As both the Qianlong Emperor's extensive reign and the Eighteenth Century itself comes to a close, the Qing Empire faces - in spite of its outward posturing of timeless grandeur and invulnerability - an ever more uncertain future. By this time his successor, the Jiaqing Emperor, assumes power in fact, the winds of historic change have already begun to blow.
Time Period Covered:
~1735-1800
Major Historical Actors:
The Qianlong Emperor [Aisin-Gioro Hongli) [r. 1735-1796, d. 1799]
The Jiaqing Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yongyan) [r. 1796-1820]
Grand Secretary Heshen [1750-1799]
Major Sources Cited:
Crossley, Pamela Kyle. A Translucent Mirror: History and Identity in Qing Imperial Ideology.
Hsü, Immanuel C. Y. The Rise of Modern China. 6th ed.
Jones, Susan Mann, and Philip A. Kuhn. “The Chia-ch’ing Reign.” In The Cambridge History of China, Volume 9, Part Two: The Ch’ing Empire to 1911.
Rowe, William T. China’s Last Empire: The Great Qing.
Woodside, Alexander. The Centre and the Borderlands in Chinese Political Culture.
Woodside, Alexander. “The Ch’ien-lung Reign” In The Cambridge History of China, Volume 9, Part One: The Ch’ing Empire to 1800.
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41:15
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41:15
#303 - Qing 38: The Macartney Expedition
From London’s harbors to Canton’s bustling hongs and the Qianlong Emperor’s Dragon Throne, Lord George Macartney’s 1792-94 mission to Great Qing unveils profound cultural divides, shaping centuries of Sino-Western relations. This series explores a pivotal diplomatic clash that redefined global history.
Time Period Covered:
1792-1794 CE
Major Historical Figures:
Qing Empire:
The Qianlong Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Hongli) [r. 1735–1796]
Chief Minister Heshen (1750–1799)
Wang Wenxiong, mid-level imperial bureaucrat
British Empire:
Lord George Macartney, ambassador extraordinaire [1737–1806]
Sir George Staunton [1737-1801]
William Alexander [1767–1816]
John Barrow, Comptroller [1764-1848]
Sgt. Maj. Samuel Holmes, 11th Lt. Dragoons
Major Works Cited:
Berg, Maxine. The Birth of the Modern World, 1780–1914: Global Connections and Comparisons.
Cranmer-Byng, John. “The Chinese Documents Relating to the Macartney Embassy.” Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, 1961.
Gao, Hao. Creating the Opium War: British Imperial Attitudes Toward China, 1792–1840.
Hevia, James L. Cherishing Men from Afar: Qing Guest Ritual and the Macartney Embassy of 1793.
Holmes, Samuel. Journal of the Macartney Expedition.
Macartney, Lord George. Journal of the Macartney Expedition.
Peyrefitte, Alain. The Immobile Empire: The First Great Collision of East and West. Knopf, 1992.
Qing Archival Records. Tr. in Presents and Tribute: Documents on the Macartney Embassy.
Staunton, George. An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China.
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45:10
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45:10
#302 - Qing 37: Palace of Mirrors
Qianlong's empire shines as a beacon of both martial might and cultural splendor, yet its mirrored glory hides truths too fragile for celestial ambitions.
Time Period Covered:
~1770-1799CE
Major Historical Figures:
Qing Empire:
The Qianlong Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Hongli) [r. 1735–1796, d. 1799]
Grand Councillor Heshen [1750-1799]
Great Britain:
Lord George Macartney (1737-1806)
Major Sources Cited:
Bland, J.O.P. and Lord Edmund Backhouse. Annals and Memoirs of the Court at Peking.
Fairbank, John King, and Denis Twitchett, eds. The Cambridge History of China, Volume 9, Part 1: The Ch'ing Empire to 1800.
Perdue, Peter. China Marches West: The Qing Conquest of Central Eurasia.
Woodside, Alexander. The Qing in the Age of Confucian Empire.
Yuan, Wei. Shengwu ji (Sacred Military Achievements).
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41:43
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41:43
Special 2: To George, From Qianlong...
"O King of Wherever, New Throne Who Dis?"
0:00:00 - Edict of Emperor Qianlong to King George III, 1793
0:06:34 - The Second Edict to George III (in reply to Macartney's note)
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19:30
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19:30
Special 1: To Qianlong, From George...
"Dear Emperor of China, will you be my friend? Check Yes or No..."
0:00:00 - Letter of Credence from King George III to Emperor Qianlong, 1793 CE
0:10:20 - Author's note
0:11:44 - Lord Macartney's Sixfold Proposals for the Improvement of Trade
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