This chapter provides some background information for the research questions addressed throughout the monograph. Building on previous scholarly discussions about “old age” in Western historical societies, it examines “age” and “old age” in the Chinese cultural context, highlighting the traditional respect for the elderly. It also notes the visibility of older individuals in traditional literature and art. Since this book focuses on the Qing period, it defines the significance of this final dynasty in imperial China in terms of the history of aging. As the country’s population grew rapidly, doubling several times during the Qing period, the largest aged population in the history of imperial China emerged. The collective aging experiences of men and women in this multiethnic and multicultural dynasty offer valuable insights and perspectives. The major sources used for this study are explained accordingly. By engaging previously untapped materials from the rich and voluminous works authored by men and women of the Qing dynasty, this book examines the personal writings on aging of both genders. This analysis provides a glimpse into the aging processes the writers experienced, their perceptions of “old age,” and their self-representations. Finally, as a prelude to the following chapters, which showcase a diverse array of positive, neutral, and negative messages embedded in the extensive pool of personal narratives on aging produced by Qing writers, this chapter explores at what different ages Qing men and women began to feel the pressure of aging and how their age awareness developed over time, drawing on clues from selected milestone birthday narratives.