8. The Fall of the Qing Dynasty (1911)
The 1911 Revolution brought an end to over two thousand years of imperial rule in China. Led by Sun Yat-sen and inspired revolutionaries, the Qing Dynasty collapsed and the Republic of China was founded. This historic shift promised renewal but also ushered in new waves of political instability and factional strife. China’s path to modernity would remain turbulent for decades.
