As both the Qianlong Emperor's extensive reign and the Eighteenth Century itself comes to a close, the Qing Empire faces - in spite of its outward posturing of timeless grandeur and invulnerability - an ever more uncertain future. By this time his successor, the Jiaqing Emperor, assumes power in fact, the winds of historic change have already begun to blow.

Time Period Covered:

~1735-1800

Major Historical Actors:

The Qianlong Emperor [Aisin-Gioro Hongli) [r. 1735-1796, d. 1799]

The Jiaqing Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Yongyan) [r. 1796-1820]

Grand Secretary Heshen [1750-1799]

Major Sources Cited:

Crossley, Pamela Kyle. A Translucent Mirror: History and Identity in Qing Imperial Ideology.

Hsü, Immanuel C. Y. The Rise of Modern China. 6th ed.

Jones, Susan Mann, and Philip A. Kuhn. “The Chia-ch’ing Reign.” In The Cambridge History of China, Volume 9, Part Two: The Ch’ing Empire to 1911.

Rowe, William T. China’s Last Empire: The Great Qing.

Woodside, Alexander. The Centre and the Borderlands in Chinese Political Culture.

Woodside, Alexander. “The Ch’ien-lung Reign” In The Cambridge History of China, Volume 9, Part One: The Ch’ing Empire to 1800.

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