Imperial Guards | |
---|---|
侍衛 | |
Active | 1644–1912 |
Disbanded | 1912 |
Country | China |
Allegiance | Emperor of China |
Type | Imperial guard Infantry |
Role | Close protection |
Garrison/HQ | Forbidden City, Beijing |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | Zaitao |
The Imperial Guards (Chinese: 侍衛; pinyin: shìwèi, Manchu: ᡥᡳᠶᠠ, Möllendorff: hiya) of the Qing dynasty were a select detachment of Manchu and Mongol bannermen responsible for guarding the Forbidden City in Beijing, the emperor, and the emperor's family. The Imperial Guards were divided into three groups:[1] the Guard Corps, the Vanguard, and the Imperial Bodyguard.[2]
The Qing imperial guards also practiced Shuai Jiao, a form of jacket wrestling.