"The Qing Dynasty's repeated failures in the face of Western powers were not only because it was a military era behind the great powers, but also because the Qing rulers were all ignorant 'deaf and blind' from bottom to top." In the hearts of many historical mystery, the Qing Dyn

" The Qing dynasty's repeated failures in the face of Western powers was not only because it was a military lag behind the great powers, but also because the Qing dynasty's rulers were all ignorant 'deaf and blind' from the bottom up."

In the hearts of many historical fans, the Qing Dynasty has always been the most despised poor student among the feudal dynasties. Its ignorance, corruption and darkness all cost the people at that time, and this price has not been completely compensated even now.

Let me ask, even a dignified king is ignorant. How can such a dynasty still have hope? The First Opium War After the failure of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Daoguang showed the ignorance of an emperor very vividly.

He was very confused. How could the dignified Heavenly Kingdom be defeated by a barbarian country? He found a prisoner and tried to get some useful information from the prisoner. When he learned that Queen of England was only 23 years old, he asked three questions.

3-year-old Queen of England

An emperor can ask such three ignorant questions, which undoubtedly destined the tragic fate of the Qing Dynasty.

Emperor Daoguang's confusion

The failure of the first Opium War was unprecedented in the entire Qing Dynasty ruling class, including Emperor Daoguang. British military firearms and cannons suddenly expose the false bubble of the Qing Dynasty's "the country of the Celestial Empire is invincible."

Daoguang Emperor began to face up to the barbarian countries he once looked down upon. After all, although Emperor Daoguang Emperor was ignorant, he was not stupid. Britain could make the Qing Dynasty pay 20 million taels of compensation, so the strength of this Britain should naturally not be underestimated.

So he found a British prisoner, who he hoped to get some useful information from this prisoner of war. First of all, he had a general understanding of the UK's land area, population, and geographical location. When he learned that Britain was only as big as the Qing Dynasty, the superiority of "the country of heaven" appeared on his face again.

This inexplicable sense of superiority made Emperor Daoguang feel that even if it defeated the Qing Dynasty, it was still a barbarian country. Next, when he knew that the Queen of England was only 23 years old, he was even more surprised.

Next, he asked three questions in succession. From the perspective of later generations, these three questions are all very ignorant and ridiculous questions.

Three questions about Emperor Daoguang

"How can a woman who is only 23 years old become the king of a country?", "Will her ministers truly surrender to her?", "Is the queen's husband's family good to her?", these three questions were the questions asked by Emperor Daoguang at that time.

From the perspective of the historical national conditions of the Qing Dynasty at that time, it was indeed understandable that Emperor Daoguang asked these three questions. After all, in Emperor Daoguang's view, how could he become a monarch at such a young age?

Will her ministers really assist her? Isn’t women the most important thing to do to serve their husbands and in-laws? How can a woman be connected with the words of politics and governing the country?

The first reason why Emperor Daoguang was considered ignorant and stupid by later generations is that as a monarch, his pattern and vision are far from enough.

Especially after experiencing the failure of the war, as an emperor, he should take the lead in reflecting rather than asking three superficial questions. Speaking these three questions all show that the pattern of Daoguang Emperor in is still in a narrow place.

He was completely unaware that the times had changed. This was a brand new era. Age and gender were not factors that restrict the king. Women did not just stay at home to serve their husbands and parents-in-law. In this new era, women can become kings and have their own careers.

The second reason is that Emperor Daoguang actually knew nothing about the development of the world at that time. He did not know that the real power of Britain was in the hands of the parliament with the Prime Minister at its core.

As a monarch, he did not understand that what British ministers surrendered was the British system and laws. He did not understand that the rapid development of Britain in the 19th century would not deviate because the head of state was young or because the head of state was a woman. Because the efficient operation of Britain in the 19th century was based on democratic political systems and rigorous laws.

The third reason is that in the heart of Emperor Daoguang at that time, he had no sense of equality and freedom at all. He would ask the question of whether the queen's husband's family was good to you. This itself shows that in his heart, women belong to men.

He did not know that in the UK, women are not appendixes to men, and the core values ​​of equality and freedom have made British women understand what rights they have. What he didn't know was.

It is precisely because of the spirit of equality and freedom that countless talents have emerged from all classes in the UK, and the potential of the entire British country has been stimulated and the thoughts of the British people have been completely liberated. In this way, Britain has gradually become stronger.

pretending to be sleeping in the Qing Dynasty

The tragedy of the Qing Dynasty always lies in that they never know how to reflect, they don’t know how to learn from failures again and again, and they don’t know how to wake up from their toxic dreams .

"You can never wake up someone who pretends to be asleep!", this sentence is a very suitable "gift" to the ruling class of the Qing Dynasty.

Just imagine, if Emperor Daoguang could clearly realize that this was an opportunity for the Qing Dynasty to change. If he could make decisive changes and learn from the West in combination with the national conditions of the Qing Dynasty, then the direction of the Qing Dynasty might usher in a different change.

If Emperor Daoguang was not so ignorant, perhaps what he asked would not be these three wryly laughing questions in history. What he should ask is: How did the Queen of England deal with the relationship with the citizens and ministers? What is the relationship between the British Prime Minister and the British Queen? What kind of system is constitutional monarchy ?

If Emperor Daoguang really has the keenness and grand pattern of a wise king, then he will learn from this defeat. He should at least think about whether he should send people to collect various situations in the UK's military, economic, technological, political and other aspects.

Should people be sent to the UK to learn something that the Qing Dynasty did not have? Unfortunately, Emperor Daoguang never "wakes up" from ignorance. The three questions asked by

Daoguang after the defeat made future generations see the ignorance and "political drowsiness" of the rulers at that time. They did not realize that it was already a brand new world, a world of reallocalization of interests. Because of its ignorance, decay and incompetence, the Qing Dynasty not only did not get a piece of cake in this new world, but instead became a delicious cake in the mouths of Western powers.