Compared with the Tang Dynasty, was the Qing Dynasty progressive or backwards? The Qing dynasty signed a traitorous agreement, which sparked a discussion about who was more progressive in the Qing and Tang dynasties. The Tang Dynasty followed the Sui Dynasty's system of three provinces and six ministries, but during the Qing Dynasty, centralization was further strengthened. However, this strengthening also brings with it a series of problems. In addition, cultural and territorial comparisons need to be considered. This article will compare the Qing and Tang dynasties in detail and explore the advantages and disadvantages of the two dynasties.
First, let's look at the Tang Dynasty's system of three provinces and six ministries. This system first originated in the Sui Dynasty and was perfected by the Tang Dynasty until the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty. The three provinces refer to Zhongshu Province, Shangshu Province and Menxia Province, which are responsible for the management of the national government center and the drafting of edicts. Shangshu Province was responsible for six departments, including the Ministry of Officials, the Ministry of Household Affairs, the Ministry of Rites, the Ministry of Soldiers, the Ministry of Criminal Punishment, and the Ministry of Works. The province was responsible for reviewing the edicts.
This system provided strong support for the administration of government affairs in the Tang Dynasty. However, the Qing upgraded the three-province, six-ministry system to a more specialized organization that strengthened centralized power. First, six departments were assigned to the Ming cabinet, which further strengthened centralization. Second, the Qing Dynasty abolished the post of prime minister, which had always been established, and replaced it with the establishment of the Military Aircraft Department. This brought imperial power to its peak. However, the increase in imperial power also brought some drawbacks.
Take Yongzheng, for example, who found a large number of Zhu Zhu during his reign, sleeping only 5 hours a year. This was too demanding for the emperor, and if the emperor was incompetent, it would cause great problems for the Qing dynasty. In addition, in terms of culture and territory, the Qing Dynasty and the Tang Dynasty also have different characteristics. The Qing Dynasty advocated Cheng Zhu Lixue, emphasizing that the emperor served the people by restraining himself and became an example for the people. The culture of the Tang Dynasty was relatively open and free.
In terms of ruling territory and time, the Tang Dynasty was more powerful than the Qing Dynasty. The Tang Dynasty ruled for 289 years, far more than the 268 years of the Qing Dynasty. The territory of the Tang Dynasty covered most of China and present-day Mongolia, the Korean Peninsula and Central Asia, about 12.37 million square kilometers. In comparison, the territory of the Qing Dynasty was 13.16 million square kilometers. In terms of population, the Tang Dynasty had a population of 76 million, while the population reached 400 million at the end of the Qing Dynasty.
To sum up, although the Qing Dynasty changed some institutional deficiencies since the Tang Dynasty in its reform, avoiding problems such as the division of domains and towns and the dictatorship of eunuchs, there were also some drawbacks. Although the Qing dynasty's system was the pinnacle of feudalism, its closed-door policy led to the country's serious backwardness. Globally, the Qing Dynasty has lagged far behind other countries.
In this regard, I think we can learn from the failures of the Qing Dynasty, encourage openness and innovation, and strive to achieve the prosperity and development of the country. Finally, I would like to ask the question, do you think the Qing Dynasty is an improvement or a regression compared to the Tang Dynasty? Welcome to leave your comments and opinions.