The Qing Dynasty was the last feudal dynasty in Chinese history, with a reign of 268 years and 12 emperors. However, during the reign of the Qing Dynasty, China's economic development reached its peak, and great achievements were made in culture and art. However, there are also those who believe that the rule of the Qing Dynasty delayed China's development, leading to humiliation and disaster in China's modern history.
First, let's take a look at the contribution of the Qing Dynasty to China's economy. During the reign of the Qing Dynasty, China's economic development reached its peak. The Qing Dynasty adopted a series of economic policies that promoted the development of agriculture, handicrafts, and commerce. For example, the Qing Dynasty implemented the policy of "apportioning the land into the mu" and incorporated the poll tax into the land tax, which reduced the burden on the peasants and increased the state's fiscal revenue. In addition, the Qing Dynasty also vigorously built water conservancy, developed transportation, and popularized agricultural technology, thus promoting the development of agriculture and the prosperity of the rural economy.
In terms of culture, the Qing Dynasty also made great achievements. For example, Dream of the Red Chamber, a literary work from the Qing Dynasty, is a classic in the history of Chinese literature and is still widely read and praised today. In addition, the Qing Dynasty also produced a large number of outstanding artists and scholars, such as Zheng Banqiao and Qi Baishi, whose works and ideas still have a profound impact on Chinese culture and art.
Of course, we must also admit that the Qing Dynasty did have many problems in terms of politics and military. For example, the Qing Dynasty implemented a strict policy of distinguishing between Huayi and Yi, which restricted the people's freedom of thought and national pride; At the same time, the Qing Dynasty's military equipment and combat effectiveness also lagged far behind the Western powers. The existence of these problems has led to China's backwardness and humiliation in modern history.
However, we cannot simply blame the rule of the Qing Dynasty for the backwardness and humiliation of recent history. In fact, China's backwardness and humiliation in modern history are the result of a combination of factors. For example, China has many problems in terms of political system, economic structure, culture and education. At the same time, the aggression and oppression of the Western powers have also caused a huge obstacle to China's development. Therefore, we should take a holistic view of historical issues and cannot simply blame them on a certain historical period or a certain historical event.
To sum up, the rule of the Qing Dynasty did not delay the development of China. Although the Qing Dynasty did have many problems in terms of politics and military, its economic and cultural achievements cannot be ignored. We should take a comprehensive view of historical issues, draw experiences and lessons from history, and provide reference and enlightenment for today's and future developments.