Qing Dynasty: China's Last Empire and the Dawn of Modernity

The Qing Dynasty, China’s last imperial dynasty, emerged from the northeastern frontier, led by the Manchu people. Before establishing their rule over China, the Manchus were a semi-nomadic group descended from the Jurchens, who had previously ruled northern China under the Jin Dynasty. In the early 17th century, Nurhaci, a formidable leader, laid the foundation for Manchu power by unifying various Jurchen tribes and adopting administrative and military structures inspired by the Ming Dynasty. His successor, Hong Taiji, continued these efforts, formally establishing the Qing Dynasty in 1636. However, the conquest of China was still incomplete, as the Ming Dynasty continued to rule the heartland.

The decline of the Ming Dynasty provided an opportunity for the Qing to assert their dominance. By the early 17th century, the Ming government was weakened by internal corruption, peasant uprisings, and economic distress exacerbated by famine and mismanagement. The most devastating of these rebellions was led by Li Zicheng, a former postal worker turned insurgent, whose forces overran Beijing in 1644. The fall of the Ming capital marked a critical turning point. With the Ming emperor dead and the central government in disarray, a Ming general, Wu Sangui, faced a difficult choice: resist the rebel forces or seek outside aid. He chose the latter, opening the gates of the Great Wall at Shanhai Pass to the advancing Qing army. The Manchus, under the leadership of Prince Dorgon, seized the moment, swiftly capturing Beijing and declaring the establishment of Qing rule.

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