King George III and Emperor Qianlong
Home › Forums › Core Seminars › East Asia Since 1800, Fall 2019 › Session 2 - 9/28 (afternoon), Clay Dube › King George III and Emperor Qianlong
Robert DocterReading this primary source was fascinating in regards to Britain sending a "...nationals to be accredited to my Celestial Court...", followed with the strong "no" from Emperor Qianlong. Dennis' comment above about bringing this perspective when talking about King George III in a U.S. History course is valuable. It also fits into discussing global relationships in the 18th/19th centuries in a World History course. The Emperor strongly rejects the proposal to have an envoy due to cultural reasons "...adopt Chinese dress..." or the restriction for Europeans in to return home at all. There is a flexing of power and strong resistance to European influence in the document. It provides a very clear counter view and argument to Britain's desire for furthering their global power and presence during that time.