Changes

As the Ming declined, a number of Ming generals and officials defected into Hong Taiji's service, many of them bringing numbers of followers with them, quickly swelling the Jurchen ranks. Many of these were those charged with the defense of neighboring areas, thus opening up those regions to Manchu conquest. Hong Taiji established a series of eight banners for [[Mongol]] portions of the Later Jin military and society in [[1635]], paralleling the eight Jurchen (soon to be renamed Manchu) banners. In [[1637]], he then established two "martial Chinese" banners, expanding this to four in [[1639]] and to eight in [[1642]]. These banners were not only military divisions, but also served as a mode of family registration, accounting for women, children, and land, and served as a basis for the taxation system.

As the Ming declined, a number of Ming generals and officials defected into Hong Taiji's service, many of them bringing numbers of followers with them, quickly swelling the Jurchen ranks. Many of these were those charged with the defense of neighboring areas, thus opening up those regions to Manchu conquest. Hong Taiji established a series of eight banners for [[Mongol]] portions of the Later Jin military and society in [[1635]], paralleling the eight Jurchen (soon to be renamed Manchu) banners. In [[1637]], he then established two "martial Chinese" banners, expanding this to four in [[1639]] and to eight in [[1642]]. These banners were not only military divisions, but also served as a mode of family registration, accounting for women, children, and land, and served as a basis for the taxation system.

Meanwhile, in [[1636]], Hong Taiji abolished the name "Later Jin Dynasty," officially changing the name of the dynasty to Qing. In conjunction with this change, he also declared his people to no longer be "Jurchens," but now "Manchus," a new designation and identity. Over the next two years, he led campaigns against [[Joseon|Korea]], ending in the Koreans severing their relations with the Ming in [[1638]] and instead beginning to pay [[tribute]] to the Qing. By this time, Manchu forces had also crossed past the [[Great Wall]], and were raiding in [[Shandong province]] and elsewhere.

Meanwhile, in [[1636]], Hong Taiji abolished the name "Later Jin Dynasty," officially changing the name of the dynasty to Qing, and taking on the title of "emperor."<ref>Pamela Kyle Crossley, ''Translucent Mirror'', UC Press (1999), 47.</ref> In conjunction with this change, he also declared his people to no longer be "Jurchens," but now "Manchus," a new designation and identity. Over the next two years, he led campaigns against [[Joseon|Korea]], ending in the Koreans severing their relations with the Ming in [[1638]] and instead beginning to pay [[tribute]] to the Qing. By this time, Manchu forces had also crossed past the [[Great Wall]], and were raiding in [[Shandong province]] and elsewhere.

However, roughly twenty to thirty years after Nurhachi first began to expand his power, the Manchus had begun to become less tribal, less martial, and more settled. Even in the very first years after being declared "Manchus," Hong Taiji worried the group was already beginning to lose its essential character as a martial, horseriding, steppes nomadic hunter people. The siege of the Ming city of Jinzhou, begun in 1632 or 1633, took ten years, with the city finally falling in [[1642]].

However, roughly twenty to thirty years after Nurhachi first began to expand his power, the Manchus had begun to become less tribal, less martial, and more settled. Even in the very first years after being declared "Manchus," Hong Taiji worried the group was already beginning to lose its essential character as a martial, horseriding, steppes nomadic hunter people. The siege of the Ming city of Jinzhou, begun in 1632 or 1633, took ten years, with the city finally falling in [[1642]].

==References==

==References==

*Jonathan Spence, ''The Search for Modern China'', Second Edition, W.W. Norton & Co. (1999), 30-32.

*Jonathan Spence, ''The Search for Modern China'', Second Edition, W.W. Norton & Co. (1999), 30-32.

[[Category:Emperors]]

[[Category:Emperors]]

[[Category:Edo Period]]

[[Category:Edo Period]]