In the nineteenth century, the Qing Dynasty lost the growth momentum it had enjoyed in the preceding century, while Western European countries grew powerful and prosperous. From the 1850s onward, the Qing Dynasty entered a period of decline and slipped into a disadvantaged position in the world system. In sharp contrast, Western powers like Britain and France accelerated their colonial expansion around the world, turning their attention toward East Asia, including China. Subjected to successive wars of aggression, China saw its sovereignty and territorial integrity damaged, and it turned into a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. Amidst a crisis as never seen before, Chinese society grappled with intensifying class struggles, while the nation was in increasingly acute conflicts with foreign capitalism and imperialism. At that time, China’s top priority was to combat imperialism and feudalism, and in this process, it gradually transitioned from a traditional society to a modern one.