In the second half of the eighteenth century, the Western commodity economy was developing at an unimaginable speed. Especially after the British Watt's improved steam engine entered the production line in 1785, the West entered the industrial revolution, and their development sp

The eighteenth century was an important watershed for world civilization. During this period, China was in the heyday of the last monarchical society - the heyday of Kangxi and Qianlong . But the pinnacle of a dynasty is often also the starting point of its decline. Chinese and Western civilizations are misaligned with each other. Western countries "overtook around the corner", leaving the Qing Dynasty far behind. During the reigns of the three emperors Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty, what were other countries in the world doing, and how did they develop so that they could surpass the Qing Dynasty and lead the development of civilization in the nineteenth century? In the second half of the eighteenth century, the Western commodity economy was developing at an unimaginable speed, especially after the British Watt improved steam engine entered the production line in 1785, the West entered the Industrial Revolution , and their The speed of development has reached a point where it is changing rapidly. But what were the rulers of the Qing Dynasty, who claimed to be the most advanced, doing at that time?

In 1792, the British sent envoys hoping to develop commercial and cultural exchanges with the then Qing dynasty, and also showed Qianlong and other rulers the scientific and technological achievements their country had made in just a few decades. However, all this only resulted in Qianlong's comments about his "strange and obscene skills" and his dismissive rejection. It was this refusal that laid the hidden danger for Britain to later launch the Opium War. What was the scene like in other countries at the same time?

France has always been a romantic country. Paris began to exude its unique romantic atmosphere more than 100 years ago. The Eiffel Tower was built in the 19th century and has a history of 135 years. France was more particular about dress and etiquette. At that time, people on the streets were brightly dressed, and women wore dresses, hats, and umbrellas to protect themselves from the sun. Compared with people in the Qing Dynasty, most of them were in ragged clothes and had thin clothes. Now that France has its own trains, transportation has become much more convenient. The Qing Dynasty also had trains at that time, but the Qing government under the rule of Empress Dowager Cixi refused to introduce trains to China on the ridiculous grounds that railway construction was bad for feng shui. While most places in China still had dirt roads, asphalt roads in the United States were already very common.

Cars and light rail trams have been widely used on the streets. On the other hand, the main means of transportation in the Qing Dynasty were horse-drawn carriages or rickshaws. At that time, foreign envoys came to China and gave Cixi a car, but Cixi thought that It is disrespectful for the driver to drive in front of her, so she refuses to use it. After the United States experienced two industrial revolutions, its economy developed rapidly. While China still had adobe houses, the United States already had tall buildings. Development abroad is already progressing steadily. Will China continue to rest on its laurels?

At that time, Britain had gone through the Industrial Revolution, gained stronger productivity, and gained more wealth, so people dressed very decently. The men all wore suits and ties, and the ladies walked on the streets holding parasols. At that time, British women had learned to ride bicycles. They wore various dress hats and long dresses. Ride a bicycle freely through the streets. At this time in China, women were still bounding their feet under the rule of the Qing government. Although we now know that binding small feet is a bad habit, the rulers at that time believed that it could show the feminine beauty of women. It was precisely because of the stagnation and blind arrogance of the rulers at that time that China was disconnected from the world.

Countries that are out of touch with the world will not progress. They will only stay in the dream of self-hypnosis and step into the abyss of decadence. Nowadays, we have seen how our predecessors fell into the abyss of destruction step by step. History tells us that living in peace and prosperity for a long time will make us blind and arrogant. In today's China, all industries are prospering and people live a happy and fulfilling life. We must learn from history, be prepared for danger in times of peace, and while pursuing our own development, share development opportunities with other countries. One day, China will reach the top of the world.