How the Chinese empire became the master of its own destruction
- A failure to reform and modernise led to the collapse of China’s imperial system
- Wars and rebellions in the second half of the 19th century were disastrous for the Qing Dynasty
China’s powerful dynasties were all but impregnable to outside influence for more than four millennia. But in the 19th century an inward-looking Chinese empire became master of its own destruction when the regime failed to reform and modernise.
The imperial system collapsed at the start of the 20th century and the Forbidden City, which had been home to emperors since 1420 and housed the world’s greatest collection of art treasures, was turned over to the public and transformed into the Palace Museum.
China was ruled for 4,000 years by imperial dynasties. Each successive leader contributed his, or her, unique stamp on the country’s rich and complex cultural heritage. During the last two millennia, emperors strove to outdo their predecessors by amassing more art, libraries, relics and treasures. Tragically, these priceless collections were not exempt from the ravages of time, nature, war and looting.
From ancient Bronze Age oracle bones to works of art from the early 20th century, China’s emperors and rulers used art to project their legitimacy, wealth and power throughout their dominion.
The collections included paintings and calligraphy from the seventh century, along with porcelain from the Yuan and Song dynasties. They also contained silver and gold ornaments, bamboo craft pieces, wood, ivory, gold and bronze religious statues, rich textiles, furniture, architecture, books and documents.