Translation:Imperial Decree on Day Tenth of May (lunar calendar)

by Guangxu

Western religion has been introduced into China for years, priests are always converting common people into doing good deeds, christian converts have never caused any troubles, that is why christian converts and common people have peace with each other, each doing what they believe in. In recent times many churches have sprung up among provinces, the number of christian converts have increased many folds, thus there are unlawful people pretending to be converts without the priest's knowing, these criminals have begun to bully common people.

About Righteous Harmony Boxer Association, during the reign of Jiaqing Emperor, bans had been imposed, recently the boxers were into physical training and self defense, at the same time they offer protection for the community, did not create any troubles, this is why decrees had been issued before, to instruct local magistrates to use appropriate measures during suppression of their activities; association or not association, bandits or not bandits, once someone create troubles, the local magistrate should arrest them and punish them severely. No matter they are christian converts or boxer association members, they are all patriots, the Imperial Court treat them as equal, christian and boxers are the same; when there are disputes between boxer members and christian converts, decrees had been issued to instruct local magistrates to remain unbiased.

Recently all those local magistrates have the habit of following old customs, they never try to interact with various priests, and not sympathetic with boxer members, in dealing with disputes between christian converts and the common people, did not do in depth investigation nor administer fair judgment, resulting in deepening the foul feelings and hatred against each other. Boxer members then use the hatred against the christian as an excuse to form associations; more over, criminals and bandits also join in, creating disturbances, dismantle and destroy railway lines, set fire on churches. The railway was built by the country, churches are where priests and converts live, no one should burn or destroy them at will!

Those boxer association members are creating difficulties for the country, they are being unreasonable! Peking City magistrate plus Grand Council minister Zhao Xujiao had been sent with Imperial Decree to instruct and disband boxer association, to live peaceful life. If there are rascals and bandits, try to agitate and incite disturbances, causing harm to local county, these members should surrender their leaders to the Imperial Court, then the court will punish them accordingly. If they insist on the path of criminal, once the Imperial soldiers go after them, their parents and wife will be discarded, families collapse, someone will die a disloyal and unfaithful death. By then it will be too late to regret. The Imperial court also feel sorry for them. After this official decree announcement, anymore criminal acts, Grand Scholar Ronglu will order Dong Fuxiang, Song Qing, Ma Yuqun and their soldiers, conducting full search and arrest, to be careful in separating leaders and followers, stressing the importance of disbanding the threat. The troops sent are for the protection of common people; there are news that soldiers sent from Hubei province did not offer protection, instead, soldiers were disturbing the local county. Viceroy of Hebei Yulu is to conduct a strict investigation, investigators are to be sent, any officials who do not enforce strict conduct on foot soldiers, will be dealt with military law, no leniency applied. This decree is to be etched into printing block and multiple copies shall be distributed to all the soldiers and common people. Guangxu Emperor signed here.

• Original Chinese text:西巡迴鑾始末/卷1