The Qing Dynasty, the final chapter of China's feudal history, was also a period of population prosperity. From the establishment of the Qing Dynasty to its demise, its population experienced an astonishing increase. According to historical records, the population of the Qing Dynasty was only about 19 million at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, and by the end of the Qing Dynasty, this number soared to more than 300 million, an increase of nearly 16 times, becoming a rare and magnificent picture in world history. So, how did the Qing Dynasty achieve this demographic miracle?
The beginning of the Qing Dynasty refers to the period from the entry of the Qing army in 1644 to the pacification of Taiwan in 1683. During this time, the population of the Qing Dynasty fell into a trough. Previously, in the last years of the Ming Dynasty, there were several peasant uprisings and Manchu invasions, which led to the death of a large number of people and the scattering of the population. Statistics show that the population at the end of the Ming Dynasty was about 1600 million, compared with only 19 million at the beginning of the Qing Dynasty, a decrease of nearly 90%.
At the same time, the early Qing Dynasty also faced internal and external threats, and frequently carried out military conquests, which consumed a lot of manpower and material resources. The Qing army fought wars with Russia, Mongolia, Burma, and other countries, while suppressing peasant leaders and anti-Qing activities, and these wars caused huge losses to the population of the Qing Dynasty. The implementation of the Dingyin system also suppressed population growth and became a tax tool, resulting in people not wanting to have more children, and some people even chose suicide or infanticide to avoid taxes, so that the population fluctuated at a low level in the early Qing Dynasty.
In the middle of the Qing Dynasty, from the pacification of Taiwan in 1683 to the outbreak of the White Lotus Rebellion in 1796. During this period, the population of the Qing Dynasty ushered in explosive growth. Political stability, economic prosperity, social tranquility, and a significant increase in agricultural production. The reigns of the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qianlong emperors abolished the Dingyin system and implemented the system of apportioning the Ding to the mu, which relieved the tax pressure on the population, encouraged people to have more children, and increased the natural growth rate of the population.
At the same time, some new crops have been introduced, such as corn, sweet potatoes, peanuts, etc., which have increased grain production and varieties, improved people's living standards, reduced mortality rates, and extended life expectancy. As a result, the population of the Qing Dynasty showed a rapid growth trend, from 19 million to more than 300 million, an increase of nearly 16 times.
At the end of the Qing Dynasty, from the White Lotus Rebellion in 1796 to the overthrow of the Qing Dynasty by the Xinhai Revolution in 1911. Despite political corruption, economic decline, and social unrest, the inertial growth of the population continues. The three emperors of Jiaqing, Daoguang and Xianfeng were incompetent, exploiting internally and humiliating externally, but due to the huge population base and the concept of fertility did not change, the population remained at a high level at the end of the Qing Dynasty, and even increased.
At the time of the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the population had exceeded 400 million, accounting for nearly half of the world's population. The large population of the Qing Dynasty had a profound impact on Chinese and world history. While promoting the development of culture, science, and art, it has also exacerbated social contradictions and resource pressures, contributing to China's relative backwardness and external aggression. Foreign invasions and internal uprisings at the end of the Qing Dynasty, such as the Opium War, the Taiping Rebellion, and the Twist Army Rebellion, led to the death and movement of a large number of people.
However, due to the large population base in the middle period and the unchanged concept of childbearing, the population in the late stage remained at a high level and even increased. The large population of the Qing Dynasty was an important event in Chinese history, which not only demonstrated its glory and prosperity, but also reflected decline and crisis, played a role in promoting the development of culture and science, and also laid hidden dangers for social and environmental problems.