I want to discuss a little about the Manchu influence, women, gender issues, families, culture and fashion, trade, and population.

The Ming or Han Chinese encouraged foot binding in females. For Manchu females it was never practiced and was forbidden.   A smartly appearing Ming (Han) Chinese male would wear his hair in a top knot. But for a Qing (Manchu) male he would shave his forehead except for the back of his head from which he would grow long hair or a braided queue.

The accepted conservative opinion is that the population exploded during the first half of the 17th century.  The population doubled by the 19th century to over 300M.

Prior to the Qing Dynasty, the only trade connections China had with foreigners were tribute missions rather than full-scale trade for commercial purposes.  European tea consumption, demand, and import soared during the early 18th century, and was paid for with silver. A huge trade imbalance grew between China and its trading partners.  It was into this imbalance or vacuum that opium appears. By 1735, English traders stated opium was everywhere. This had enormous consequences in the 19th century.

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