A Conquest Dynasty’s Dilemma When the Manchu-led Qing dynasty established its capital in Beijing in 1644, it faced an unprecedented […]
The Historical Context of the Manchu Conquest When the Manchu forces swept through China in the mid-17th century, their military […]
The Rise of the Manchus and Their Military Culture The early Qing rulers—Nurhaci, Hong Taiji, and Dorgon—were products of a […]
The Dawn of Qing Dominance in 1645 The summer of 1645 marked a pivotal moment in the Qing dynasty’s consolidation […]
The Collapse of the Hongguang Regime In the summer of 1645, the Southern Ming dynasty faced imminent collapse. The Hongguang […]
The Collapsing Ming Dynasty and Nanjing’s Last Stand The year 1645 marked a pivotal moment in Chinese history as the […]
The Fragile Southern Ming Court When news of Yangzhou’s fall and Shi Kefa’s martyrdom reached Nanjing, the Hongguang court descended […]
The Collapse of Ming Loyalist Hopes In the turbulent spring of 1645, the newly established Southern Ming Hongguang regime faced […]
The Making of a Ming Dynasty Warlord The turbulent final years of the Ming Dynasty created perfect conditions for military […]
The Collapse of the Ming and the Rise of the Southern Ming The year 1644 marked a pivotal moment in […]
The Fragile Foundation of a Fleeting Dynasty When Zhu Yousong ascended the throne as the Hongguang Emperor in 1644, his […]
The Retreat from Xi’an: A Slow-Moving Catastrophe In the thirteenth day of the first lunar month of 1645, Li Zicheng, […]
The Collapse of the Shun Dynasty in Context The mid-17th century was a period of immense upheaval in China, marked […]
The Collapse of Ming and Rise of the Shun The mid-17th century witnessed one of China’s most dramatic dynastic transitions. […]
The Collapse of the Ming and the Rise of New Powers The year 1644 marked one of the most dramatic […]
A Kingdom Built on Shifting Sands The Hongguang regime (1644–1645) emerged during one of China’s most turbulent periods—the collapse of […]
The Rise of the Hongguang Court In 1644, as the Ming dynasty crumbled under the dual pressures of peasant rebellions […]
The Fragile Southern Ming Court in Crisis When the Chongzhen Emperor hanged himself on Coal Hill in April 1644 as […]
The Fall of Beijing and Qing Ambitions In the aftermath of the Shanhai Pass campaign in 1644, the Qing forces, […]
A Divided Empire in Crisis The spring of 1644 marked a pivotal moment in Chinese history as the Ming dynasty […]
A Province at the Crossroads of Dynasties The summer of 1644 marked a pivotal moment in Chinese history, as the […]
The Collapse of Ming and Rise of Qing The year 1644 marked one of China’s most dramatic dynastic transitions. In […]
