The Historians Crafts: New Historiography & Rise of the Qing Dynasty

Introduction

• Discussion on shifts in historical interpretation requires a baseline.
• Overview of the early Qing Dynasty's rise, serving as an introduction.

Background on the Qing Dynasty

• Last Qing Emperor: Puyi was overthrown in the Xinhai Revolution (1911).
  • Became a puppet ruler for Japan.
  • Tried as a war criminal post-WWII.
  • Regretted actions during his rule.
  • Served as a propaganda piece for Communist China.

Rise to Power

• Interpretation Challenges:
  • Terms like "early modern" or "modern" are Eurocentric.
  • The Song Dynasty (960-1279) appeared modern by having paper money, urbanization, and market economies.
  • Ming Dynasty fits the "gunpowder empire" category.
• Ming Dynasty Decline:
  • Corruption and a bankrupt state led to its fall by 1644.
  • Conquered by the Manchu, founders of the Qing Dynasty.

Manchu and Early Qing Military Structure

• The Manchu:
  • Originally Jurchen tribes in Manchuria.
  • Unified by Narachi, who adapted Mongolian script and created the Banner System.

Banner System

• Military units based on colors.
• Unified people of Chinese, Turkic, Mongolian, Tibetan, and Korean origin.
• Green Standard Army: Comprised of Ming troops who surrendered.

Qing as a Multi-Ethnic Empire

• Ethnogenesis of Manchu:
  • Transformation from Jurchen tribes.
  • Intermarriage with Mongolians.
• Huang Taiji:
  • Conquest of Mongolia, claiming Genghis Khan’s legacy.
• Kangxi and Qianlong Emperors:
  • Multi-ethnic backgrounds.
  • Multilingual capabilities.

Qing-Mongol Relations and Expansion

• Zunghar Khanate:
  • Qing conquest after rebellion.
  • Destruction of Zunghar Mongols, known as the Zunghar Genocide.
  • Qing used decentralized governance for integration.

Transition from Ming to Qing

• Collapse of the Ming Dynasty:
  • Peasant rebellions weakened the Ming.
  • Ming generals like Wu sided with Manchu for strategic reasons.
  • Twenty-year transition period with significant resistance.
• Resistance and Rebellion:
  • Leaders like Li Zicheng and Zhang Xianzhong resisted Manchu.
  • Ming loyalists continued to fight.

Qing Dynasty Stabilization

• Centralization Efforts:
  • Use of banner systems to maintain control.
  • Legal separation of Manchu and Chinese cultures.
• Multicultural Empire:
  • Official languages: Mongol, Manchu, and Chinese.
  • Diplomacy with European and Asian powers.

Conclusion

• The Qing Dynasty was a multi-ethnic empire, not just a Chinese state.
• The new historiography highlights Qing's broader imperial ideology and multicultural governance.