Editing History of Asia (section)

===Qing China===
{{Main|Qing dynasty}}
[[File:Empire Chinois, Japon (1832).jpg|thumb|280px|The Qing Empire in 1832.]]
By 1644, the northern [[Manchu people]] had conquered [[Ming dynasty]] and established a foreign dynasty—the [[Qing dynasty]]—once more. The Manchu Qing emperors, especially Confucian scholar [[Kangxi Emperor|Kangxi]], remained largely conservative—retaining the bureaucracy and the scholars within it, as well as the Confucian ideals present in Chinese society. However, changes in the economy and new attempts at resolving certain issues occurred too. These included increased trade with Western countries that brought large amounts of silver into the Chinese economy in exchange for tea, [[porcelain]], and silk textiles. This allowed for a new merchant-class, the [[comprador]]s, to develop. In addition, repairs were done on existing [[Levee|dikes]], canals, roadways, and [[irrigation]] works. This, combined with the lowering of taxes and government-assigned labor, was supposed to calm peasant unrest. However, the Qing failed to control the growing landlord class which had begun to exploit the peasantry and abuse their position.

By the late 18th century, both internal and external issues began to arise in Qing China's politics, society, and economy. The exam system with which scholars were assigned into the bureaucracy became increasingly corrupt; bribes and other forms of cheating allowed for inexperienced and inept scholars to enter the bureaucracy and this eventually caused rampant neglect of the peasantry, military, and the previously mentioned infrastructure projects. Poverty and banditry steadily rose, especially in rural areas, and mass migrations looking for work throughout China occurred. The perpetually conservative government refused to make reforms that could resolve these issues.

====Opium War====
{{Main|First Opium War|Second Opium War}}
[[File:98th Foot at Chinkiang.jpg|thumb|British troops taking [[Battle of Chinkiang|Zhenjiang]] from Qing troops]]
China saw its status reduced by what it perceived as parasitic trade with Westerners. Originally, European traders were at a disadvantage because the Chinese cared little for their goods, while European demand for Chinese commodities such as tea and porcelain only grew. In order to tip the trade imbalance in their favor, British merchants began to sell Indian [[opium]] to the Chinese. Not only did this sap Chinese bullion reserves, it also led to widespread drug addiction amongst the [[scholar official|bureaucracy]] and society in general. A ban was placed on opium as early as 1729 by the [[Yongzheng Emperor]], but little was done to enforce it. By the early 19th century, under the new [[Daoguang Emperor]], the government began serious efforts to eradicate opium from Chinese society. Leading this endeavour were respected scholar-officials including [[Imperial Commissioner (China)|Imperial Commissioner]] [[Lin Zexu]].

After Lin [[Destruction of opium at Humen|destroyed more than 20,000 chests of opium]] in the summer of 1839, Europeans demanded compensation for what they saw as unwarranted Chinese interference in their affairs. When it was not paid, the British declared war later the same year, starting what became known as the [[First Opium War]]. The outdated Chinese [[Junk (ship)|junks]] were no match for the advanced British gunboats, and soon the [[Yangzi River]] region came under threat of British bombardment and invasion. The emperor had no choice but to sue for peace, resulting in the exile of Lin and the making of the [[Treaty of Nanking]], which ceded the British control of [[Hong Kong]] and opened up trade and diplomacy with other European countries, including Germany, France, and the USA.
[[File:1859-60 CE world map.PNG|thumb|280px|Political map of Asia in 1860]]

====Manchuria====
{{Further|Northeast China|History of Manchuria}}
Manchuria/Northeast China came under influence of Russia with the building of the [[Chinese Eastern Railway]] through [[Harbin, China|Harbin]] to [[Vladivostok]].<ref>Henry B.  Miller, "Russian Development of Manchuria." ''National Geographic Magazine'' 15 (1904): 113+ [https://books.google.com/books?id=cxQSAAAAYAAJ&dq=manchuria+%22port+arthur%22&pg=PA113 online].</ref> The [[Empire of Japan]] replaced Russian influence in the region as a result of the [[Russo-Japanese War]] in 1904–1905, and Japan laid the [[South Manchurian Railway]] in 1906 to [[Lüshunkou|Port Arthur]]. During the [[Warlord Era]] in China, [[Zhang Zuolin]] established himself in Northeast China, but was murdered by the Japanese for being too independent. The former Chinese emperor, [[Puyi]], was then placed on the throne to lead a Japanese puppet state of [[Manchukuo]].<ref>Louise Young, ''Japan's Total Empire: Manchuria and the Culture of Wartime Imperialism'' (1999) [https://books.google.com/books?id=YjW41KFGw04C&dq=manchuria++japan&pg=PP1 excerpt]</ref> In August 1945, the Soviet Union invaded the region. From 1945 to 1948, Northeast China was a base area for Mao Zedong's [[People's Liberation Army]] in the [[Chinese Civil War]]. With the encouragement of the Kremlin, the area was used as a staging ground during the Civil War for the [[Communist Party of China|Chinese Communists]], who were victorious in 1949 and have controlled ever since.<ref>Steven I. Levine, ''Anvil of Victory: The Communist Revolution in Manchuria, 1945-1948'' (1987).</ref>