Who Were The Boxers?
Beginning in 1898, peasants from northern China formed a secret society called I-ho ch'uan which means "Rigtheous and Harmonious Fists". They were known as The Boxers by the western press. They were dedicated to martial arts, practiced calisthenic rituals and practiced boxing, hence their name Boxers. They were so dedicated to their craft that they thought that it would make them invulnerable to bullets. The Boxers didn't want the westerners to influence their religion or have the Chinese population to convert into Christianity. They believed that the Chinese culture needed to be protected.
The Boxer's Purpose
All they wanted to do was protect the Chinese Culture but in the end they were the ones who brought the downfall of the Ch'ing Dynasty and created the Chinese Republic. The Boxers wanted to rid China of all foreigners and Christians to "purify" their country. They thought that Chinese Christians and foreigners were a threat to the Chinese culture, therefore, their motto was "Exalt the dynasty and destroy the foreigners." They informed the emperor about their plans and ideas including the suggestion that China would be better off without any Christians and foreigners, which got her approval. The Boxers started their attacks killing over 20,000 innocent people. Many countries, including the westerners disproved of this act and tried to save the Christians and foreigners which led to years of fighting know as the Boxer Rebellion.