Research On William Woodville Rockhill's Experiences In China

William Woodville Rockhill (1854-1914), known as a scholar-diplomat, visited China several times and lived in China for a long time. As an American diplomat, two of his diplomatic achievements are often highlighted. One was his contribution to developing the US Open Door Notes, which was considered the basis for the first half of the 20th century American diplomacy. The other was his influence and active involvement with the Boxer Indemnity negotiations after the Boxer Rebellion. During the negotiations surrounding The Boxer Protocol, Rockhill argued against full war reparations. In 1905, President Theodore Roosevelt appointed Rockhill U.S. Minister to China, a position he held from1905 to 1909. During this period, Rockhill promoted the remission of the unused portion of the indemnity fund back to China, for the use of education of Chinese students in the US. What's more, his support for the opium prohibition movement in Late Qing Dynasty marked a new phase in Sino-U.S. Relations. When it comes to his great contributions to academic research two aspects should be mentioned:Rockhill made two extended expeditions into Mongolia and Tibet during 1889-1891. His collections and works surrounding the expeditions were significant in the western Tibetan studies. Rockhill's life long interest in China and his knowledge of Chinese civilization are well reflected by his books in various fields.Research on William Woodville Rockhill's diplomacy in China can be achieved through the perspective of the historic figure, the diplomat who interpreted the significant events influencing America's policy towards China in late Qing Dynasty and early period of Republic of China, accordingly, deepening the understanding of Sino-U.S. relations during this period. The analysis of Rockhill's writings concerning the problem of China is complementary to the detailed understanding of the developmental process of China's modernization. Therefore, to some extent, it is of academic value and realistic significance to do research on the topic--- William Woodville Rockhill's experiences in China.