SUMMARY
Established in China in the mid-seventeenth century, the Qing dynasty was to befall its most
problematic—and consequential—period from 1839 to 1912. Having enjoyed historically elevated levels of success and power from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries, obtrusive Western influence—alongside severe levels of civil unrest—served to damage the governing ability of the empire—ultimately ushering in the succession of the Republic of China in 1912. This paper will introduce the reader to the main actors of the period, and highlight pivotal historical events in the region in order to shed light on how China’s century of embarrassment arguably provided the nation with the impetus to lead its people against the West in the modern world.
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