Preface
If the territory of the Qing Dynasty continues to this day, its huge territory will surely arouse the attention and envy of the world. Imagine that China's territory today would include not only China itself, but also Mongolia, Central Asia, Tibet, Xinjiang and other vast regions, forming a vast and unified empire.
Have you ever imagined what it would be like if the Qing Dynasty had maintained its territory until now? That vast land is enough to be the envy of many countries, and how would the neighboring countries feel?
1. The rise of the Qing Dynasty
In 1636, the Manchu aristocratic Emperor Taiji established the Qing Dynasty in the Later Jin Dynasty. As an ambitious monarch, he named the country "Great Qing", which means "supreme country". This once small tribe is now building a vast empire that covers the land of China, and Huang Taiji's ambition can be seen.
Just a few years later, Huang Taiji's ambitions began to be realized gradually. In 1644, Dolgon led the Qing army into the Central Plains and overthrew the decaying Ming regime. This Dolgon can be said to be one of the key figures in the rise of the Qing Dynasty. As an outstanding military commander, he led the Qing army all the way south, eventually conquering Beijing.
In the next 20 years, the Qing Dynasty successively pacified the Dashun, Daxi, and Southern Ming separatist regimes, and finally completed the unification of China. Although this process was difficult and dangerous, the combat effectiveness of the Qing army and the wisdom of the commander-in-chief finally prevailed over everything.
The territory of the Qing Dynasty also continued to expand in the process, gradually becoming a unified power. During the Kangxi period, the territory of the Qing Dynasty was further expanded. In 1696, the Kangxi Emperor personally led his army north and fought two fierce battles with the Tsarist army. In the end, Kangxi relied on the strong combat effectiveness of the Qing army to defeat Tsarist Russia and force it to sign the Treaty of Nebuchu.
This treaty not only established the boundary line along the Heilongjiang River, but more importantly, safeguarded the sovereignty of the Qing Dynasty in the northeast region, demonstrating the great strength of the Qing Dynasty. These two personal expeditions of Emperor Kangxi can be said to be a microcosm of the peak of the Qing Dynasty.
As a people born in the grasslands, the rulers of the Qing Dynasty never forgot their military traditions. They are not only good at riding and shooting, but also quite accomplished in strategic strategy. Kangxi's two personal conquests of Tsarist Russia fully demonstrated the military strength of the Qing Dynasty and the wisdom of the rulers.
In the Yongzheng and Qianlong dynasties, the territory of the Qing Dynasty was further expanded. Mongolia, Xinjiang, Tibet and other regions were successively included in the territory, so that the territory of the Qing Dynasty reached its peak. By the end of Qianlong's later years, the territory of the Qing Dynasty had reached more than 13 million square kilometers, making it the largest land country in the world at that time.
What was once a small tribe has become a powerful empire that rules the land of China. From Huang Taiji to Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong, the rulers of the Qing Dynasty not only made brilliant achievements in military affairs, but also made outstanding achievements in politics, economy, and culture. The rise of the Qing Dynasty marked another historical moment when the Chinese nation was moving towards strength.
2. The decline of the Qing Dynasty
However, shortly after the Qing Dynasty reached its heyday, an industrial revolution that swept the world began the decline of this once-powerful dynasty.
As a feudal dynasty, the rulers of the Qing Dynasty have always pursued a policy of seclusion and seclusion. They believed that as long as the existing social order and mode of production remained unchanged, the Qing Dynasty could stand forever. However, they completely ignore the dramatic changes in the outside world.
When British steamers sailed to the mainland, the Qing rulers were unaware that their territorial sea rights were being violated. It was not until the artillery of the Opium War began that the Qing Dynasty realized the severity of the crisis. However, the decaying Qing Dynasty did not try to change itself and repel the enemy, but chose to lose money and land to "calm the people".
As a result, one after another treaties were signed for land cession and reparations, and the territory of the Qing Dynasty shrank little by little. In 1858, the Qing Dynasty signed the Treaty of Aihui with Russia, formally ceding nearly 600,000 square kilometers of territory north of the Heilongjiang River and south of the Outer Xing'an Mountains to Russia. This land is the precious territory that Emperor Kangxi personally conquered twice that year, and it was easily ceded away.
Since then, the territory of the Qing Dynasty has been constantly violated. Xinjiang, Tibet, Yunnan, Heilongjiang and other regions were lost one after another, and the territory of the Qing Dynasty became smaller and smaller. It was not until the founding of the People's Republic of China that the mainland's territorial area was stabilized at 10.45 million square kilometers. But compared with the more than 13 million square kilometers in the heyday of the Qing Dynasty, it is already a lot less.
The decline of the Qing Dynasty can be said to be the inevitable fate of the feudal dynasty. As a conservative feudal dynasty, the Qing rulers had always been complacent, refusing to reform and innovate. When the industrial revolution swept the world, they were still immersed in their dream of "heavenly kingdom", and they were completely unable to adapt to the changes of the new era.
In the end, in the face of foreign invasion, the Qing Dynasty chose to compromise and retreat, and went into decline step by step. This powerful empire, which once ruled the land of China, was ultimately doomed. The rise and fall of the Qing Dynasty once again proved a truth: any dynasty, as long as it rests on its laurels and refuses to reform and innovate, will eventually be unable to escape the fate of decline.
3. Changes in the international situation
If the territory of the Qing Dynasty can be maintained until now, then the international pattern will change dramatically. The first thing to consider is the neighboring countries that border China. Korea and Japan, which have been vassal states of China since ancient times, have had territorial disputes with China from time to time. If China's territory expands to 13 million square kilometers, the two countries will inevitably be even more afraid of China's strength.
As a traditional vassal state of China, the DPRK has been protected and supported by China many times in its history. But at the same time, North Korea is also often involved in territorial disputes with China, such as over the Bohai Sea region. If China's territory expands to 13 million square kilometers, North Korea will be more worried about its own security, and its contradictions with China will intensify.
As China's old enemy, Japan is even more wary of China's formidable strength. Historically, Japan has invaded China many times, but in the end they were all defeated by China. If China's territory expands to 13 million square kilometers, Japan will certainly be even more jealous of China's military strength, and the contradictions between the two countries will become more acute.
Secondly, Russia will be the biggest victim. If the Qing Dynasty had been preserved, the Far East, which is now part of Russia, would have remained Chinese territory. For Russia, this will undoubtedly be a heavy blow.
As China's northern neighbor, Russia has repeatedly had territorial disputes with China in its history. In 1858, the Qing Dynasty signed the Treaty of Aihui with Russia, ceding nearly 600,000 square kilometers of territory north of the Heilongjiang River and south of the Outer Xing'an Mountains to Russia. If these regions remain part of China, Russia will lose its valuable resources in the Far East, and its national strength will be greatly weakened.
From a broader perspective, the entire international community will be jealous of this large socialist country with a huge territory. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, China has been a high-profile presence on the international stage. If the territory can be maintained to the size of the heyday of the Qing Dynasty, China's comprehensive national strength and international status will be greatly enhanced, and it will become a great power that the world fears.
As a result, China will inevitably become a "thorn in the side and a thorn in the flesh" of many countries, and will be subject to more open and covert battles and targets in the international community. The United States and other Western countries will inevitably intensify their efforts to contain China in an attempt to prevent China from becoming a real superpower.
Of course, this is just an assumption, what we should do now is to look to the future and work hard for a better tomorrow in a down-to-earth manner. The rise and fall of the Qing Dynasty tells us that any dynasty that rests on its laurels and refuses to reform and innovate will eventually be unable to escape the fate of decline. We must draw lessons from history, keep pace with the times, and make unremitting efforts for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
epilogue
The rise and fall of the Qing Dynasty has shown an eternal truth: no matter what time we are, we should not be complacent, nor should we stop moving. Only by being prepared for danger in times of peace can we avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.
At the same time, the decline of the Qing Dynasty also proves that in this era of rapid change, we, whether as a country or as individuals, should keep pace with the times and never stagnate. Only by being down-to-earth and working hard can we reach the ideal tomorrow.
The wheel of history is rolling forward, and we must keep up with the pace of the times, continue to innovate and forge ahead. Only in this way can we remain invincible in the fierce international competition and contribute our strength to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.