Fanning the Flames of Popular Nationalism: The Debate in China over the Burning of the Old Summer Palace

Abstract

In this article, we examine the emergence of a growing debate in China over the legacy of Beijing’s Old Summer Palace (Yuanmingyuan), burned to the ground by British and French troops in 1860 and looted of its valuable antiques. The debate has arisen in response to an increased official focus on this traumatic incident in China’s history, initiated by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) as part of its ongoing quest for nationalist legitimacy. By reminding the public of the devastation inflicted by the British and French and by linking this directly to the so-called Century of Humiliation, the party has sought to present itself as the true savior of the Chinese nation. But some of China’s online critics have responded negatively on the issue. Some reject the official narrative on the Yuanmingyuan incident as biased and fabricated. Others criticize the amounts of time and money that the CCP is expending in keeping the legacy alive, particularly in light of more pressing domestic issues. Most significantly, some people insist that China remains subordinate to foreign powers despite more than sixty years of CCP rule.