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.