Before the establishment of the Qing Dynasty, there was a regime called 'Latter Jin' that had been set up by Nurhachu, leader of the Man Ethnic Minority. Actually, Man people were the offspring of the Nuzhen people who had always been living in Northeast China. After reunifying all the Nuzhen tribes, Nurhachu proclaimed himself emperor in 1616. Thus a new regime called Latter Jin was founded in Hetu Ala (in current Liaoning Province) during the reign of Emperor Shenzong of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644).
In 1636, Huang Taiji, son of Nurhachu moved the capital to Shenyang (currently the capital city of Liaoning Province) and changed the regime title into 'Qing'. He thus established the Qing Dynasty. In 1644 when peasant's uprising leader Li Zicheng ended the Ming Dynasty and set up a new regime in Beijing, the Qing army seduced a general named Wu Sangui to rebel against Li Zicheng. With Wu's help, the Qing army successfully captured Beijing and rooted their regime there.
At the beginning, the Qing court carried out a series of policies to revive the social economy and alleviate the class contradiction. In politics, following the ruling pattern of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial rulers continued to strengthen the centralized system. Meanwhile, the Qing court resumed the 'Sheng' administrative system that originated in the Yuan Dynasty (1271 - 1368). Especially, in the frontiers like Tibet, Xinjiang, Mongol and Taiwan Island, the Qing court set out to enhance the power of the imperial ruling.
By the middle of the 18th century, the feudal economy of the Qing Dynasty reached a zenith, spanning the reign of Emperor Kangxi, Emperor Yongzheng and Emperor Qianlong. So that period was usually called 'the golden age of three emperors'. In that period, both culture and science were much more prosperous than any other periods of the Qing Dynasty. The notable book, The Imperial Collection of Four, was edited in that period. Also, a group of scholars and artists such as Cao Xueqin (writer of A Dream of Red Mansions), Wu Jingzi (writer of The Scholars) and Kong Shangren (writer of The Peach Blossom Fan) gradually appeared. In the field of science, the achievements in architecture were outstanding.
After the middle period, all kinds of social contradictions increasingly surfaced and the Qing Dynasty began to decline. Under the corrupt ruling of the later rulers, various rebellions and uprisings broke out. In 1840 when the Opium War broke out, the Qing court was faced with troubles at home and aggression from abroad. During that period, measures were adopted by imperial rulers and some radical peasants to bolster their power. The Westernization Movement, the Reform Movement of 1898 and the Taiping Rebellion were the most influential ones, but none of them had ever succeeded in saving the dying Qing Dynasty.
Finally, the Revolution of 1911 led by Sun Yat-sen broke out and overthrew the Qing Dynasty, bringing two thousand years of Chinese feudal monarchy to an end.
Emperors of the Qing Dynasty
| Order | Name | Notes | Reign Time (years) |
| 1 | Emperor Taizu (Nurhachu) | Founder of the Latter Jin regime which later turned into the Qing regime; He created the military organization called Banner System. | 1616 - 1626 |
| 2 | Emperor Taizong (Huang Taiji) | The eighth son of Nurhachu; actually the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty. He moved the capital to Shenyang. | 1626 - 1643 |
| 3 | Emperor Shunzhi (Fulin) | Son of Huang Taiji; In his reign, the Qing army defeated the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644) and moved the capital into Beijing. | 1643 - 1661 |
| 4 | Emperor Kangxi (Xuanye) | The third son of Emperor Shunzhi; One of the greatest emperors in the Qing Dynasty; His reign was the beginning of the heyday of the Qing Dynasty. | 1661 - 1722 |
| 5 | Emperor Yongzheng (Yinzhen) | The fourth son of Emperor Kangxi; A fairly wise and competent emperor who maintained the prosperity of the Qing Dynasty | 1722 - 1735 |
| 6 | Emperor Qianlong (Hongli) | Son of Emperor Yongzheng; Inheriting the prosperity brought by his predecessors, his reign reached the zenith of the Qing Dynasty. | 1735 - 1796 |
| 7 | Emperor Jiaqing (Yongyun) | Son of Emperor Qianlong; He prosecuted the infamous corrupt official, He Shen, who used to be a favorite chancellor of Emperor Qianlong. | 1796 - 1820 |
| 8 | Emperor Daoguang (Minning) | Son of Emperor Jiaqing; His reign saw the outbreak of the First Opium War in 1840, from which China entered the modern history. | 1820 - 1850 |
| 9 | Emperor Xianfeng (Yizhu) | Son of Emperor Daoguang; In his reign, the Qing Dynasty apparently began to decline. The well-known Taiping Rebellion broke out in that period. | 1850 - 1861 |
| 10 | Emperor Tongzhi (Zaichun) | Son of Emperor Xianfeng and Empress Dowager Cixi; died early | 1861 - 1875 |
| 11 | Emperor Guangxu (Zaitian) | Grandson of Emperor Daoguang; a progressive emperor who tried lots of methods to save the declining Qing Dynasty | 1875 - 1908 |
| 12 | Emperor Xuantong (Puyi) | The last emperor of the Qing Dynasty and the last feudal monarch of China; He was imprisoned at Shenyang till 1959 when Chairman Mao remitted him. | 1908 - 1911 |
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Travelers' Voices on Qing Dynasty
1.
Aug. 20,2009 20:08 Reply
Mrs.Monica P Balane(Philippines) said:
I want to know more about the Qing dynasty people who traded with the Philippines & who were called SANGLAYS in the Philippines. My grandmother is Maria Sanglay. She must be a descendant from the Sanglays of China. My mother, daughter of MARIA SANGLAY was born in 1900. She was the 3rd child. So my grandmother must have been about 23 or 24 years old when my mother was born. My grandmother Maria Sanglay & my grandfather Ignacio Petrache of the Bicol province owned lots of agricultural lands in Ligao, Albay in the Bicol province. They were very rich during their time. I saw the ancestral home in Ligao, Albay, made of stone & wood. And I saw the stone oven built near the house. which means they used to bake their own bread. And if they bake their own bread, there must have several servants to do the baking. My grandparents had 6 children. The above things I saw as a child of seven years during the Japanese occupation from 1942 until the American liberation in 1945. My grandmother was still alive then but already old. An old residence tax certificate called 'cedula' described her occupation as a PROPREITESS. This may may due to her vast land holdings.
I understand that those chinese, Sanglays in the Philippines during the Spanish rule, & who had converted to Christianity as ordered by the Spanish rulers, became the bankers & trusted merchants. And they were allowed to live anywhere in the Philippine Islands & allowed to purchase properties & also allowed to marry into the natives of the Philippines.
I want to establish my link & heritage to the Sanglays. Will anyone add more to my knowledge of the Sanglays? Do I have any blood relations out there through the Sanglay line?
I would appreciate very much to hear from my fellow Sanglays.
Oct. 25,2009 07:16
Ms.ASERATECHGUY(Afghanistan) replied:
Hi! I am Ferdinand Guzman I am from the Getulio Petrache Clan. Actually, I was just talking with my aunts and listening about stories in villa petrache, when I thought of searching more info regarding the petrache's. I think my mom know about Nena Balane. Well hope to get email from you and see if can solve the puzzle regarding the petrache's
Oct. 30,2009 14:27
Ms.laura(Philippines) replied:
my father also has blood of chinese but I do not know how to trace it. my father came from Vigan, Cagayan and then we migrate to Aparri, Cagayan. We have many sanglay in aparri Cagayan.
Laura
2.
Oct. 30,2009 14:25 Reply
Ms.LAURA(PHILIPPINE) said:
i DONOT KNOW IF MY FATHER CAME FROM THIS DYNASTY SINCE HE IS FROM VIGAN AND HE AS A CHINESE BLOOD AS I CAN SEE FROM HIS FACE AND HE IS TALL AS WELL.
LAURA
3.
Oct. 11,2009 17:57 Reply
Ms.keloana(U.S.A.) said:
The Qing dynasty is pronounced Ch'ing.
Oct. 22,2009 18:24
Mr.liao(australia) replied:
no its chinny
4.
Jul. 24,2009 17:02 Reply
Mr.asri(malaysia) said:
empress cixi made a mistake by chosen a kid as an emperor.who knows china still be a monarch country if the right person was selected??it just my opinion who had a chinese blood inside me even im no longer called chinese
Aug. 22,2009 02:43
Ms.Cabahug(Philippines) replied:
Hi! will you send me some information about the king child you were talking about?
My Yahoo mail:
Charm_imecab@yahoo.com
PLzzz reply soon.
Aug. 22,2009 02:52
Ms.Cabahug(Philippines) replied:
Sorry!!!
It's:
Charm_inecab@yahoo.com
Sep. 27,2009 22:45
Mr.QIn(MY) replied:
empress cixi not made mistake chosen a kid as an emperor because the empress wanted to continue to control the qing dynasty.A kid emperor are easily to control to gained power.
5.
Sep. 24,2009 15:36 Reply
Mr.Samuel DiMuzio(USA) said:
Have a card from the the Asian Art Museum, San FRancisco. They have a card named
"The three plenties". What does it represent? Thank you.
6.
Aug. 19,2009 08:43 Reply
Ms.tan(Malaysia) said:
so wonderful...i interesting in dynasty qing...i got watch the drama kang xi &qian long also...
Aug. 22,2009 02:41
Ms.Cabahug(Philippines) replied:
Hi! Could you share me something about this Qing Dynasty? I was just assigned to have this kind of report... could you send me some information about the things happened during that time? I hope you could help me...
7.
Apr. 21,2009 11:50 Reply
Mr.Guangee(Mongolia) said:
what did the Qing do in Thailand, Burma, Laos, Nepal, Veitnam, S & N Korea, and China? all of these sights don't tell me anything that i want to hear. I want some really interesting facts about them. Sometimes i wake up in the middle of the night sceaming MANCHU!!!!!!!!!! and i don't know why. I want to know more of my heritage. My Great-Great-Great-Great-Great Grandfather was Emporer Guangxu. My father tells me that he was a wonderful person but i still want to know more. Someone please help me.
Apr. 21,2009 20:57
Mr.Vanquan(America) replied:
OH MY GOODNESS! Are you really the Great x 5 Grandson? That is amazing, we've been looking for you for many years. I can not wait to get in touch with you, so we could maybe talk. I would like to do a column in my hometown newspaper. I love studying the Qing Dynasty
May. 14,2009 20:57
Ms.helpme(USA) replied:
What are some achievements of the Qing dynasty? What are politics of the Qing dynasty? What are some cool facts of the Qing dynasty? Please help me!!!!!
May. 29,2009 02:13
Mr.drag(australia) replied:
mad, do you have ancient treasures?
Jul. 2,2009 02:42
Ms.yen(uk) replied:
you are Qing later generations, that is a good news. I am watching DVD of KangXi & QianLong and studing KangXi's history. I suppose you can tell me more about your family if there is a case.
Jul. 7,2009 07:27
Ms.DANIELLE(Philippines) replied:
HOW DO YOU KNOW YOU'RE THE GREATX5 GRANDSON?IF IT IS TRUE!AWESOME!HAHA!!I LOVE THAT EMPEROR!!
8.
Jun. 2,2009 11:59 Reply
Mr.JKCS(Canada) said:
This is one of the best info sites yet!
9.
May. 11,2009 23:27 Reply
Mr.Campos(usa) said:
did the marriages have to be in a specific time in the qing dynasty?
May. 12,2009 04:45
Mr.Daniel(China) replied:
Yes, they did. Males should be aged 16 or above and females should be aged 14 or above.
10.
Apr. 2,2009 09:21 Reply
Mr.hihi(usa) said:
what events occurred to bring Qing dynasty to power?
Apr. 20,2009 20:21
Ms.Evelyn(China) replied:
The decline of the Ming Dynasty created a good chance for the Nuzhen people (i.e. Manchu). In the late Ming Dynasty (1368-1643), the imperial government became very corrupt. Government officials preyed peasants' farmland; the emperors were fatuous; eunuchs in league with some government officials wielded enormous power. The politics was corrupt;the economy was fragile. However, during this period, the Nuzhen People who lived in Heilongjiang (northeast of China) became more and more powerful. They defeated the army of Ming dynasty and became the rulers of China.
Apr. 21,2009 11:52
Mr.Huange Valley(China) replied:
They overthrew the Ming and expanded outward.