In 1644, leaders of China's Ming dynasty asked the Manchus, a barbarian people from Manchuria, for help in putting down rebellions within the Chinese empire. The Manchus then invaded China--but only to establish their own dynasty, the Qing, on the throne.<NP> The Manchus had great respect for Chinese civilization and did little to change Chinese life or government. Christian missionaries were welcomed at the Manchu capital, Beijing. But Chinese culture remained largely cut off from the rest of the world.
