Two Edicts from the Qianlong Emperor - Asia for Educators ...

Primary Source Document with Questions (DBQs) onTWO EDICTS FROM THE QIANLONG EMPEROR,ON THE OCCASION OF LORD MACARTNEY’S MISSION TO CHINA, SEPTEMBER 17934. Why do you think it is important for diplomats to understand the worldviewof the other party? Would it have been possible for the British in 1793 tochange their request in order to get more of what they wanted? If so, how? Ifnot, why not?Complete DocumentsFrom Changing China: Readings in the History of China from the Opium War to the Present, by J. Mason Gentzler (New York: PraegerPublishers, 1977) ©1977 Praeger Publishers. Reproduced with the permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.[EdictI]TwoEdictsfromtheQianlongEmperor,OnTheOccasionofLordMacartney’sMissionToChina,September1793You, O King, live beyond the confines of many seas, nevertheless, impelled by yourhumble desire to partake of the benefits of our civilization, you have dispatched a missionrespectfullybearingyourmemorial.YourEnvoyhascrossedtheseasandpaidhisrespectsatmy Court on the anniversary of my birthday. To show your devotion, you have also sentofferingsofyourcountry’sproduce.I have perused your memorial: the earnest terms in which it is couched reveal arespectfulhumilityonyourpart,whichishighlypraiseworthy.InconsiderationofthefactthatyourAmbassadorandhisdeputyhavecomealongwaywithyourmemorialandtribute,Ihaveshown them high favour and have allowed them to be introduced into my presence. Tomanifestmyindulgence,Ihaveentertainedthematabanquetandmadethemnumerousgifts.Ihave also caused presents to be forwarded to the Naval Commander and six hundred of hisofficersandmen,althoughtheydidnotcometoPeking,sothattheytoomayshareinmyallembracingkindness.AstoyourentreatytosendoneofyournationalstobeaccreditedtomyCelestialCourtandtobeincontrolofyourcountry’stradewithChina,thisrequestiscontrarytoallusageofmydynastyandcannotpossiblybeentertained.ItistruethatEuropeans,intheserviceofthedynasty,havebeenpermittedtoliveatPeking,buttheyarecompelledtoadoptChinesedress,theyarestrictlyconfinedtotheirownprecinctsandareneverpermittedtoreturnhome.Youare presumably familiar with our dynastic regulations. Your proposed Envoy to my Courtcould not be placed in a position similar to that of European officials in Peking who areforbiddentoleaveChina,norcouldhe,ontheotherhand,beallowedlibertyofmovementandthe privilege of corresponding with his own country; so that you would gain nothing by hisresidenceinourmidst.Moreover,OurCelestialdynastypossessesvastterritories,andtributemissionsfromthedependenciesareprovidedforbytheDepartmentforTributaryStates,whichministerstotheirwantsandexercisesstrictcontrolovertheirmovements.ItwouldbequiteimpossibletoleaveAsia for Educators l Columbia University l http://afe.easia.columbia.edu Page 3 of 7

Primary Source Document with Questions (DBQs) onTWO EDICTS FROM THE QIANLONG EMPEROR,ON THE OCCASION OF LORD MACARTNEY’S MISSION TO CHINA, SEPTEMBER 1793themtotheirowndevices.SupposingthatyourEnvoyshouldcometoourcourt,hislanguageand national dress differ from that of our people, and there would be no place in which hemightreside.ItmaybesuggestedthathemightimitatetheEuropeanspermanentlyresidentinPekingandadoptthedressandcustomsofChina,but,ithasneverbeenourdynasty’swishtoforcepeopletodothingsunseemlyandinconvenient.Besides,supposingIsentanAmbassadortoresideinyourcountry,howcouldyoupossiblymakeforhimtherequisitearrangements?Europe consists of many other nations besides your own: if each and all demanded to berepresentedatourCourt,howcouldwepossiblyconsent?Thethingisutterlyimpracticable.How can our dynasty alter its whole procedure and regulations, established for more than acentury, in order to meet your individual views? If it be said that your object is to exercisecontrol over your country’s trade, your nationals have had full liberty to trade at Canton formany a year, and have received the greatest consideration at our hands. Missions have beensentbyPortugalandItaly,preferringsimilarrequests.TheThroneappreciatedtheirsincerityandloadedthemwithfavours,besidesauthorizingmeasurestofacilitatetheirtradewithChina.Youarenodoubtawarethat,whenmyCantonmerchant,WuChaop’ing,wasindebttotheforeignships,ImadetheViceroyadvancethemoniesdue,outoftheprovincialtreasury,andordered him to punish the culprit severely. Why then should foreign nations advance thisutterly unreasonable request to be represented at my Court? Peking is nearly 10,000 li fromCanton,andatsuchadistancewhatpossiblecontrolcouldanyBritishrepresentativeexercise?If you assert that your reverence for Our Celestial dynasty fills you with a desire toacquireourcivilization,ourceremoniesandcodeoflawsdiffersocompletelyfromyourownthat,evenifyourEnvoywereabletoacquiretherudimentsofourcivilization,youcouldnotpossiblytransplantourmannersandcustomstoyouraliensoil.Therefore,howeveradepttheEnvoymightbecome,nothingwouldbegainedthereby.Surveying the wide world, I have but one aim in view, namely, to maintain a perfectgovernanceandtofulfillthedutiesoftheState;strangeandcostlyobjectsdonotinterestme.IfIhavecommandedthetributeofferingssentbyyou,OKing,aretobeaccepted,thiswassolelyinconsideration for the spirit which prompted you to dispatch them from afar. Our dynasty’smajesticvirtuehaspenetrateduntoeverycountryunderHeaven,andKingsofallnationshaveofferedtheircostlytributebylandandsea.AsyourAmbassadorcanseeforhimself,wepossessall things. I set no value on objects strange or ingenious, and have no use for your country’smanufactures.ThisthenismyanswertoyourrequesttoappointarepresentativeatmyCourt,arequestcontrarytoourdynasticusage,whichwouldonlyresultininconveniencetoyourself.Ihave expounded my wishes in detail and have commanded your tribute Envoys to leave inpeace on their homeward journey. It behoves you, O King, to respect my sentiments and todisplayevengreaterdevotionandloyaltyinthefuture,sothat,byperpetualsubmissiontoourThrone,youmaysecurepeaceandprosperityforyourcountryhereafter.Besidesmakinggifts(ofwhichIenclosealist)toeachmemberofyourMission,Iconferuponyou,OKing,valuablepresents in excess of the number usually bestowed on such occasions, including silks andcurios—alistofwhichislikewiseenclosed.Doyoureverentlyreceivethemandtakenoteofmytendergoodwilltowardsyou!Aspecialmandate.Asia for Educators l Columbia University l http://afe.easia.columbia.edu Page 4 of 7

Primary Source Document with Questions (DBQs) onTWO EDICTS FROM THE QIANLONG EMPEROR,ON THE OCCASION OF LORD MACARTNEY’S MISSION TO CHINA, SEPTEMBER 1793[EdictII]You,OKingfromafar,haveyearnedaftertheblessingsofourcivilization,andinyoureagernesstocomeintotouchwithourconvertinginfluencehavesentanEmbassyacrosstheseabearing a memorial. I have already taken note of your respectful spirit of submission, havetreatedyourmissionwithextremefavourandloadeditwithgifts,besidesissuingamandatetoyou, O King, and honouring you with the bestowal of valuable presents. Thus has myindulgencebeenmanifested.Yesterday your Ambassador petitioned my Ministers to memorialize me regarding yourtrade with China, but his proposal is not consistent with our dynastic usage and cannot beentertained.Hitherto,allEuropeannations,includingyourowncountry’sbarbarianmerchants,havecarriedontheirtradewithOurCelestialEmpireatCanton.Suchhasbeentheprocedureformanyyears,althoughOurCelestialEmpirepossessesallthingsinprolificabundanceandlacksnoproductwithinitsborders.Therewasthereforenoneedtoimportthemanufacturesofoutsidebarbariansinexchangeforourownproduce.Butasthetea,silk,andporcelainwhichtheCelestialEmpireproducesareabsolutenecessitiestoEuropeannationsandtoyourselves,we have permitted, as a signal mark of favour, that foreign hongs 2 should be established atCanton, so that your wants might be supplied and your country thus participate in ourbeneficence.ButyourAmbassadorhasnowputforwardnewrequestswhichcompletelyfailtorecognizetheThrone’sprincipleto“treatstrangersfromafarwithindulgence,”andtoexerciseapacifyingcontroloverbarbariantribes,theworldover.Moreover,ourdynasty,swayingthemyriadracesoftheglobe,extendsthesamebenevolencetowardsall.YourEnglandisnottheonly nation trading at Canton. If other nations, following your bad example, wrongfullyimportunemyearwithfurtherimpossiblerequests,howwillitbepossibleformetotreatthemwitheasyindulgence?Nevertheless,Idonotforgetthelonelyremotenessofyourisland,cutofffromtheworldbyinterveningwastesofsea,nordoIoverlookyourinexcusableignoranceoftheusagesofOurCelestialEmpire.IhaveconsequentlycommandedmyMinisterstoenlightenyour Ambassador on the subject, and have ordered the departure of the mission. But I havedoubtsthat,afteryourEnvoy’sreturnhemayfailtoacquaintyouwithmyviewindetailorthathemaybelackinginlucidity,sothatIshallnowproceedtotakeyourrequestsonebyoneandtoissuemymandateoneachquestionseparately.Inthiswayyouwill,Itrust,comprehendmymeaning.1. YourAmbassadorrequestsfacilitiesforshipsofyournationtocallatNingpo,Chusan,Tientsinandotherplacesforpurposesoftrade.UntilnowtradewithEuropeannationshasalwaysbeenconductedatMacao,wheretheforeignhongsareestablishedtostoreandsellforeignmerchandise.Yournationhasobedientlycompliedwiththisregulationforyearspastwithoutraisinganyobjection.Innoneoftheotherportsnamedhavehongs2TradingfirmslicensedbytheChinesegovernment.Asia for Educators l Columbia University l http://afe.easia.columbia.edu Page 5 of 7

Primary Source Document with Questions (DBQs) onTWO EDICTS FROM THE QIANLONG EMPEROR,ON THE OCCASION OF LORD MACARTNEY’S MISSION TO CHINA, SEPTEMBER 1793beenestablished,sothatevenifyourvesselsweretoproceedthither,theywouldhaveno means of disposing of their cargoes. Furthermore, no interpreters are available, soyou would have no means of explaining your wants, and nothing but generalinconveniencewouldresult.Forthefuture,asinthepast,IdecreethatyourrequestisrefusedandthatthetradeshallbelimitedtoMacao.2. TherequestthatyourmerchantsmayestablisharepositoryinthecapitalofmyEmpirefor the storing and sale of your produce is even more impracticable than the last. Mycapitalisthehubandcentreaboutwhichallquartersofthegloberevolve.Itsordinancesaremostaugustanditslawsarestrictintheextreme.ThesubjectsofourdependencieshaveneverbeenallowedtoopenplacesofbusinessinPeking.Foreigntradehashithertobeen conducted at Macao, because it is conveniently near the sea, and therefore animportantgatheringplacefortheshipsofallnationssailingtoandfrom.IfwarehouseswereestablishedinPeking,theremotenessofyourcountrylyingfartothenorthwestofmy capital, would render transport extremely difficult. Possessing facilities at Macao,younowaskforfurtherprivilegesatPeking,althoughourdynastyobservestheseverestrestrictionsrespectingtheadmissionofforeignerswithinitsboundaries,andhasneverpermittedthesubjectsofdependenciestocrosstheEmpire’sbarriersandsettleatwillamongsttheChinesepeople.Thisrequestisalsorefused.3. Regardingyournation’sworshipoftheLordofHeaven,itisthesamereligionasthatofother European nations. Ever since the beginning of history, sage Emperors and wiserulershavebestowedonChinaamoralsystemandinculcatedacode,whichfromtimeimmemorial has been religiously observed by the myriads of my subjects. There hasbeennohankeringafterheterodoxdoctrines.EventheEuropean(missionary)officialsinmycapitalareforbiddentoholdintercoursewithChinesesubjects;theyarerestrictedwithinthelimitsoftheirappointedresidences,andmaynotgoaboutpropagatingtheirreligion. The distinction between Chinese and barbarian is most strict, and yourAmbassador’s request that barbarians shall be given full liberty to disseminate theirreligionisutterlyunreasonable.Itmaybe,OKing,thattheaboveproposalshavebeenwantonlymadebyyourAmbassadoronhisownresponsibility,orperhapsyouyourselfareignorantofourdynasticregulationsandhadnointentionoftransgressingthemwhenyouexpressedthesewildideasandhopes.IhaveevershownthegreatestcondescensiontothetributemissionsofallStateswhichsincerelyyearnaftertheblessingsofcivilization,soastomanifestmykindlyindulgence.IhaveevengoneoutofmywaytograntanyrequestswhichwereinanywayconsistentwithChineseusage.Aboveall,uponyou,wholiveinaremoteandinaccessibleregion,faracrossthespacesofocean,butwho have shown your submissive loyalty by sending this tribute mission, I have heapedbenefits far in excess of those accorded to other nations. But the demands presented by yourEmbassyarenotonlyacontradictionofdynastictradition,butwouldbeutterlyunproductiveofgoodresulttoyourself,besidesbeingquiteimpracticable.Ihaveaccordinglystatedthefactstoyouindetail,anditisyourboundendutyreverentlytoappreciatemyfeelingsandtoobeyAsia for Educators l Columbia University l http://afe.easia.columbia.edu Page 6 of 7

Primary Source Document with Questions (DBQs) onTWO EDICTS FROM THE QIANLONG EMPEROR,ON THE OCCASION OF LORD MACARTNEY’S MISSION TO CHINA, SEPTEMBER 1793theseinstructionshenceforwardforalltime,sothatyoumayenjoytheblessingsofperpetualpeace.If,afterthereceiptofthisexplicitdecree,youlightlygiveeartotherepresentationsofyoursubordinatesandallowyourbarbarianmerchantstoproceedtoChekiangandTientsin,withtheobjectoflandingandtradingthere,theordinancesofmyCelestialEmpirearestrictintheextreme,andthelocalofficials,bothcivilandmilitary,areboundreverentlytoobeythelawoftheland.Shouldyourvesselstouchshore,yourmerchantswillassuredlyneverbepermittedtolandortoresidethere,butwillbesubjecttoinstantexpulsion.Inthateventyourbarbarianmerchantswillhavehadalongjourneyfornothing.Donotsaythatyouwerenotwarnedinduetime!Tremblinglyobeyandshownonegligence!Aspecialmandate!Asia for Educators l Columbia University l http://afe.easia.columbia.edu Page 7 of 7