The Jurchen were a Tungusic people who inhabited the region of what is now northeastern China, Russia's Far East, and the Korean Peninsula from the 7th to the 17th century. Their history is deeply intertwined with the formation and dissolution of several significant states and empires in East Asia.
The Jurchens are believed to have originated from the Mohe, an earlier Tungusic group. They were mentioned in historical records as early as the 7th century when they were vassals to the Goguryeo Kingdom. Over time, various Jurchen tribes developed, with significant interactions with neighboring powers like the Khitan Empire and later the Liao Dynasty.
In 1115, under the leadership of Aguda, the Jurchens founded the Jin Dynasty, which overthrew the Khitan-led Liao Dynasty. This new state rapidly expanded, eventually conquering northern China and establishing control over what is now Beijing, previously known as Zhongdu. The Jin Dynasty was notable for:
The Jin Dynasty faced significant pressure from the Mongols in the 13th century, ultimately leading to its fall in 1234. After the Jin Dynasty, the Jurchens were assimilated into the Mongol Empire as subjects. Over time, many Jurchens adopted the Mongol way of life, particularly in terms of military organization and lifestyle.
In the 15th century, the Jurchens began to re-emerge as a distinct group, particularly with the rise of the Jianzhou Jurchens under the leadership of Nurhaci. Nurhaci unified various Jurchen tribes, reformed their military structure, and initiated the Later Jin Dynasty in 1616, which would eventually transform into the Qing Dynasty in 1644 after capturing Beijing.
The Qing Dynasty, founded by the Jurchen's successors, the Manchus, marked the last imperial dynasty of China. Under Qing rule, the term "Jurchen" was largely replaced by "Manchu", and the Jurchen script was replaced by the Manchu script. The Jurchen identity as a distinct ethnic group was significantly eroded through assimilation into Manchu culture, although remnants of Jurchen identity persisted among some groups.
Despite their assimilation, the Jurchens left a lasting cultural and linguistic legacy: