Although the Manchu rulers of the Qing dynasty (1644-1911) copied the Chinese administration system that had existed since Tang period  (618-907) - and in some parts even since the Han period (206 BCE-220 CE) - they created some important new elements that rendered the earlier instruments more effective.

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The capital of the Manchu empires was moved from Shenyang  (Mukden, also called Shengjing), Liaoning, to Beijing in 1644. Beijing had been the capital of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and remained the capital of the Qing until 1911, while Mukden was used as a secondary capital in the first hundred years of the Qing.

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The male relatives of the Manchu emperor (Manchu: beile) were allowed to take part - to a certain extent - in the central government. Brothers and sons of the emperor were called Imperial Prince (qinwang). To avoid succession struggles, the successor was nominated only shortly before the death of the emperor. Princes were not granted own territories, but were contented with a rich appanage.

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The traditional titles of the Three Dukes (sangong: the Grand Preceptor taishi, the Grand Mentor taifu, and the Grand Guardian taibao) and the Three Solitaries (sangu) were purely honorary in practice.

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The large imperial household of the imperial palace required a special agency, the Imperial Household Department (neiwufu). Most posts of the imperial household were occupied by eunuchs; the highest among them (taijian) had great importance in the run of daily business.

The central government was first led by the Grand Secretariat (neige/dorgi yamun) that was modeled after the traditional Chinese government, with palace academies for the recruitment of highest officials (inlcuding the Hanlin Academy), the translation of edicts and documents into Chinese and Manchu, etc.; the Six Ministries (liubu: Personnel libu/ hafan i jurgan, Revenue hubu / boigon i jurgan, Rites libu/ dorolon i jurgan, War bingbu cooha-i jurgan, Justice xingbu / beidere jurgan, and Public Works gongbu/ weilere jurgan; each Ministry was headed by a minister shangshu/ aliha amban); and the late (duchayuan).