The Rise and Fall of the Dragon

1808 – China, ruled by Qing Dynasty (by Emperor Jia-Qing, a son of Qian-Long, who marked the peak of Qing Dynasty) then was a most prosperous nation in the world, with estimated 60% of the world GDP.


1908 – China, still ruled by Qing Dynasty then was a nation threatened by 8-Nations Alliance and sub-colonized by these nations, it’s the era marked with the fall of Dynasty Qing 3 years later when Pu-Yi was the last emperor.


2008 – Summer Olympics Games to be held in Beijing. Will the history repeat itself where 60% GDP of the world is from China, a nation with 1.3 billion population?

12 Emperors of Dynasty Qing XII (The Last Emperor)

12th Emperor: Xuāntǒng 宣統 (Pǔyí 溥儀) 1908 - 1911

He took a title of the Emperor of Dynasty Qing after the death of his uncle, Emperor, GuangXu at aged of three. But in fact, he never had a chance to rule the dynasty.

After XinHai Revolution in 1911 lead by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, PuYi retained his title and special treatment as a royal member.

From 1925 until 1932, he became a puppet ruler of Manchukuo where the state created by Japanese as a preparation for the later invasion to China.

His later part of life was pitiful. From an Emperor of dynasty which once upon a time was the strongest super power in the power, he became a normal civilian. After World War II, he was captured by Soviet Red Army and he was put in the prison. After returning back to China where the nation was in Mao's ruling, he once again resided in a reeducation camp for 10 years. He died in 1967 of cancer and it marked the end of monarchy system started nearly 4000 years ago.



"People who deny history do not have his story."

12 Emperors of Dynasty Qing XI

12th Emperor: Guāngxù 光緒 (Dézōng 德宗) 1875 - 1908

Although his official ruling as an emperor of Dynasty Qing lasted for 33 years, but the man who is the real ruler was Empress Dowager Cixi. As a so called ruler, GuangXu actually was a pity man, he just a puppet ruler controlled by CiXi.

He was an ambitious ruler. In June 1898, he began a reform though only short life, which later known as "Hundred Days' Reform". His reform was an idea from Meiji Restoration, Japan which transformed Japan from a Samurai country to one of the influential nation that could stand aside with other powers such as Britain, France, Austria during late 19th century. However, his ambition did not materialized because of the interference from CiXi who afraid the reform would challenged her power.



He also became a ruler who gave up his palace, Forbidden City and ran away to Xi'an together with CiXi when Eight-Nation Alliance (八國聯軍) marched into the city in 1901. The alliance consists of United Kingdom, France, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Russia, Germany, United States and Japan.

"People who deny history do not have his story."

12 Emperors of Dynasty Qing X

10th Emperor: Tóngzhì 同治(Mùzōng 穆宗) 1861 - 1875

He became an emperor of Qing at age of five when his father, XianFeng passed away. Although his title was an emperor of Qing, but the person who really ruled the empire was his mother, Empress Dowager Cixi 慈禧太后. The traditional Chinese political phrase "attending audiences behind a drawn curtain" (垂簾聽政), which had already been used earlier in Chinese history, was used to describe Cixi's rule through her son the Tongzhi Emperor. This was due to the fact that ladies could not interfere with the governmental ruling during Dynasty Qing.

"People who deny history do not have his story."

12 Emperors of Dynasty Qing IX

9th Emperor: Xiánfēng 咸豐(Wénzōng 文宗) 1850 - 1861

During his ruling, he could not do much since the imperialist from European countries marched into the old, illed China. On October 18, 1860 (2nd Opium War), the Imperial Summer Palace (圆明园)where the royal family of Qing devoted millions of silver to build burnt by the British and French army. It took whole 3 days to burn the entire garden.



"People who deny history do not have his story."

12 Emperors of Dynasty Qing VIII

8th Emperor: Dàoguāng 道光 (Xuānzōng 宣宗) 1820 - 1850

During his ruling, opium from British India merchants already became widespread nationwide. During his time, 30,000 boxes opium traded in China compared to his grand father, Yong Zheng's ruling where only 200 boxes opium were allowed for trading.

Knowing opium could destroy the whole nation, he appointed Lin Zexu to fight for the opium trading in China by British India merchants. But due to the inferior technology and military compared to his European counterpart, China lost his 1st Opium War which resulted the Treaty of Nanking in August 1842 and witnessed the surrender of Hong Kong to British. This marked the 1st territory lost in the history of Dynasty Qing to his enemy.

"People who deny history do not have his story."

12 Emperors of Dynasty Qing VI

6th Emperor: Qiánlóng 乾隆 (Gāozōng 高宗) 1735 - 1796
With the vast nation reserve from his father, QianLong managed to establish many grand projects. The day to day governance of the country was left in the hands of Heshen whilst Qianlong himself indulged on everyday luxuries and his favourite pastime of hunting.

When the outside world countries such as England, France, Russia, Austria and even previously a nation looked down by Qing -- Japan emerged as a power caused by Industrial Revolution. At the same time, a whole nation of Qing still enjoying "The Prosperous Era" (GDP of Qing that time is 60% of the world GDP), never thinking of the improvement of the nation , and not bothering the situation outside the nation. For them, Qing is the strongest nation in the world -- they are right that time, but that also marked the beginning of the fall of the superpower.

"People who deny history do not have his story."

12 Emperors of Dynasty Qing V

5th Emperor: Yōngzhèng 雍正(Shìzōng 世宗) 1722 - 1735
After his father ruling for 61 years, he left many troubles unsolved to his son. At that time, the nation facing corruption problem nationwide even in the government. Someone can buy the government post -- from the post as small as a district officer to the post as big as a member of the cabinet, as long as you can pay out the money requested, you would be rewarded with the post. Yongzheng with his unwelcomed actions by those corrupted officers managed to minimized the problem and save a lot for the Nation Reserve. This lead to the Prosperous Era enjoyed by his son, QianLong later on.

"People who deny history do not have his story."

12 Emperors of Dynasty Qing IV

4th Emperor: Kāngxī 康熙 (Shèngzǔ 聖祖) 1661 - 1772
Marked the beginning of "The Prosperous Era of KangQian". He is the emperor who actively learn foreign knowledge such as mathematics, astronomy, western medicine...etc. His ruling of 61 years brought the stability to the nation.

"People who deny history do not have his story."

12 Emperors of Dynasty Qing III

3rd Emperor: Shùnzhì 順治 (Shìzǔ 世祖) 1643 - 1661

"People who deny history do not have his story."

12 Emperors of Dynasty Qing II

2nd Emperor: Hong Taiji 皇太極 (Tàizōng 太宗) 1626 - 1643

"People who deny history do not have his story."

12 Emperors of Dynasty Qing I

1st Emperor: Nurhaci 努爾哈赤 (Tàizǔ 太祖) 1616 - 1626

"People who deny history do not have his story."