The Qing Dynasty: China's Last Imperial Dynasty

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Founded by the Jurchen Aisin Gioro clan, a family of Manchu rulers, is the Qing Dynasty. Emperor Nurhachi founded the Latter Jin regime. Nurhachi' son, Huang Taiji moved the capital to Shenyang and renamed the regime into the Qing. At that time, the empire was divided into the eighteenth provinces we now know today. The Qing dynasty was China's last imperial dynasty. They ruled from 1644 to 1912, by the Manchus. The Qing dynasty is also known as the Manchu dynasty. The reigns of the first three monarchs, which persevered for 133 years, were a time of accord and success for China.
The Manchus ruled the Qing Dynasty but were strongly resisted by the native Han Chinese people. Manchus mainly ruled, and Chinese were not allowed to take part in high office jobs. The Manchus adopted a Neo-Confucian philosophy, worshipping Buddhism and Taoism. Shamanism was also popular during that period of time. Catholic and Protestant missionaries built churches to spread beliefs. Christianity grew rapidly until the outlawing of Christianity happened in the 1830s-40s. The Manchu built large public structures and national irrigation systems. The government handed out light taxes as commerce and trade flourished. The main items exported were porcelain, silk, and spices.
Society was divided into 4 categories: landlord, peasant, craftsmen, and merchant. The emperor position was primarily hereditary. Craftsmen and peasants were split up into the bourgeois people, and the "mean people". Mean people were heavily discriminated against due to their low social status. Mean and good people were forbidden from marrying each other.
In 1800 the Qing dynasty of the Manchus was at the height of its power. Western shame and torment drew the Qing dynasty to c...

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... drawn away to the war. During this time commercial and industrial cities emerged across China, which led to a broadened working and middle class. Not only are there economic changes, but there were also cultural changes that would influence the Chinese for decades. As early as the Jesuits first interactions with the Chinese, Western composition and education was introduced to the Chinese people. By the late 1800s this influence was strongly felt as Western ideas became more available to the Chinese middle and working classes.
The significance of this period in Chinese history is that political instability of this time would lay the groundwork for coming revolutions that would shape the Chinese society we witness today. Another significance is that it continued the spread of Western ideas in the areas of information, sophistication, finance, and legislature.

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