Dynasties | Qing Dynasty 1644-1911

The Manchu rulers from North-eastern Manchuria took control and just like the Yuan Mongol invaders fairly soon took to Chinese ways. The empire was extended into Tibet and Mongolia and many great engineering projects were undertaken. Contacts with the Europeans continued but the Chinese restrictions on trade led to disputes and ultimately with the Opium Wars to the humiliation of the Imperial government and the forced cessation of Treaty ports (especially Hong Kong) to the Western powers. Internal turmoil continued with the Taiping rebellion which led to huge loss of life (20 million the worst known civil war). Further weakening after the Boxer Rebellion made the break-up of China look inevitable but the founding of the Republic gave a resurgence of national pride.

See Also : Map of China during the Qing Dynasty