In these two wars, Europeans easily defeated the Qing army and navy and forced the Qing to give them trading ports and Britain gained Hong Kong until 1997 under the Treaty of Nanking of 1842.Ĭhina began to become a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. The British wanted greater Qing Empire trade, but the Qing court wanted to keep out British opium and influence.Īnglo-French Allied Forces launched the Second Opium War in 1856–1860 during the reign of Emperor Xianfeng (1851–1861). The British launched the First Opium War in 1840–1842 during the reign of Emperor Daoguang (1821–1851). The Old Summer Palace was destroyed in the Second Opium War. Restricted Foreign TradeĪt the beginning of Emperor Shunzhi’s reign, the Qing Dynasty only allowed foreign shipping to enter and trade in Macau.Įmperor Kangxi and his successors relaxed restrictions on foreign trade, but the Qing court still carefully controlled limits on foreign trade.Įmperor Kangxi only allowed foreign businessman to trade with Chinese in four regions: Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang, and Jiangnan.ĭue to restrictions on foreign exchanges, the Qing government missed the opportunities of the industrial revolution and gradually became divorced from the world, foreshadowing its subsequent decline. Per capita grain output reached 622 kg per person in 1700.Ĭhina's population surpassed 100 million for the first time in its history and grew to 300 million, which laid the foundation for China to become the most populous country. The Qing Dynasty annexed Mongolia, Northeast China, Xinjiang, Tibet, and Taiwan, establishing a territory larger than that of today's China - the largest China has ever been.Īt that time, China accounted for 32 percent of the world's industrial output. It was the last golden age of China’s feudal dynasties. The Kang-Qian Flourishing Age lasted 135 years. Emperor Qianlong (ruled 1735–1796): The Golden Age reached its peak.Emperor Yongzheng (reign 1723–1735): The Golden Age continued.Emperor Kangxi (reign 1661–1722): The Qing Golden Age began.
The Qing “Golden Era” was made up of the reigns of three emperors: Here are some important events in Qing history.
Huang Taiji's son, Emperor Shunzhi became the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty.Īs the last dynasty of China, the Qing Dynasty gloried for a time in the prosperity of its golden age, but later it had a history full of shame - defeat in the Opium Wars, forced trade, unequal treaties, and general decline dominated the latter Qing era.The Ming Dynasty collapsed, and the Qing Dynasty unified the country under new rulers. In 1644, the Qing army attacked and occupied Beijing.The Qing Dynasty was established in name, but not yet over China. In 1636, Huang Taiji proclaimed himself emperor and changed the title of his kingdom from Jin to Great Qing.In 1635, Huang Taiji abolished the old clan’s name Jurchen and named the clan "Manchu".The power of the Jurchens was strengthening. Huang Taiji defeated parts of Mongolia and Korea. Nurhaci's successor in 1626 was his son Huang Taiji.It coexisted with the Ming Dynasty, Mongolia, and Korea. The Later Jin Dynasty (1616-1636) was the predecessor of the Qing Dynasty.In 1616, Nurhaci, the leader of a Jurchen tribe, unified the Jurchen tribes, established a kingdom and named it Jin, known to history as the Later Jin Dynasty (the Jurchen Jin Dynasty of 1115–1234 coexisted with the Song Dynasty).The Manchus were originally Jurchen tribes, a people who are recorded as early as the 10th century living northeast of what was then China, blockaded by the Great Wall.How the Qing Dynasty Began - The Manchu Rise It was preceded by the Han-led Ming Dynasty (1368–1644) and followed by the Republic of China era (1912–1949). the Manchus from Manchuria, northeast of the Great Wall), lasting for 268 years. The Qing Dynasty (1644–1912) was the last Chinese dynasty, and the longest dynasty ruled by non-Han people (i.e.