The Brilliant Reign of the Kangxi Emperor

China's Qing Dynasty gave the fading glory of the Ming Dynasty a fresh and fabulous new start. From the early 1600s to the 1700s, a series of able leaders expanded and strengthened the realm, making China an economic and cultural powerhouse again. Important steps along the way are related in this straightforward narrative. The Manchu people, a nomadic tribe from the northeast, rose up in 1616 and took the lead for the new era. The great leader Nurhaci step by step took control of the weakened empire. Renewed stability brought prosperity, and prosperity enabled noteworthy advances in technology and the arts. The Qing Dynasty's great inventions and sophisticated culture became influential throughout Asia and beyThe Manchu people, a nomadic tribe from the northeast, rose up in 1616 and took the lead for the new era. The great leader Nurhaci step by step took control of the weakened empire. His successors went on to drive away Russian incursions, to re-unite with Taiwan, and to settle unrest in the regions. Tax reforms and administrative improvements helped solidify the gains. Stability brought prosperity, and prosperity enabled noteworthy innovations in technology and the arts. The Qing Dynasty's great inventions and sophisticated culture became influential throughout Asia and beyond, and China remained a superpower right up to the 20th century. This book tells how they achieved the circumstances that made those advances possible. Drawing on the classical Chinese writings, Hung Hing Ming, a former UN translator, outlines the steps that set China back on the path of progress. His narrative shows the accomplishments of the people and the societal characteristics, the values, that united a disparate population and fostered their success.