Final answer:
The Qing Dynasty's decline was marked by the opium crisis, the Taiping Rebellion, financial difficulties, diminished international standing as shown by the Russo-Japanese War, foreign spheres of influence, and resistance to modernizing reforms such as the Hundred Days Reform.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Qing Dynasty showed several signs of decay in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The opium crisis severely compromised the effectiveness of government officials, many of whom were addicted to the drug and misappropriated funds meant for infrastructure maintenance. This led to crumbling infrastructure and famine in rural areas. The Taiping Rebellion, a massive peasant uprising led by Hong Xiuquan, further destabilized the Qing rule and resulted in the death of approximately 30 million people. During this insurrection, Hong captured Nanjing and enacted brutal eradication of the Manchu population in the city. Earlier financial woes of the Qing empire began with the decline of the Ming Dynasty, due to excessive court expenses, self-defence measures against the Mongols and Manchus, and high taxes leading to rebellions. Even though Qing emperors like Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong sought to stabilize finances and enforce Confucian values, they could not halt the dynasty's decline.
The Russo-Japanese War demonstrated the Qing's diminished role in international affairs, with its territory being disputed without its involvement. The Empress Dowager Cixi's nearly five-decade regency was marked by palace intrigues but ultimately could not contain the forces of modernization that led to the imperial system's overthrow. By the time of the warlord era and the installation of Puyi as Emperor, the Qing Empire was effectively disintegrating. Spheres of influence established by foreign powers after the Opium Wars, along with inner conflicts and resistance to reforms like the Hundred Days Reform, signaled the weakening of the Qing Dynasty's grip on power. This was further exacerbated by European and Japanese incursions and the rise of powerful regional warlords.