Qing Dynasty During the Qianlong period, there were British envoys who traveled across the ocean George Macartney , specially came to have friendly exchanges with China.
This time when he was on a mission to China, Macartney brought a lot of advanced Western technology and prepared to give it to Emperor Qianlong of China.
But what Macartney did not expect was that Qianlong decisively rejected the gifts, and also wrote a letter to the King of England to the King of England. This letter is still collected in British Museum . What exactly does this letter
actually write, and what is related to Qianlong rejecting the gift from Britain ? Why do later generations think that after reading it, in Qianlong’s letter is full of stupidity ?
British Macartney mission came across from afar with a "gift"
This matter has its own consequences, and the cause was that this British mission came from the ocean came to Tianjin in 1793. The mission leader Macartney shoulders the heavy responsibility from the British king.
This time, I came to China, first of all, to celebrate Qianlong's birthday. Secondly, the UK wants Qianlong to open a port to the UK and trade with the UK .
The Macanil mission came, not empty-handed. In order to celebrate Qianlong's birthday, the UK has also prepared many local gifts with "characteristics".
These gifts are the products of the UK leading the world's industry since the industrial revolution , including the most advanced steam engine and loom .
In addition to this, among these gifts, there are many instruments in the West, including the Western globe, barometer, , etc., and many instruments in the knowledge of astrophysics .
Macartney mission also brought the British "hot weapons" carbine and howitzer , as well as the British warship model , etc.
The UK has dedicated all the strongest industrial civilization and weapons in China, with the purpose of exchanging China's trade market.
After Qianlong saw Macartney explaining the exquisiteness of these items to him with great enthusiasm, he suddenly realized that Britain was just a small country and did not give him any gold, silver and treasures or rare treasures. Instead, I gave him this pile of scattered iron , which was really unbearable.
Qianlong regarded himself as a noble person and felt that Britain should not negotiate terms with him, but came to meet and worship the Qing Dynasty.
Qianlong was very dissatisfied with the British mission, did not kneel down to him, but due to the majesty of the emperor, he did not directly make any requests to Macartney and others.
But Emperor Qianlong's close minister Heshen immediately realized the reason why Qianlong was dissatisfied, so Heshen asked Macartney and others to perform Three kneeling and nine kowtow rituals .
But as British missions, Macartney and others represent the face of Britain. They must not kneel down easily and lose the decency of Britain.
China and Britain had a dispute over this, and Qianlong was also very unhappy, and the British delegation could not resist. After all, Britain had something to ask for, so he knelt on one knee and used the highest etiquette of Britain to pay homage to Qianlong.
But Qianlong still disdained and indirectly issued an order to expel guests , Macartney also saw Qianlong's arrogant attitude.
Because Qianlong not only these gifts , he also ordered the reward of Macartney and his group of gold, silver and treasures, and let people take them to the streets to experience China's "prosperity".
Qianlong tried to declare to the British mission that China was powerful and did not require these gifts from Britain as conditions.
Macartney still did not give up discussing trade with Qianlong. They told Qianlong that the UK hoped that the Qing Dynasty could set up a foreign company in Beijing, allowing the British to buy and sell goods freely.
has opened up several more trade ports, and a zone is drawn in the coastal areas of , allowing the British to use .
Qianlong originally believed that the British mission was vulgar because of the matter of kneeling down and worshipping. Now he made such an unreasonable request, which was really unbearable. Qianlong asked Macartney and others to send them away from China.
Qianlong's letter showed arrogance, but later generations felt extremely ignorant
After Qianlong sent the British delegation away, he was still unhappy and wrote a letter to the British king. The full text of the letter has 976 words , and each word shows the arrogance of Qianlong .
The letter explained Qianlong's view of Britain, and there was one sentence:
"You are a barren country. The Qing Dynasty is located in a rich place, with rich products, and everything."
Qianlong's implication is that is dissatisfied with the industrial gifts brought by the British mission , and believes that those are useless things. , the powerful Qing Dynasty did not need the help of Britain at all.
in the letter also condemned the British king's idea of trading. Qianlong believed that since ancient times, 's opening of trading ports was managed by . cannot be changed at will by at any time due to the requirements of the UK.
In fact, Qianlong's behavior was indeed very shocking on the one hand. He wanted to demonstrate the strength of the country and had sufficient confidence to negotiate with Britain, not to cede a single part of the territory, and not to satisfy the malice of the British powers' desire to open up the Chinese market.
On the other hand, Qianlong showed his ignorance. Because the machine products and weapons of the Industrial Revolution sent by Britain can actually help China in substantial ways.
But Qianlong also knew that "he used people to be short and stingy," and it was understandable to choose to refuse.
Another point was that Qianlong disagreed with trade and drove away the British delegation from Macartney, but he even wrote to the British king to "humiliate" the UK, which also changed Britain's attitude towards China.
What neither of them expected was that this unpleasant exchange might be the foreshadowing of 's first Opium War 's decades later.
After several failed exchanges with the Qing Dynasty, the British powers chose to force their entry into China to open up the market , so the Opium War appeared.
This is the cause and consequences of this letter from Qianlong to the British King .
