China and the Manchus

China and the Manchus is a book by British diplomat and sinologist Herbert A. Giles, first published in 1912. It is a concise account of the history of the Manchu people in China. The Manchu people are an ethnic group native to Northeast Asia, primarily inhabiting the region historically known as Manchuria. They rose to prominence in the 17th century under the leadership of the Aisin Gioro clan, establishing the Qing Dynasty, which ruled China from 1644 to 1912.

The Qing Dynasty was the last imperial dynasty of China, known for its expansionist policies and cultural achievements. The Manchu rulers implemented various administrative reforms, maintained a distinct identity, and governed China with a multi-ethnic approach, though they faced challenges from Han Chinese cultural dominance and occasional ethnic tensions.