The Qing Dynasty (1644-1912) was the second unified dynasty in Chinese history established by ethnic minorities and the last feudal dynasty in China, which lasted for 267 years after twelve emperors. However, the merits and demerits of the Qing Dynasty are mixed, and each has its own views.
Some people's evaluation of the Qing Dynasty is not high, mainly from two points:
The first is the Qing Dynasty's destruction of the Han people and Han culture.
Second, due to the corruption of the Qing Dynasty, imperialism brutally destroyed the land of China and brought a humiliating history to China.
Some people say that the Qing Dynasty made great contributions, mainly in three aspects:
First, the layer of the Chinese territory. The total area of the Qing Dynasty reached 13 million square kilometers in its heyday, and it initially took the rudiments of modern China.
Second, a large multi-ethnic situation has taken shape. The Qing Dynasty set up special courts in the northwest, southwest and Taiwan to strengthen the management of ethnic minority areas, thus forming a unified situation of ethnic communion.
Third, the number of Chinese has soared. The Qing Dynasty was the most populous dynasty in China's feudal society, and a resounding slogan can often be seen in junior high school textbooks: Fighting for 40,000 compatriots can be roughly estimated, that is, the Chinese mouth in the Daoguang period has reached 400 million
Let's take a look at the important merits and faults of the 12 emperors of the Qing Dynasty in each period in detail, so as to facilitate objective evaluation.
Founding Emperor Aisin Jueluo Nurhaci (Mandate of Heaven) Founder of the Qing Dynasty, Manchu and Chinese; unified the Jurchen tribes, established the Eight Banners system, and established the Later Jin regime.
The 2nd Aisin Kyora Emperor Taiji (天聪/崇德) followed Nurhaci to establish the Later Jin, changed the Jin to the Qing, and established the Manchu name
The negative impact of these two emperors: Liaodong slaughtered Han Chinese
The 3rd Ai xin jueluo Fulin (Shunzhi) was the first emperor of the Qing dynasty, moved the capital to Beijing, rectified the rule of officials, stabilized order, and unified the whole country
The negative impact of the Shunzhi period: the Qing army entered the customs and Yangzhou for ten days
The 4th Aisin Kyora Xuanye (Kangxi) captured Aobai; pacified San Francisco; recaptured Taiwan; three pro-conquests of Kaldan; expelled Tsarist Russia; and founded the kangxi dynasty
Negative effects during the Kangxi Period: The Ninth Son's Seizure of Concubines
The 5th Aisin Kyora Yinzhen (Yongzheng) quelled the Rebellion of Lobzang Tenzin, carried out the reform of the national economy and people's livelihood, set up a military aircraft department, and established the HuikaoFu
The negative effects of the Yongzheng period: tampering with the will and testament, killing heroes (killing Nian Tangyao, Long Keduo), and setting up a frightening thirteen blood droplets.
The 6th Ai Xin Jue Luo Hongli (Qianlong) pioneered the "Ten Perfections of Martial Arts", and Kangqian reached its full glory in his prosperous life; he edited the "Four Libraries of the Whole Book"; and had a high degree of calligraphy and poetry
Negative effects during the Qianlong period: profligate and reuse of corrupt officials (Hekun)
The 7th Ai Xin Jue Luo (Jiaqing) punished Hezhen, rectified the rule of officials, advocated the strict prohibition of opium, and suppressed the White Lotus Sect uprising
Negative impact during the Jiaqing period: Self-styled as a "heavenly kingdom" and implementing a closed country policy
The 8th Aisin Jueluo Minning (Daoguang) quelled the Zhang Gel rebellion, rectified the rule of officials, reformed the salt law, and transported water
Negative effects of the Daoguang period: The First Opium War signed an unequal treaty, the Treaty of Nanking, which promised to cede Hong Kong Island to Britain and pay 21 million silver dollars to Britain
The 9th Aisin Kyora Yi Ling (Xianfeng) was diligent in political affairs, opened up the way of speech, and sought wisdom to suppress the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom
The negative effects of the Xianfeng period: the treaty of Tianjin, an unequal treaty signed in the Second Opium War, increased the indemnity to France by 8 million taels; the Treaty of Beijing allocated about 1.4 million square kilometers of territory east of the Ussuri River, including Sakhalin Island, to Russia; and the Anglo-French coalition army burned the Yuanmingyuan
The 10th Aisin Jueluo Zaichun (Tongzhi) During the reign of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, the Rebellion of the Twisted Army, and the Return of Gansu and Shaanxi, etc., they were pacified; the Foreign Affairs Movement was established, known in history as "Tongzhi Zhongxing"
Negative effects during the Tongzhi period: a coup d'état was launched by Xin You, and Empress Dowager Cixi seized power
The 11th Aisin Kyora Zaitian (Guangxu) fought against Japan and presided over the Penghu ReformAtion
The negative effects of the Guangxu period: the Sino-Japanese War, the unequal treaty "Maguan Treaty" ceded the land ceded to the Liaodong Peninsula, the Penghu Islands, Taiwan and all its affiliated islands, and compensated Japan with 300 million taels of silver in the military treasury; the Gengzi Incident, the Eight-Power Alliance captured the Forbidden City and signed an unequal treaty, the Treaty of Xinugu, which paid 450 million taels of silver to the eight countries, with a total price of more than 980 million taels of silver
The 12th Ai Xin Jue Luo Puyi (Xuan Tong) Ding has been restored and served as the ruling "Emperor" of Manchukuo
Negative Effects During the Reign of Xuanun: Becoming the "Emperor" of the Puppet State of Manchukuo under Japanese Control (The Last Emperor)
To put it simply, the Qing army was full of killings during the customs entry, and after the unification of the whole country, it ushered in the Taiping Prosperous Era (Kangqian Shengshi), and the corruption and incompetence of the late Qing Dynasty were bullied and humiliated by the great powers of other countries.
Therefore, from the perspective of the feudal classical dynasty, the Qing Dynasty is brilliant. Because the Qing Dynasty was the peak of the development of China's classical dynastic system, he drew historical lessons from various dynasties in history on the ethnic policies of frontier areas, the reform of the feudal dynasty system, the training and education of royal heirs, military expansion and the hidden dangers of separation. But if you look at the Qing Dynasty from a modern perspective, it is undoubtedly a failure. In the modern era of the Qing Dynasty, in the face of Western shocks, the response was sluggish and the change was stubborn! Historical memories that lead to centuries of humiliation and suffering!
Well, what is your view of the Qing Dynasty? Comments are welcome!