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

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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
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