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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13:54
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13:54
#301 - Qing 36: And I Think It's Gonna Be a Qianlong Time
In the wake of military victory, Qianlong turns inward—launching literary purges, rewriting history, and curating an image of himself as the enlightened ruler of a Confucian empire. Through censorship, spectacle, and the manipulation of memory, the Qing court fights a new kind of war: one for cultural supremacy and imperial legitimacy.
Time Period Covered:
~ 1735–1760 CE
Major Historical Figures:
The Qianlong Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Hongli) [r. 1735-1796]
Grand Secretary No'chin [d. 1749]
Historican Wei Yuan [1794-1857]
Major Works Cited:
Perdue, Peter C. China Marches West: The Qing Conquest of Central Eurasia.
Qian, Zhongshu – Tán Yì Lù, "On the Art of Poetry."
Qianlong Emperor. The Siku Quanshu (四库全书) - Qing Imperial Encyclopedia.
Woodside, Alexander. Lost Modernities: China, Vietnam, Korea, and the Hazards of World History.
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33:43
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33:43
#300 - Qing 35: Empire of Images
What does it take to hold an empire together when conquest alone isn’t enough?
In this sweeping episode, we explore how the Qianlong Emperor fused culture, coercion, and Confucian performance to stabilize a multiethnic empire—crafting an imperial image as powerful as his armies.
Time Period Covered:
~ 1735–1760 CE
Major Historical Figures:
The Qianlong Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Hongli) [r. 1735-1796]
Grand Secretary No'chin [d. 1749]
Historican Wei Yuan [1794-1857]
Major Works Cited:
Perdue, Peter C. China Marches West: The Qing Conquest of Central Eurasia.
Qian, Zhongshu – Tán Yì Lù, "On the Art of Poetry."
Qianlong Emperor, The Siku Quanshu (四库全书) - Qing Imperial Encyclopedia.
Woodside, Alexander. Lost Modernities: China, Vietnam, Korea, and the Hazards of World History.
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