Could China have been partitioned completely?

We all know China's history in the 19th century wasn't too rosy. It was faced by corruption, rebellion (e.g. the Taiping), the Opium Wars, Western imposed unequal treaties, free trade, extraterritoriality, treaty ports under foreign control, foreign concessions on Chinese soil (Hong Kong, Qingdao) and foreign spheres of influence. China was dominated by foreign influences, but continued to exist as an independent country. Could things have ended up so bad that China gets partitioned (with a post 1800 PoD)?
 
Yes, and no. At worst (I think), you have a Taiping China, a Rump Qing China, Russian Manchuria, an independent Xingiang, and other vassal states nibbled away. Two claimants to the mantle of heaven is bad, but not completely irreversible for China. China though, is simply too large to be partitioned by foreign powers except around the edges.
 
For about ten years. I think that a comprehensive occupation galvanizes centralizing elements. This wouldn't be like steppe nomads swooping in and replacing the Emperor, with every province, after the requisite shows of force from everyone, would enjoy the same basic economic and political situation as before, this would be something new for China. Not local warlords, not a foreign 'coup', not concessions at the periphery, but division into multiple nations with serious economic borders, per colonial policy.

A no World War One scenario could see the first great calamity of the C20th (yes I know, let's say firstest and largest) play out in China and Europe. I think the first phase of that involves a great peace conference about how to divide China.
 
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