels for mines beneath their positions. The Germans and the Americans occupied perhaps the most crucial of all defensive positions: the Tartar Wall. Holding

5922-609: The French and the Italians collaborated with the Japanese. The Japanese and Italian force established defense lines in the Fu – a large mansion and park where most of the estimated 2,812 Chinese Christians taking refuge were housed. The American and German Marines held positions on the Tartar Wall behind their legations. The 409 foreign soldiers had the job of defending a line that snaked through 2,176 yd (1,990 m) of urban terrain. The great majority of foreign civilians took refuge in

6048-596: The Imperial army. The most critical threat to the survival of the foreigners came in early July. On June 30 the Chinese forced the Germans off the Tartar Wall, leaving the American Marines alone in its defense. At the same time a Chinese barricade advanced to within a few feet of the American positions and it became clear that the Americans had to abandon the wall or force the Chinese to retreat. At 2:00 am on July 3

6174-443: The Japanese in firm control. The consequence of the Japanese conquest was that foreign residents of the Legation Quarter began to leave China, and the number of legation guards was drawn down. The final departure of American Marines from Beijing and northern China was to be December 10, 1941. The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 8, 1941 (Asian time) foiled the planned evacuation. The 203 American Marine guards remaining in

6300-466: The Legation Quarter by using fire. For several days at the beginning of the siege they set fires in the buildings around the British Legation. On June 23, most of the buildings of the Hanlin Academy , the national library of China, and its books, many irreplaceable, burned. Both sides blamed the other for its destruction. The Chinese Army then turned its attention to the Fu, the refuge for most of

6426-577: The Legation Quarter in the 1950s, but after 1959 foreign missions were relocated to Sanlitun outside the old city walls . However, the area suffered much vandalism during the Cultural Revolution . More damage was inflicted since the 1980s due to Beijing's redevelopment. Several buildings, such as the former HSBC building, were demolished for road expansion. Some buildings are occupied by government institutions. A number of modern high-rise buildings have also been built, dramatically changing

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6552-426: The Legation Quarter suffered heavy casualties. Of the 409 soldiers, 55 were killed and 135 wounded, a casualty rate of 46.5%. In addition, 13 civilians were killed and 24 wounded, mostly men who participated in the defence. A small Japanese force of one officer and 24 sailors commanded by Col. Shiba distinguished itself defending the Fu and the Chinese Christians there. It suffered greater than 100% casualties. This

6678-614: The Legation Quarter with the news that a rescue army of the Eight-Nation Alliance was in Tianjin 100 mi (160 km) away and would advance shortly to Beijing. The news was hardly reassuring, as the besieged had been expecting an earlier rescue. The Chinese government also passed along inquiries about the welfare of the besieged from their governments. A British soldier suggested that an appropriate reply would be, "Not massacred yet." After many relatively quiet days,

6804-534: The Legation Quarter, 55 soldiers and 13 civilians were killed. Beijing was occupied for more than one year by the foreign armies. The Boxer Protocol of 1901 officially ended the Boxer Rebellion. China was forced to pay a large indemnity to the foreign powers. Article VII of the Protocol said that "the quarter occupied by the legations shall be considered as one specially reserved for their use and placed under their exclusive control, in which Chinese shall not have

6930-664: The Legation Quarter, Tianjin, and Qinhuangdao surrendered to the Japanese and became prisoners of war for the remainder of World War II. The civilian foreigners remaining in Beijing were relatively undisturbed until February 1943 when they received a letter ordering them to assemble in the (former) American legation to be transported by railroad to Weixian Civilian Assembly Center , 320 km (200 mi) south of Beijing. The group, ranging in age from six months to 85 years old and including many missionaries, doctors, scholars, and businessmen, were allowed to take only what they could carry and were marched past Chinese crowds assembled to see

7056-539: The Legation Quarter, including food, water, sanitation, and health. MacDonald appointed Methodist Missionary Frank Gamewell as chief of the Fortifications Committee. Gamewell and his crew of "fighting parsons" were acclaimed for their defensive works surrounding the British Legation. About three miles distant from the Legation Quarter a similar siege took place at the Beitang or North Cathedral of

7182-404: The Legation Quarter. It was a leisurely life for diplomats, their guards, and other foreigners, who had legions of servants and for whom life consisted of a "perpetual merry-go round of parties....One hardly saw any Chinese guests among the crowd....Riding and horse racing", and a "delightful immorality" prevailed. However, in the opinion of many, the "latent hatred of the foreigner" by the Chinese

7308-468: The Peking Field Army. The overall commander of the Chinese forces was Ronglu—who was anti-Boxer and disapproved of the siege. Chinese policy equivocated between belligerence and conciliation during the 55-day siege. Several attempts by Ronglu to bring about a cease-fire failed because of suspicions and misunderstandings on both sides. The Chinese first attempted to massacre the foreigners in

7434-473: The Roman Catholic Church. 33 priests and nuns, 43 French and Italian soldiers under the command of Lieutenant Eugène Darcy , and more than 3,000 Chinese Christians held off the Chinese army and Boxers. In addition to Boxers, the cathedral was also attacked by Metropolitan Banner Manchus . Manchu Prince Zaiyi 's Manchu bannermen in the Tiger and Divine Corps led attacks against the Catholic cathedral church. Manchu official Qixiu 啟秀 also led attacks against

7560-519: The Russians went to Manchuria and treaty ports such as Shanghai, but a few ended up in Beijing. In 1924, the Chinese government recognized the government of the Soviet Union and the majority of White Russians in China who refused to become Soviet citizens were rendered stateless, thus subject to Chinese law unlike other Europeans, Americans, and Japanese living in China who enjoyed the principles of extraterritoriality . Nor were White Russians born in China eligible to be Chinese citizens. Although some of

7686-451: The Swiss-run Hotel de Pekin. During the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, the Legation Quarter was besieged by Boxers and the Qing army for 55 days. The Siege of the Legations was lifted on August 14 by a multi-national army, the Eight-Nation Alliance , which marched to Beijing from the coast and defeated the Chinese army in a series of battles, including the Battle of Peking . Of the 900 foreign nationals, including 400 soldiers, who took refuge in

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7812-407: The U.S. guard contingent consisted of 222 men. The Japanese had 180 men and the British 102. Other countries had smaller numbers of soldiers. Those numbers for the U.S. gradually increased to reach a total of 567 Marines on December 31, 1937, the increase being due to increased political instability in north China. The legation guards had the task of defending the Legation Quarter from a repetition of

7938-417: The United Kingdom and the United States laying the groundwork for the foundation of Jardine Insurance Brokers. By 1980, the firm had operations in southern Africa, Australia, China, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, as well as the United States, and employed 37,000 people. After re-domiciling to Bermuda in 1984 ahead of

8064-421: The United States. The Legation Quarter was rectangular in shape, approximately 1,300 metres (4,300 ft) east to west and 700 metres (2,300 ft) north to south. The southern boundary was the inner city wall of Beijing , which the foreign residents commonly called the "Tartar Wall". The inner city walls were massive, 13 metres (43 ft) high and 13 metres (43 ft) thick on top. The northern boundary

8190-410: The Wall was hailed as the "pivot of our destiny" by one of the besieged. The Chinese did not attempt to regain or advance their positions on the Tartar Wall for the remainder of the siege. Sir Claude MacDonald said July 13 was the "most harassing day" of the siege. The Japanese and Italians in the Fu were driven back to their last defense line. While the Fu was under heavy attack, the Chinese detonated

8316-469: The West. This false information spread by Li played a part in the massive atrocities which the foreigners later committed upon the Chinese in Beijing. For refusing to obey the Chinese government's orders and not sending his own troops to help the Chinese army at all during the Boxer Rebellion, Li Hongzhang was praised by the Westerners. The Empress Dowager and her court fled Beijing on August 15. She remained in exile in Shanxi province until 1902, when she

8442-683: The White Russians arrived with their fortunes intact, most were penniless and due to ethnic prejudices and their inability to speak English were unable to find jobs. To support themselves and their families, many of the younger women became prostitutes or taxi dancers . They were popular with both foreign men, there being a shortage of foreign women, and Chinese men. A League of Nations survey in Shanghai in 1935 found that 22% of Russian women between 16 and 45 years of age were engaging in prostitution to some extent. The percentage in Beijing may have been higher than Shanghai as economic opportunities were more limited. The White Russian women mostly worked in

8568-514: The ability of the besieged to resist. The Boxer movement disintegrated during the siege. Some Boxers were incorporated into the army but, probably, most returned to their homes in the countryside where they became targets for punitive expeditions by the foreign military forces occupying Beijing after the siege. The military occupation of Beijing and much of northern China became an orgy of looting and violence in which foreign soldiers, diplomats, missionaries, and journalists participated. Reports of

8694-443: The area's appearance. Nevertheless, as Beijing's most significant collection of Western-style buildings, the area is a tourist destination, is protected by municipal artifact preservation orders, and now features several fine dining restaurants, including one located in the former American legation, and retail shops. Prominent buildings from this time still standing is the old main Beijing Railway Station building from 1903, today housing

8820-424: The behaviour of the foreigners in Beijing caused widespread criticism in Western countries, including from Mark Twain . While the rescue of the besieged foreigners in the Legation Quarter was seen as a proof of the superiority of Western civilization, the sordid aftermath of the siege may have contributed to many people in the United States and Europe reevaluating the morality of forcing Western culture and religion on

8946-407: The cathedral. For several days after June 20—the official beginning of the siege—neither the foreigners inside the Legation Quarter nor the Chinese soldiers outside it had any coherent plan for defense or attack. The number of Chinese soldiers ringing the legations is uncertain but numbered in the thousands. On the west were the Gansu Muslim soldiers of Dong Fuxiang and on the east were units of

9072-480: The cession of Hong Kong under the 1842 Treaty of Nanking , the firm, by then named Jardine, Matheson & Company, set up its headquarters on the island and grew rapidly, smuggling illegal opium from British-controlled India into China. Jardine Matheson has been called the "most successful opium smuggling company in the world". Both Jardine and Matheson became members of Parliament in Britain, and Matheson also bought

9198-534: The city, murdering many Chinese Christians and several Catholic priests. The Boxers accused Chinese Christians of collaborating with the foreigners. American and British missionaries and their converts took refuge in the Methodist Mission and American marines repulsed an attack there by the Boxers. Soldiers at the British embassy and German legations shot and killed several Boxers. The siege was called by

9324-640: The civil war between Nationalists and the Chinese Communists moved ever closer. On January 23, 1949, the Nationalist forces in Beijing surrendered to the Communists. At the time of the victory of the People's Republic of China (1949), a number of foreign legations were still situated in the legation area. The missions of East Germany, Hungary, Burma and the United Kingdom were all located in

9450-461: The company's Tai-pan from 1970 (aged 31) to 1975 and the 6th Keswick to be Tai-pan of the company, is chairman emeritus. His brother, Simon, was the company's Tai-pan from 1983 to 1988 and was the 7th Keswick to be Tai-pan. Both brothers are the 4th generation of Keswicks in the company. The 5th generation of Keswicks are also active within the organisation. Ben Keswick, son of Simon, is executive chairman of Jardine Matheson Group and from 2012 to 2021

9576-558: The defense. The civilians included at least 19 nationalities of which British and Americans were the most numerous. Large numbers of Chinese Christians were conscripted for labor, especially for building barricades. The British Minister Claude MacDonald was selected as the commander of the defense and Herbert G. Squiers , an American diplomat, became his chief of staff. The guards of the different countries, however, operated semi-independently and MacDonald could only suggest, not order, coordinated action. The guards were not well armed. Only

9702-540: The dynasty but was unsuccessful in killing the foreigners in the Legations. Had the Chinese succeeded, retribution from the Western nations and Japan might have been more severe. Ronglu later took credit for saving the besieged: "I was able to avert the crowning misfortune which would have resulted from the killing of the Foreign Ministers". Ronglu was being disingenuous, as his forces came very close to breaking

9828-412: The early 1930s. They were attracted by the ancient Chinese culture preserved in Beijing and leisurely living for very little money. The Korean Empire had a short-lived legation in the area, from 1903 to 1905. The Banque de l'Indochine subsequently acquired the premises and established its office there in 1908. In 1917, the bank completed a new office building on the same location. To its immediate west

9954-508: The east the sound of a machine gun, a sign that the rescue army was on the way. At 5:00 am came the sound of artillery outside the walls of Beijing. Five national contingents advanced on the walls of Beijing on August 14: British, American, Japanese, Russian and French. Each had a gate in the Wall for its objective. The Japanese and Russians were delayed at their gates by Chinese resistance. The small French contingent got lost. The Americans scaled

10080-425: The entire Scottish island of Lewis , clearing over 500 families off the land and shipping them to Canada in order to build Lews Castle . Continuing its longstanding trade in smuggled opium , tea, and cotton, the firm diversified into other areas including insurance, shipping, and railways. By the mid-19th century, the company had become the largest of the hongs or foreign trading conglomerates with offices in all

10206-465: The existing Russian quarters of the Orthodox Church. In 1862, the American legation was established in the home of Dr. Samuel Wells Williams , an American who was appointed to head the U.S. legation. Other countries also soon followed suit. By 1900 there were 11 legations in the Legation Quarter: the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, Russia, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands, and

10332-540: The fighting outside Beijing from the roof of the Peking Hotel. The legations ordered all their citizens to take refuge in the Legation Quarter. A "polyglot assortment" of people showed up of "missionaries, Eurasians, Chinese and Russian wives of Americans" and dozens of White Russians at the American Legation, by then called an embassy . The refugees soon returned to their homes as the fighting ceased with

10458-474: The firm has focused more on consolidation of existing properties. Contrary to public perception of the firm avoiding investing into mainland China, preferring instead to seek profits in Southeast Asia, its subsidiary Hongkong Land spent 4.4 billion dollars buying a plot of land in Shanghai which, according to Jonathan Galligan of CLSA , signifies its commitment to doing business in mainland China. Moreover, according to informal calculations by Bloomberg , in 2019

10584-569: The first time following a multi-year programme of steady open market purchases while Jardine Pacific raised its interest in Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals Limited from 25% to 42%. In 2018, Jardines sold its 41% interest in Jardine Lloyd Thompson to Marsh and McLennan Companies . With the coming of a new generation of Keswick family leadership, diversification of assets has slowed down and

10710-531: The foreign forces. After the battle was over, the Chinese Muslim forces guarded the Empress Dowager Cixi when she fled to Xi'an with the entire Imperial Court; general Ma Fuxiang assisted in guarding Cixi. The foreigners were united in declaring the miraculous nature of their survival. "I seek in vain some military reason for the failure of the Chinese to exterminate the foreigners," said an American military officer. Missionary Arthur Smith summed up

10836-447: The foreigners launched an assault against the Chinese barricade on the wall with 26 British, 15 Russian and 15 Americans under the command of American Capt. John T. Myers. As hoped, the attack caught the Chinese sleeping; about 20 of them were killed and the survivors expelled from the barricades. Two American Marines were killed, and Capt. Myers was wounded and spent the rest of the siege in the hospital. The capture of Chinese positions on

10962-648: The foreigners without private food stocks subsisted on a steady diet of horsemeat and musty rice. However, the Chinese Christians, especially the Catholics, had a much harder time of it and by the end of the siege were starving. The Protestant missionaries took care of their converts, but the Chinese Catholics were mostly neglected. Medical supplies were scarce but a sizeable number of doctors and nurses, mostly missionaries, were present. American missionaries took over management of most necessities for life in

11088-497: The group today has property interests across the region. In Hong Kong, the group owns and manages approximately 9,140,000 square feet (850,000 m ) of prime commercial space in Central . In Singapore, it is helping to create the city-state's Central Business District with an expanding joint venture portfolio of new developments. In addition to commercial properties, Hongkong Land also develops residential properties in key cities around

11214-420: The growing threat. American Minister Edwin H. Conger cabled Washington, "The whole country is swarming with hungry, discontented, hopeless idlers." Requesting a warship to be stationed offshore of Tianjin, the nearest port to Beijing, he reported, "Situation becoming serious." On May 30, the diplomats, led by British Minister Claude Maxwell MacDonald , requested that foreign soldiers come to Beijing to defend

11340-489: The honor of being the first to enter the Legation Quarter. The Chinese armies ringing the legation quarter melted away. A short time later the British commander, Gen. Alfred Gaselee , entered and was greeted by Sir Claude MacDonald dressed in "immaculate tennis flannels" and a crowd of cheering ladies in party dresses. The American troops, under Gen. Adna Chaffee , arrived at 5:00 pm. The commanding Muslim general, Ma Fulu , and four cousins of his were killed in action against

11466-574: The humiliation of the foreigners. The foreign population of Beijing was interned in Weixian until the end of World War II. After World War II, some of the internees at Weixian returned to Beijing and attempted to re-establish pre-war institutions such as the Peking Union Medical College . Beijing was occupied by American soldiers in late 1945 and 1946, but there was a steady outflow of foreign residents from Beijing afterwards as

11592-703: The important Chinese cities as well as Yokohama , Japan. One of its branch agencies, Glover and Co. , established in Nagasaki , was known in Japan as an arms dealer who contracted with then-rebel forces from Chōshū Domain who led the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Jardine Matheson invested in the first commercial railroad in China , the Wusong-Shanghai railroad . It was built in July 1876, bought by

11718-573: The latter having been agent of the Austrian trading company, Trieste Company . University of Edinburgh Medical School graduate William Jardine (1784–1843) joined the firm, by then having morphed through Cox & Beale, Beale & Company and Beale & Magniac into Magniac & Company, and the original partners long gone, in 1825 at the invitation of principal Hollingworth Magniac . University of Edinburgh graduate James Matheson joined three years later as Magniac prepared to retire. With

11844-444: The legation quarter through a watergate beneath the inner city wall. The quarter had its own postal system and taxes. In the late 19th century the eleven foreign delegations were scattered among modest Chinese houses and opulent palaces inhabited by Manchu princes. However, in 1860, Beijing was "in a wretched state of dilapidation and ruin, and scarcely one of their palatial buildings is not falling into decay." Legation Street in 1900

11970-441: The legations and the citizens of their countries. The Chinese government reluctantly acquiesced, and the next day more than 400 soldiers from eight countries disembarked from warships and traveled by train to Beijing from Tianjin. They set up defensive perimeters around their respective missions. On June   5 the Boxers cut the railroad line to Tianjin and Beijing became isolated from other foreign settlements. On June   11

12096-502: The mid 1970s saw Jardine's buy Gammon Construction , the largest construction and civil engineering group on the island. A presence was re-established on the mainland in 1979 following China's reform and opening up and a year later the firm established the Beijing Air Catering, the first foreign joint venture in the country since 1954. During the 1970s Jardines also expanded their insurance interests with acquisitions in

12222-567: The new Communist regime became increasingly difficult. The firm listed in Hong Kong in 1961. The landmark Mandarin Hotel opened in Hong Kong in 1963 as the city's first five star hotel. In 1970, Jardine Fleming, the first merchant bank in Asia, opened for business while a real estate company and sugar plantations in Hawaii and the Philippines were acquired. A Hong Kong building boom in

12348-411: The night of August 13, with the rescue army just 5 mi (8.0 km) outside the gates of Beijing, may have been the most difficult of the siege. The Chinese broke the truce with an artillery barrage of the British Legation and heavy fire in the Fu. However, the Chinese confined themselves to firing from a distance rather than mounting an assault until, at 2:00 am on August 14, the defenders heard from

12474-609: The note, "China will find it a difficult matter to give complete protection." Upon receipt of the note, the diplomats convened and agreed it would be suicidal to leave the Legation Quarter and travel to the coast in an unfriendly countryside. The next morning, June 20, Baron von Ketteler , the German Minister, proposed to take up the matter with the Zongli Yamen , the Chinese Foreign Ministry, but he

12600-414: The proper ritual they would become invulnerable to Western bullets. The religious and magical practices of the Boxers had "as a paramount goal the affording of protection and emotional security in the face of a future... that was fraught with danger and risk." The Boxers had no central organization but appear to have been organized on the village level. They were anti-foreign and anti-missionary. Their slogan

12726-600: The region including Hong Kong, mainland China, Macau and Singapore where its subsidiary MCL Land is a significant property developer. Jardine Strategic has a 53% shareholding in Hongkong Land. DFI Retail Group traces its origins in Hong Kong back to the 19th century when it was involved in the production of dairy products and ice. Today the company is a leading pan-Asian retailer. The Dairy Farm group's retail operations range from grocery retail and health and beauty stores to convenience and home furnishings, operating under

12852-403: The right to reside and which may be made defensible." The Protocol also established the exact boundaries of the Legation Quarter. Most of the buildings, Chinese and foreign-owned, in the Legation Quarter were damaged or destroyed during the Boxer Rebellion. The area was quickly rebuilt and became more European. In 1902, legations had been rebuilt and expanded, Legation Street had been paved, and

12978-455: The share of company profits from mainland business ventures is the third largest at 255.4 million USD. All in all, as of 2021 the company's annual report states that 55% of its profits come from China, as opposed to 42% and 3% earned in Southeast Asia and the rest of the world respectively. Following a restructuring of the complex shareholding system designed to prevent a hostile takeover in 2021, Jardine Matheson consolidated Jardine Strategic as

13104-440: The siege as a political weapon against his rivals in Beijing, since he controlled the Chinese telegraph service; he exaggerated and lied, claiming that Chinese forces committed atrocities and murder upon the foreigners and exterminated all of them. This information was sent to the Western world. He aimed to infuriate the Europeans against the Chinese forces in Beijing and succeeded in spreading massive amounts of false information to

13230-665: The special status of the Legation Quarter, and with the Great Leap Forward and other events in postwar Chinese history most of the European-style buildings of the Legation Quarter were destroyed. During the Yuan dynasty , the street was known as the Dong Jiangmi Xiang ( simplified Chinese : 东江米巷 ; traditional Chinese : 東江米巷 ; pinyin : Dōng Jiāngmǐ Xiàng ), or "East River-Rice Lane". It

13356-399: The top of the 45 ft (14 m) tall and 40 ft (12 m) wide Wall was vital. If it fell to the Chinese, they would have an unobstructed field of fire into the Legation Quarter. The German barricades faced east on top of the wall and 400 yd (370 m) west were the west-facing American positions. The Chinese advanced toward both positions by building barricades ever closer. It

13482-418: The walls rather than attempting to force their way through a fortified gate. However, it was the British who won the race to relieve the siege of the legations. They entered the city through an unguarded gate and proceeded with virtually no opposition. At 3:00 pm the British passed through a drainage ditch—the "water gate"—under the Tartar Wall. Sikh and Rajput soldiers from India and their British officers had

13608-416: The war declaration a "false edict" (luanming). Later, the " Southeast Mutual Protection " was reached by provincial officials as a consensus not to follow Empress Cixi’s declaration of war. Li Hongzhang also totally refused to listen to orders from the government for more troops when they were needed to fight against the foreigners, which he had available, derailing the Chinese war effort. Li Hongzhang used

13734-527: The world. The group's flagship hotel, Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, has been recognised as one of the world's leading hotels since shortly after its opening in 1963 along with the equally world-renowned Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, previously known as The Oriental. Jardine Strategic has a 79% shareholding in Mandarin Oriental. Jardine Cycle & Carriage (JC&C) is an established Singapore-listed company where, as Cycle & Carriage, it has had

13860-519: Was "Support the Qing! Destroy the Foreigner!" In early 1900 the Boxer movement spread rapidly north from Shandong into the countryside near Beijing. Boxers burned Christian churches, murdered Chinese Christians and intimidated Chinese officials who stood in their way. Two missionaries, Protestant William Scott Ament and Catholic Bishop Favier , reported to the diplomatic ministers (Ambassadors) about

13986-415: Was Tai-pan. Adam Keswick, son of Sir Chips Keswick was Deputy managing director. The organizational structure of Jardines has changed fundamentally since its foundation, but the members of the family of Dr. William Jardine still have significant influence in the firm. As of 2021, the directors of Jardine Matheson Holdings were: Lord Sassoon , a former UBS Warburg banker who had been a junior minister in

14112-413: Was a claustrophobic existence for the soldiers on the wall. "The men all feel they are in a trap," said the American commander, Capt. John T. Myers , "and simply await the hour of execution." Added to the daily advances of the Chinese were the nightly serenades of rifle and artillery fire and firecrackers designed to keep the foreigners awake and alert. "From June 20 to July 17 we had nightly attacks," said

14238-414: Was established as a foreign office of the Qing dynasty to deal with the foreigners, as well as permanent diplomatic missions established since the 1870s in various countries that China had diplomatic relations with. In 1861, the British legation was established in the residence of Prince Chun, the French legation was established in the residence of Prince An, and the Russian legation was established in

14364-603: Was forced to sign several " unequal treaties " with the Western powers , granting them the right to free trade in the previously isolationist nation along with extraterritoriality for subjects of Western nations. Japan obtained similar privileges after its victory in the First Sino-Japanese War . Anti-Japanese and anti-Western sentiments helped lead to the formation of the Yihetuan , whose stated goal

14490-400: Was in no way diminished. Relationships between foreigners and Chinese were mostly superficial, with few successful efforts to "bridge the gap which separates white & yellow." The Boxer Protocol gave the legations the right to station soldiers in the Legation Quarter. The United States usually had the largest contingent, consisting of marines after 1905. At the end of World War I in 1918,

14616-425: Was killed and journalist George Ernest Morrison was wounded. However, American Minister Conger carried on a communication with the Chinese government and on July 17 firing died down on both sides and an armistice began. On July 28 the foreigners in the Legation Quarter received their first message from the outside world in more than a month. A Chinese boy—a student of the missionary William Scott Ament—sneaked into

14742-568: Was made to try to maintain communications with Tianjin and aid an army under the command of Adm. Edward Seymour in its attempt to march to Beijing during the Seymour Expedition and reinforce the Legations. On June 19 the Empress Dowager sent a diplomatic note to each of the legations in Beijing informing them of the attack on the Taku Forts and ordering all foreigners to depart Beijing for Tianjin within 24 hours. Otherwise, said

14868-472: Was moved to Nanjing in 1928 which reduced the political importance of Beijing. Beijing (northern capital) became Beiping (northern peace). The diplomats in Beiping, enjoying the delights of the Legation Quarter, resisted moving their legations to Nanjing, commuting instead between the two cities, a trip that took days of difficult travel. Japan took over the Chinese province of Manchuria in 1931, engaged in

14994-593: Was murdered by a Manchu officer, Capt. En Hai of the Hushenying , while en route to the meeting. With this, the Ministers informed all their citizens in Beijing to take refuge in the Legation Quarter. Thus began the 55-day siege. The British, American, French, Italian, German, Japanese, and Russian military guards each took responsibility for the defense of their respective legations. The Austrians and Italians abandoned their isolated legations. The Austrians joined

15120-525: Was near the wall around the Imperial City . On the east the Legation Quarter was bordered near the Chongwenmen (Hata) gate, and on the west near the Qianmen (Chien) gate. Legation Street, now called Dongjiaomin Xiang (East Foreign Residents Alley), bisected the Legation Quarter from east to west. The Grand Canal , described as "noxious" ran through the center of the quarter from north to south, exiting

15246-429: Was never more than two to three thousand people (not counting foreign soldiers), compared to the 60,000 non-Chinese who lived in Shanghai in 1930. (The American civilians resident in Beijing in 1937 numbered about 700.) Rather the population that Beijing attracted included, in addition to the diplomats working in the Legations and the soldiers guarding them, a sizable number of scholars, artists, and aesthetes, especially in

15372-408: Was permitted by the foreign armies occupying Beijing to return to reoccupy the throne. For China, the Boxer Rebellion was a disaster, but China remained together as a single country. Ironically, prior to the Boxer Rebellion it seemed likely China would be divided by the colonial powers. The Chinese government supported the Boxers, who otherwise might have turned anti-Qing and hastened the extinction of

15498-507: Was possible because many of the Japanese troops were wounded, entered into the casualty lists, then returned to the line of battle only to be wounded once more and again entered in the casualty lists. The French force of 57 men also suffered more than 100% casualties. During the siege Sheng Xuanhuai and other provincial officials suggested the Qing court give Li Hongzhang full diplomatic power to negotiate with foreign powers. Li Hongzhang telegraphed back to Sheng Xuanhuai on June 25, describing

15624-610: Was still "a straggling unpaved slum of a thoroughfare, along which one occasionally sees a European picking his way between the ruts and puddles with the donkeys and camels." A number of foreign enterprises in addition to the legations had been established in the quarter, including two large stores catering to Europeans, two foreign banks, the Jardine Matheson trading house, the Imperial Maritime Customs offices, managed by an Englishman, Robert Hart , and

15750-717: Was the location of the tax office and customs authorities, because of its proximity to the Grand Canal , 30 kilometres (19 mi) east, by which rice and grains arrived in Beijing from the south . During the Ming dynasty , a number of ministries relocated into the area, including the Ministry of Rites, which was in charge of diplomatic matters. Several hostels were built for tributary missions from Vietnam , Mongolia , Korea and Burma . The Chinese government had long denied

15876-681: Was to drive foreigners and foreign influence (including Christianity ) out of China. Authorities differ as to the origin of the Boxers, but they became prominent in Shantung ( Shandong ) in 1898 and spread northward toward Beijing. They were an indigenous peasant movement, related to the secret societies that had flourished in China for centuries and that had, on occasion, threatened Chinese central governments. The Boxers were named—probably by American missionary Arthur H. Smith —for their acrobatic rituals which included martial arts, twirling swords, prayers and incantations. The Boxers believed that with

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