Nevertheless, it was internal turmoil that would finally destroy this dynasty. The Manchu elites who ruled China deliberately distanced themselves from the mass of Han Chinese people. This view of the rulers as outsiders led to a series of rebellions that began in 1794, continued throughout the nineteenth century, and finally led to the uprising that would destroy the Qing Dynasty at the beginning of the twentieth century. This is the story of a dynasty of immense power that was faced throughout its history by implacable foes both outside and in. This is the story of the bridge between traditional and modern China: the Qing Dynasty.