Surprisingly, despite all the obvious differences, there really is a lot in common between Russia and China. More precisely, between the ruling imperial dynasties. Their history for almost three centuries developed in many ways in similar directions and ended in revolutionary upheavals at the beginning of the 20th century.
The Chinese Qing dynasty ruled from 1644 to 1912, the Romanovs were in power from 1613 to 1917. How did it happen that the ancient Chinese state, the heir to Confucianism, developed in parallel with its neighbor to the north for the past few centuries?
Left "Message of a serene spring", thin. La Chinin. On the right "The calling of Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov to the kingdom on March 14, 1613", art. Grigory Ugryumov.
The first parallels date back to the 17th century. In 1613, the young Tsar Mikhail Fedorovich Romanov ascended the throne in Russia. In China, as a result of the victory over the previous Ming dynasty, a young representative of the Qing dynasty, Emperor Shunzhi, seized power in Beijing. The beginning of their rule by the state is separated by only a few decades, and the end - only five years. The Qing dynasty was overthrown in 1912, the Romanovs in 1917.
The difference is that the Qing dynasty were conquerors who exploited China's temporary vulnerability. People from Manchuria always tried to become their own among the local residents. In the case of the Romanovs, it is different - they came to power by defeating the Polish and Swedish invaders.
On the left is the imperial throne of the Qing dynasty, on the right is the throne of Emperor Paul I.
But both the one and the other ruler had to build their state practically from scratch. On the fragments of previous dynasties. In the case of the Romanovs - after the Rurikids, Qing - after the Ming dynasty.
Representatives of both ruling houses tried to modernize their countries. The Russian Tsar-reformer Peter I was in power in the years 1682-1725 and turned the country into a world power. The Chinese reformer Emperor Kangxi held the reins from 1661 to 1722. He carried out a tax reform, relieved villagers from exorbitant taxes. His policies led to economic development and population growth.
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Both rulers were forced to wage war with Europe. Peter - with the Swedes, and the Chinese - with the Dutch, who occupied Taiwan. But this did not end there. Representatives of the new dynasty annexed Mongolia, Xinjiang and Tibet to the empire. The success of the Romanovs was no less modest. In the 18th and 19th centuries, Russian possessions spread from Poland to the Kuriles.
On the left is the imperial seal of the Qianlong period, on the right is the seal of Emperor Nicholas I.
Both empires became large regional centers. The fate of millions of people depended on the decisions of the emperors. Once the interests of these two great dynasties had to intersect. And so it happened. Disputes arose at the end of the 17th century around the territory of the Amur River. There Russian settlers occupied free lands and built their fortresses. The Chinese emperors were very wary of this. Despite the fact that these lands were almost empty, China considered them its territory. As a result, a short Russian-Chinese war took place, which ended in the Peace of Nerchinsk in 1689. Russia has temporarily postponed projects to master the Far East.
On the left is a Chinese dagger of the Qing era, on the right is a Russian dagger of the 19th century.
The 18th century was a time of intensive development for both empires. The successful reforms of the Qing dynasty led to economic recovery. China has become a major manufacturer of textiles and porcelain. Science and education developed in the country, encyclopedists, writers and artists appeared. The empire continued to remain an agrarian country isolated from external influences.
The Russian 18th century is the era of palace coups and women's rule, the peak of which is the period of Catherine the Great, the "enlightened empress." Under her, Russia became an increasingly European state. But internal contradictions in both countries persisted, and this led to dire consequences.
On the left is a Chinese baofu vase, on the right is a Russian Gzhel jug of the 18th century
In the 19th century, the Russian and Chinese empires had to face military confrontation with Western countries. Moreover, in both cases it was unsuccessful, the clashes were lost. Nicholas Russia was unable to confront Great Britain, France and the Ottoman Empire in the Crimean War of 1853-1856, China ceded to Great Britain and France in the Opium Wars. The consequences for China were much worse. It actually became a colony. Taking advantage of the weakness of its neighbor, Russia forced the Chinese rulers to sign treaties securing the Amur Region for it. For the Russian economy, the loss in the Crimean War was not so catastrophic. The country continued to develop. Representatives of the Qing dynasty, despite all attempts to remedy the situation and raise the economy, faced massive popular uprisings,which lasted for several decades.
As a result, the revolutionary elements of the early 20th century swept both great dynasties off the map. In China, it ended with the Xinhai Revolution in 1911-1912, in Russia - with the February Revolution in 1917.
Author: Pavel Romanutenko
