Fourth Wave (Began 1909) 第四次留學熱

 Key Words: 1909, Boxer Rebellion Indemnity Scholarship

Major Destination: United States

In 1907, in "returning" the Boxer Rebellion indemnity money paid by China, the U.S. government decided to use the funds to initiate a scholarship program for Chinese students to pursue further studies in the U.S. The program launched in 1909 led to the establishment of the preparatory school Tsinghua College in 1911, known as today's Tsinghua University.

From 1909 to 1929, about 1,800 Chinese students pursued study in the U.S. under the program. Many of them later became preeminent scientists and scholars. Influenced by the wave, a great number of self-sponsored students also traveled to the U.S. for further study. Among them, the most outstanding scholars included Chinese philosopher Hu Shih, economist Ma Yinchu, linguist Yuen Ren Chao, thinker and architect Liang Su-ch'eng, and meteorologist Coching Chu.