Great Qing

Great Qing 大清
1636–1936
Flag
Capital	Mukden (1636-1644) Beiging (1644-1930) Sian (1930-1936)
Official languages	Mandarin, Manchu
Government	Monarchy
Emperor
• 1636-1643	Taići
Legislature	Imperial Council
Historical era	Qing era
• Established	1636
• Invasion of the Chinese Republic	1936
Today part of	China Serindia Poeja Corea Tibet Mongolia Russia

The Qing dynasty, officially the Great Qing (大清, da ćing, /ta.t͡ɕʰiŋ/), was an imperial dynasty of China that lasted from 1636 to 1936. It emerged from the Jurchen Gim state (located in modern Corea) which unified several Manchu tribes and invaded the Ming dynasty, eventually bringing all of China under their control by the 18th century. The country was partitioned in the Canton War, only maintaining control of the northern plains. Thus, the dynasty is often split into two periods: the Western period before 1857, and the Eastern period after. In 1936, the Qing were invaded and annexed by the modern Chinese Republic from the south, putting an end to the three-century old empire.

Etymology

The country was named da ćing 大清 upon its founding, with ćing literally meaning 'pure'. It is often rendered as Qing in English and numerous other European languages, mirroring the empire's preferred romanization since the late 19th century. In modern Standard Chinese romanization, the official name of the country is spelled Da Ćing.

Establishment: 1636—1671

Hwang Taići proclaimed the Qing dynasty in 1636 at Mukden. In 1644, the Qing armies along with rebel leader Li Zićeng conquered the Ming dynasty capital Beiging. Soon after, Li Zićeng's short-lived Sun dynasty was defeated. On 30 October, the Sunzi Emperor became the monarch of the new empire. After Regent Dorgon died in 1650, Sunzi was able to begin his autonomous rule. His reign was marked by the war against Koxinga and Ming loyalists in the southeast, the building of diplomatic relations with Corea and colonial Tauland, and the suppression of internal anti-Manchu rebellions.

Koxinga and the Zeng family would eventually fail to establish a presence in southeastern China or in Tauland in 1652 with the Battle of Giangdong Bridge in Hokkien province. When the Qing successfully conquered the urbanized region of Giangnam by the end of the decade, much of the Zeng family and several other Ming loyalist pirates fled to Japan, participating in the Ōmura Rebellion and related events.

In Corea, King Sangdjong and the ruling Southerner Party agreed to sever ties to the Ming dynasty and recognize the Aisin Gioro family as the rightful rulers of China. The colonial governor of Dutch Formosa, Jacob van Aertens, similarly established a friendly rapport with the Qing dynasty in 1663. The Sunzi Emperor eventually died in 1671 at the young age of thirty-three from disease. He was succeeded by his third son, the Kangsi Emperor, who would come to the throne at the age of seventeen.

Antebellum: 1830—1850

Main articles: Canton War and History of China after 1850

List of monarchs

Name		Reign		Lifespan	Notes
Taići	太極	1636	1643	28 November 1592 – 21 September 1643
Sunzi	順治	1643	1671	15 March 1638 – 3 August 1671
Kangsi	康熙	1671	1729	4 May 1654 – 11 July 1729
Dawtong	道同	1729	1734	29 January 1700 – 16 March 1767
Gwangzi	光智	1734	1788	1 October 1702 – 27 November 1788
Gaiging	改警	1788	1817	18 June 1757 – 3 February 1817
Wanle	萬樂	1817	1830	16 October 1788 – 22 April 1830
Zawlong	造隆	1830	1858	6 September 1799 – 14 December 1870
Tiansun	天順	1858	1863	14 July 1798 – 6 March 1863
Gianzeng	建禎	1863	1902	20 May 1840 – 30 April 1902
Cengćang	成昌	1902	1936	19 December 1891 – 9 June 1956