Transcript The Qing Dynasty-A Golden Age of Chinese Civlization

The Rational of Modern China
Economy:
 A self-sustaining agricultural economy
 GDP 1/3 in the 19th century
 Rapid decline in late 20th century
 Second in the world today
Political system
 Imperial empire
 Semi-colony
 Republic
 Socialism
 Capitalism (socialism with Chinese characteristics)
Culture:

The best culture in the world
Literature (红楼梦Dream of the Red Chamber、西游
记Journey to the West、水浒Water Margin、三国演义
Romance of the Three Kingdoms）
 Great thinking (Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism,
Buddhism)
 Language
 Four great inventions (compass, paper, printing,
gunpowder)

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A culture out of date (the New Culture
Movement in 1920s)
Conservative, non-scientific, isolated, out of date
 Down with Confucianism
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
Mixed
Mindset on China’s Status in the World
中国
• Benevolent Monarch 开明君主制
• East Asian Sickman after the Opium
War 东亚病夫
• One of the five permanent members of
the Security Council of the UN
联合国安理会常任理事国
Modern China: A Documentary Film Approach
Teaching Plan
Dates: 13 days from Jan. 19 to Feb. 13
 Teaching for 11 days & presentations in the last 2 days
Textbooks
 Spence, Jonathan, The Search for Modern China,
Major Activities:
 Watch films, reading, lectures, discussion, quiz, presentation and
essay
Grade Policy
Class attendance. 10%.
Class participation including watching
documentary films, completing all the required
readings, & actively participating in class
discussions. 10%
Presentation for 10 minutes in any topic related to
this course. 20%
Quiz twice (Multiple choices and a short assay.
10%.
Final essay 50% (10 pages & 15 pages)
Course Objectives
1.
Understand the historical forces of China’s transformation from imperial
empire to a modern state (a Confucian universe to one state of the
world)
2.
Analyze the interrelationship among China’s political, cultural and
economic development from late 18th century to present.
3.
Explain why, from the Chinese perspective, their history from the 1840s
through the 1940s is a century of humiliation.
4.
Learn the sequence of the events leading up to the rapid decline of the
Qin Dynasty, Sun’s Nationalist revolution, Mao’s Communist
Revolution and culminating, Deng’s Economic Reform & Xi’s China
Dream.
5.
Have a better understanding of one period American history from a
comparison of Chinese history.
China In the 18th Century:
A Golden Age
Session 1
Table of Contents
Dynastic Cycle in Chinese History
II. Establishment of the Qing Dynasty
III. Accomplishments of the Qing
IV. The mindsets of the Qing
V. Emperor Qianlong vs. Lord Macartney
VI. Social Problems and Potential Crises
VII. Conclusion
I.
I. Dynastic Cycle in Chinese History
Timeline
The Dynastic Cycle-historical pattern
Peasant Rebellion
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644)
Zhu Yuanzhang 朱元璋
 Li Zicheng 李自成
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II. Establishment of the Qing
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The Manchus conquered China in 1644 (2%)
Han people & minorities (today: 56 ethnic groups, Han is 92%)
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Correct policies to win Chinese support
Funeral of Ming Emperor Chongzhen 崇祯皇帝
The Civil Service Examination System 科举制度
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Origin back to Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), end in 1905
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Four Confucian books and five Chinese classics
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《论语》《孟子》《大学》和《中庸》；而五经指的是《诗经》《尚书》
《礼记》《周易》《春秋》
Dual government system based on Ming’s tradition
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Civil Affairs
Finance
Rituals
War
Justice
Public Service
III. Accomplishments of the Qin
Political consolidation 政治稳定 and
territorial expansion 领土扩张
Economic development
Cultural prosperity
Population explosion 人口剧增
III-1. Qing’s Territorial Expansion
From outer Mongolia in the north to Guangdong in the south, from
coast in the east to Central Asia in the west.
III-2. The Qing and Its NeighborsThe Tributary System 封贡体系
Dozens of nations in East, Southeast
and Central Asia acknowledged China’s
suzerainty over them:
Korea, Annam (N. Vietnam), Laos,
Burma, Siam (Thailand), Bhudan, Nepal,
Sulu (in Southern Philippines) the
Gurkhas, Khohkans, bukhara, Burut,
Badaksha,, Afghanistan and the Kazaks.
III-3. China’s Share of World GDP
III-4. Cultural Achievements
The great compilation of Tang Dynasty
Poetry 全唐诗 in 1705
Kangxi Dictionary 康熙字典 in 1716 with
47,000 characters
The Complete Library of Four Treasures
四库全书 in 1782: They were bound in
36,381 volumes (册) with more than
79,000 chapters (卷), comprising about 2.3
million pages, and approximately 800
million Chinese characters.
III-5. Population Increase
from less than 200 million in late Ming to 400 million
in 1850s
IV. The Mindset of the Qin
Civilization vs. “barbarian”
The tributary states
Emperor Qiang Long 乾隆皇帝met Lord
Macartney马戛尔尼 in 1793
V. Emperor Qianlong met Lord
George Macartney in 1793
King George III’s letter to the Chinese
emperor in 1792
We reply on your Imperial Majesty’s wisdom and
justice and general benevolence to making so
conspicuous in your long and happy reign, that you will
please to allow our Ambassador and Representative at
your court to have the opportunity of contemplating the
examples of your virtues and to obtain such
information of your celebrated institutions; as will
enable him to enlighten our people on his return; ……
you will be pleased to allow to any of our subjects
frequenting the coasts of your domination, and
conducting themselves with propriety, a secure
residence there, and a fair access to your markets,……
Macartney’s Mission:
Asked for free trade and open cities as
trading ports
Qianlong’s reply:
“We possess all things. I set no value on
objects strange or ingenious, and have no
use for your country’s manufactures.”
“It behooves you, O King, to respect my
sentiments and to display even greater
devotion and loyalty in future, so that, by
perpetual submission to our Throne, you may
secure peace and prosperity for your country
thereafter.”
Discussion
Why does Emperor Qianglong reject
Macartney’s proposal of free trade as
an equal partner with China?
VI. Social Problems and Potential Crisis
• China’s trade surplus became deficit because of
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opium trade: opium cost China 800 million taels
of silver ($1.5 billion) per year
The army lost morality and strength to fight
Population pressure
Racial conflicts between the Manchus & Han
people
Local rebellions
Challenges from the West
Corruption-He Shen-His total property was ultimately estimated
at around 1,100 million taels of silver, estimated to be an amount equivalent
to the imperial revenue of the Qing government for 15 years.
China in the Eyes of Lord Macartney
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The Empire of China is an old, crazy, first-rate
Man of War, which a fortunate succession of and
vigilant officers have contrived to keep afloat for
these hundred and fifty years past, and to
overawe their neighbours merely by her bulk and
appearance. But whenever an insufficient man
happens to have the command on deck, adieu to
the discipline and safety of the ship. She may,
perhaps, not sink outright; she may drift some
time as a wreck, and will then be dashed to
pieces on the shore;
VII. Conclusion
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China was the largest economy & one of the
most powerful countries in the world in 19th
century.
China’s tributary system and Sino-centric
mentality made the rulers of the Qing refuse to
treat other nations equally, and neglect the
challenges from Great Britain.
China’s missed an opportunity to emerge
herself into the world in 1793.
China isolation and the challenge from the
West led to a historically unprecedented crisis
and a century of humiliation soon.
Questions
How did the Manchus manage to integrate into Chinese
culture and win the support of the Chinese people?
What was the mindset of the Chinese rulers before the
early 19th century and why?
How did China and Great Britain compare economically,
politically and culturally?
Why did Great Britain want free trade with China and why
did China decline this request?
What was Macartney’s perception of China as observed
during his China trip?
Any other questions
Discussion
What kind of challenge/threat did China
face in the early 19th century?
What would happen if Emperor Qianlong
accepted Lord Macartney’s proposal to
have open trade with Great Britain and
open China to the world?
Questions?
Thank you!