Knowra First Sino-Japanese War First Sino-Japanese War The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing China and Meiji Japan from 1894 to 1895, chiefly over influence in Korea. Japan’s victory reshaped regional power and led to the Treaty of Shimonoseki.
Battle of Pungdo : A naval engagement near Korea on 25 July 1894 that helped trigger open war between Japan and China. Its clash at sea marked the beginning of hostilities before formal declarations of war.
Korea under the Joseon dynasty : The Korean kingdom ruled by the Joseon dynasty from 1392 to 1897, positioned between Qing China and Japan. Its strategic location made control and influence there central to the dispute.
Emperor Meiji : The emperor of Japan from 1867 to 1912, whose reign encompassed the country’s rapid modernization and overseas expansion. Japan fought the war under his reign, linking victory to the authority of the Meiji state.
Taiwan under Japanese rule : Taiwan’s status as a Japanese colony from 1895 to 1945, following its cession by Qing China. The island’s transfer made it Japan’s first major overseas colony.
First Sino-Japanese War (1894–1895) : A war between Qing China and Meiji Japan fought chiefly over influence in Korea. This label is often confused with the later war between China and Japan.
Battle of Pyongyang : A land battle in September 1894 in which Japanese forces defeated Qing troops near Pyongyang, Korea. The defeat drove Qing forces north and opened Japan’s advance toward the Yalu River.
Treaty of Ganghwa : A 1876 treaty that opened Korea to Japanese trade and declared it an independent state in relations with Japan. Japan used its terms to challenge Qing China’s traditional claims of authority over Korea.
Empress Dowager Cixi : A powerful Qing court regent who dominated Chinese politics during much of the late nineteenth century. The Qing court’s policies and priorities shaped the state that entered the war.
Korean Empire : The Korean state proclaimed in 1897 after Korea ended its formal tributary relationship with Qing China. The war’s settlement recognized Korean independence, enabling a new imperial claim amid Japanese pressure.
Second Sino-Japanese War : A major conflict between China and Japan from 1937 to 1945, within the wider Second World War. It was a separate, later war with different causes, scale, and political setting.
Show all 27