In 1644, the Manchu (Jurchen) Qing defeated the Ming and ruled China. In the 18th century, it achieved the largest Chinese territory in history.
The Establishment and Rule of the Qing
- Nurhaci unified the Jurchen and founded Later Jin in 1616
- In 1644, the Ming fell in Li Zicheng’s rebellion, and the Qing entered Beijing
- Han Chinese were forced to wear the queue hairstyle (a symbol of submission to the Manchus)
- The Manchu-Han dual system: Manchu and Han officials were appointed side by side
The Three Sagacious Emperors and the Period of Prosperity
Under the three emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong (17th–18th centuries), the Qing reached its height.
・Conquered Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Outer Mongolia → the largest Chinese territory in history
・Siku Quanshu: compiled an encyclopedia that brought together Chinese scholarship
・Isolationist policy (limited overseas trade to one port, Guangzhou)
・Invited missionaries from Europe, such as Matteo Ricci, and introduced Western science
Under the three emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong (17th–18th centuries), the Qing reached its height.
・Conquered Taiwan, Tibet, Xinjiang, and Outer Mongolia → the largest Chinese territory in history
・Siku Quanshu: compiled an encyclopedia that brought together Chinese scholarship
・Isolationist policy (limited overseas trade to one port, Guangzhou)
・Invited missionaries from Europe, such as Matteo Ricci, and introduced Western science
Key Points
- Qing = a Manchu dynasty (a minority ethnic group ruled the majority Han Chinese)
- The Qing reached its height under the three emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong
- After the late 18th century: population explosion and the White Lotus Rebellion → decline
Practice Questions
- Give the name of the ethnic group that founded the Qing.
- What was the Manchu-style hairstyle forced upon the Han Chinese?
- Give the names of the Qing’s three sagacious emperors in order.
Answers
- Manchus (Jurchen)
- The queue (辮髪)
- Emperor Kangxi → Emperor Yongzheng → Emperor Qianlong