Hong Taiji formally adopted the dynastic name Great Qing, marking the transition from the Later Jin state to what is conventionally dated as the start of the Qing dynasty (even though Qing rule over China proper began later).
At Shanhai Pass, Qing forces under Dorgon—aligned with Ming general Wu Sangui—defeated Li Zicheng’s Shun forces, enabling the Qing to advance on Beijing during the Ming–Qing transition.
After Qing forces took Beijing, the Shunzhi Emperor was enthroned there, consolidating Qing claims to rule China proper (initially under the strong regency of Dorgon).
Following the death of the Shunzhi Emperor, the Kangxi Emperor succeeded to the throne, beginning a long reign often associated with consolidation, expansion, and relative stability.
Qing admiral Shi Lang defeated the Kingdom of Tungning’s forces at Penghu, leading to Tungning’s capitulation and bringing Taiwan under Qing rule.
The Qing and Russia signed the Treaty of Nerchinsk, the first formal treaty between the two empires, delimiting sections of the border and establishing a framework for trade and diplomacy.
The Qing and Russia concluded the Treaty of Kyakhta, expanding border arrangements beyond Nerchinsk and establishing rules that supported long-term caravan trade and diplomatic contact.
The Qianlong Emperor succeeded to the throne, ushering in a reign notable for major territorial campaigns and cultural projects, and for later fiscal and administrative strains.
Britain’s first major diplomatic mission to Qing China (the Macartney Embassy) sought expanded trade and permanent representation in Beijing; the Qianlong court rejected its principal requests, shaping later misunderstandings in Sino-British relations.
A large-scale uprising broke out in central China; its prolonged suppression strained Qing finances and military capacity and is widely treated as a key marker of Qing decline.
Qing China and Britain signed the Treaty of Nanking, ending the First Opium War and inaugurating a new era of “treaty port” arrangements that significantly constrained Qing control over trade and diplomacy.
Hong Xiuquan proclaimed the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, escalating the Taiping Rebellion—one of the deadliest civil conflicts in history—which severely weakened Qing governance and finances.
The Treaty of Aigun altered the Qing–Russian frontier, ceding territory north of the Amur River to Russia and contributing to the mid-19th-century reshaping of Qing borderlands.
A set of treaties concluded at Tianjin (Tientsin) with several Western powers expanded treaty-port access and foreign privileges, deepening external influence inside the Qing empire.
A palace coup led by Empress Dowagers Cixi and Ci’an and Prince Gong removed the regency council, initiating Cixi’s long dominance in Qing court politics.
After defeat by Japan, the Qing agreed to major concessions in the Treaty of Shimonoseki, including the cession of Taiwan and the Pescadores and recognition of Korea’s independence—accelerating domestic crisis and foreign pressure on the dynasty.
Following the Boxer Uprising and foreign intervention, the Qing signed the Boxer Protocol, which imposed large indemnities and authorized expanded foreign military and diplomatic presence, further undermining Qing sovereignty.
The Wuchang Uprising sparked a wider revolutionary wave (the Xinhai/1911 Revolution), triggering provincial secessions and negotiations that ultimately ended Qing rule.
Revolutionaries proclaimed the Republic of China, installing a provisional government under Sun Yat-sen—creating an alternative center of legitimacy to the Qing court amid ongoing negotiations and military pressure.
An abdication edict issued on behalf of the child emperor Puyi (Xuantong) formally ended Qing rule and brought over two millennia of imperial rule in China to a close.
Qing Dynasty (1636/1644–1912 CE)
