The Qing emperor, Guangxu (1875-1908), orders a…

The Qing emperor, Guangxu (1875-1908), orders a series of reforms aimed at making sweeping social and institutional changes in the one hundred and three days from June 11 to September 21, 1898.

This effort reflects the thinking of a group of progressive scholar-reformers who have impressed the court with the urgency of making innovations for the nation's survival.

Influenced by the Japanese success with modernization, the reformers declare that China needs more than "self-strengthening" and that innovation must be accompanied by institutional and ideological change.