明朝末期の支配力の弱体化に伴い、明朝の強大なパワーに屈して、その影響下に置かれていた周辺の異民族は急速に力を強めることになります。
現在の中国東北部、満州と呼ばれた地で、1616年女真族を纏め上げたのは愛新覚羅ヌルハチ（太祖）という男でした。第14代皇帝万暦帝の治世でありました。このころ明王朝は典型的な中国王朝の末期症状を迎えていたのです。皇帝の政治無関心、宮廷の奢侈化、官僚と宦官たちの政争は激しさを増していました。崇禎帝と明王朝の天命はここで尽きることになります。
Weakening of Ming Dynasty at its end stage brought about rapid increase in the strength of the surrounding different ethnic groups which had been under the influence of very powerful Ming Dynasty. The man who became a leader of Jurchen people in Manchuria region, today’s North East China, in 1616 was Aisin Gieoro Nurhachi (Founder). It was a time of the 14th Emperor Wanli of Ming Dynasty. At that time Ming Dynasty marked a typical terminal condition of the successive dynasties of China: disregard of emperors to politics, too much luxury of dynasties, and increased political conflict between bureaucrats and eunuchs. The divine summons for Chongzhen Emperor and Ming Dynasty was over at that point.
