《Kunyu Wanguo Full Map》
Zhu Yijun, the Wanli Emperor of the Ming Dynasty, painted the "Kunyu Wanguo Quantu" on his screen, and asked the palace painter to copy it and give it to the prince and the emperor's relatives.
But until the second opium battlefield, the emperor of the Qing Dynasty was still asking: Where is the Yingjiali Kingdom?
Perhaps, the so-called evolution has always been just people's boring subjective assumptions, and everything is just evolving.
A modern history is a history of being beaten, on the one hand because of backwardness, on the other hand, ignorance and shamelessness.
By the time of the Qing Dynasty, the gap was further widened. When Kangxi Qianlong's grandchildren went all out to build a prosperous world, the Western countries had begun to leap forward at a rapid pace, bringing imperialism and aggression and expansion.
However, the rulers of the Qing Dynasty regarded scientific and technological inventions as "strange tricks and tricks", and neither encouraged scientific and technological inventions nor learned from advanced Western technology. Not only the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, but also the entire bureaucracy and even the people of Li Min, felt that daqing was the first in the world, and that the qing was great, prosperous, rich and strong.
Until the end of the Qing Dynasty, Lafayette Cixi and the big men and ministers of various power organs still regarded themselves as "heavenly kingdoms" and called Western countries "barbarians".
The Huguang official's diary reads: "Since the envoys of various countries submitted the letter of state to ask for a visit, the meeting of the ministers, at first, was controversial and did not see, and then they competed to kneel and not to kneel, and they were indecisive, and they were indecisive for nearly half a year. From this diary, it can be seen how arrogant and arrogant the Qing court officials were at that time, foreign envoys communicated normally, and the Qing officials were still arguing about sesame-sized etiquette.
At that time, the Qing Dynasty was far behind by western countries, and those Manchu Qing courtiers were unaware of it, still dreaming of "all nations coming to the dynasty", which was really the arrogance of the night lang and the frog at the bottom of the well.
The pomp and circumstance of Qianlong's lower Jiangnan
The same thing happened during the Qianlong period, when the British envoys brought the world's most advanced machinery and firearms to curry favor with Qianlong Ye and communicate with the Qing Dynasty, but the Qianlong Emperor despised it very much, thinking that it was a "trick of Yiren" and scorned it.
When the British envoy came back a few years later to inquire about the Qianlong Emperor, Qianlong asked the slave to open the utility room, the weapons were covered with spider webs, and the machines were rusted.
This arrogant and arrogant style of the Qing Dynasty did not change until the fall of the Qing Dynasty. Originally, the Chinese civilization was the world's four major civilizations, and has always been the vanguard of the world in history, but later it was surpassed by Europe, which cannot but be said to be a huge irony.
However, the arrogant emperor of the Qing Dynasty did not know that the sky was high and the earth was thick, and felt that he was the boss of the world and the head of all nations, and those "small countries" could not live alone without themselves.
In 1793, the British king sent a delegation led by Magalney to visit the Qing Dynasty, and they took a fancy to this huge market, threw olive branches to the Qing Dynasty, and also brought a large number of treasures to ask for directions to the Qing Dynasty.
Map of Magalni's visit to China drawn by the Qing Dynasty
In addition, they brought the advanced achievements of the Industrial Revolution, such as steam engines, looms, celestial instruments, globes, clocks and howitzers, Mauser guns, rifles and warship models.
The British are still sincere in doing this, not only want to please the Qing Emperor, but also tell the Qing Dynasty people, you are already a little behind Oh, hurry up and catch up.
But to the surprise of the British, the officials of the Qing Dynasty saw these achievements of civilization that condensed their painstaking efforts, and they were as repulsive as if they saw a demon. Let the British think that it seems that civilized means will not work.
Even Qianlong, the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, did not look at these gifts offered by the British, and he felt that the Qing Dynasty was the best in the kingdom. Foreigners are really barbarian small countries, only some carving insects and small skills, ridiculous and pitiful. If Qianlong had taken a serious look at these things, he would have been inspired by them, perhaps inspired by his own fighting spirit, and carried out drastic reforms, and the humiliation of the Qing Dynasty might not have appeared after that.
The Qianlong Emperor replied to the letter of state
So Qianlong, who was full of literary talent, wrote down this passage (to the effect) in replying to the British national letter:
Our heavenly kingdom is vast, vast, and the people are smart and industrious, so they can be self-sufficient in goods and disdain trade. I can reward you with some porcelain, silk, and other things that I like every year; er and other small countries do not have to spend the money of the common people, and they travel thousands of miles to pay tribute to the heavenly dynasty every year, and it is enough to have their hearts to the heavenly dynasty.
Let's take a look at the funny clip in the letter:
"Reading the words, the words are earnest, and the king's deference is deeply praised."
If you come up, you will take advantage of others.
"The king of Zhi'er implored to send people from the kingdom of Er to live in the Heavenly Dynasty and take care of the trade in the Kingdom of Er, but this was incompatible with the System of the Heavenly Dynasty and was absolutely not feasible."
What is the position of Consul? Why do you want to stay in our country? Just over forty years later, Qianlong's grandson, the Daoguang Emperor, began to slowly understand this meaning in naval artillery diplomacy.
"If Yun admires the Heavenly Dynasty and wants to cultivate it, then the Heavenly Dynasty has its own Heavenly Dynasty rituals, which are different from those of the Erguo. Those who remain in Erguo can learn, and Erguo has its own customs and system, and it is absolutely impossible to imitate China, that is, it is useless to learn. ”
The essence of our advanced Confucian thought is something that you can't learn, even if you learn it, it is useless, it is a waste!
What is embarrassing is that nearly half of the 976-word length is tirelessly enumerating the "rewards" given to the other party, and it is also to show the generosity and benevolence of the heavenly kingdom.
To this day, this holy decree is still treasured in the British Museum, quietly telling people about the arrogance and ignorance of the Qing rulers.
More than forty years later, the Qing Dynasty finally began to pay a heavy price for arrogance and ignorance, holding on to the shortcomings, not only folding face, but also losing dignity, and also losing the country.
The Edict of the King of the Imperial Household
Carried by Fengtian, the Emperor edicted, and the King of England was informed:
The king of The King of Qi'er, far away in the heavy ocean, devoted himself to the transformation, sent envoys to gongzheng, sailed to the court, wished for long life, and prepared a square object, with the general Chenwu (also brought a lot of gifts, loyal and commendable). Reading the table text, the meaning of the words is earnest, and it is deeply praised for the king's deferential sincerity. All the envoys who have come to the table of tribute, read their envoys to travel far and wide, and push the grace and gift. The minister has been ordered to lead the visit (let the minister lead them to the civilization of the heavenly dynasty), give them a feast, superimpose the reward, and show mercy. He has returned to Zhushan to manage the ship more than 600 people, although in the future Beijing, Shuo yi also gave a good reward, to get the favor of Pu Zhushan, all treated equally (although more than 600 people such as the steward ship envoy who have returned to Zhushan, Ningbo did not come to Beijing, I also gave a generous reward equally, so that everyone would be stained).
King Zhi'er pleaded with the people of the Er kingdom to live in the Heavenly Dynasty and take care of the trading of the Er kingdom, which was incompatible with the Heavenly Dynasty system and was absolutely not feasible. People from Western countries who wished to come to the Heavenly Dynasty as an errand were originally allowed to come to Beijing, but after they came, they obeyed the colors of the Heavenly Dynasty and placed them in the hall, and they were never allowed to return to their own countries. The king of Jin'er wanted to send people from a country of Er to live in the capital, and it was useless for westerners who came to Beijing to live on an errand and not return to their own country, nor to listen to their exchanges, and to communicate with them frequently. Moreover, the places under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Dynasty are far away, and all the envoys of foreign domains go to the capital, supply the inns, and stop coming and going, and there is a certain system, and there is never a case of listening to their own convenience. If the people in the present er country are left in Beijing, they cannot speak well, their costumes are special, and they can be placed without land. If they were to change their clothes like Westerners who came to Beijing as errands, and let them all change their clothes, the Heavenly Dynasty would not force others to be difficult. If the Heavenly Dynasty wants to send people to reside permanently in Erguo, it will be able to obey it (suppose that my Heavenly Dynasty also sends people to live in your country permanently, I am afraid that your country will not agree,) ）？ Since there are many western countries, not only one country, if the king of Er asked to send people to stay in Beijing, how could he listen to them all? It is difficult to do this. How can you be invited by the king alone to increase the law of the Heavenly Dynasty for more than a hundred years (you cannot abolish the rules of the Heavenly Dynasty for more than a hundred years because of the king's request to you alone).
If The King of Yun'er is concerned about taking care of the trade in Macau, then the Erguo people will not only trade in Macao for one day, but they will not be treated with grace (if they send people to Beijing to take care of the trade, then your countrymen's trade in Macao is not a day or two, and the Heavenly Dynasty originally did not look at the merchants differently). That is, as in the past, Bordugarya, Itapariya and other countries repeatedly sent envoys to the DPRK, and they also took care of trade as a request. The Celestial Dynasty was sympathetic and compassionate (like Portugal and Italy, who sent people several times before, and once asked me to take care of it in the name of taking care of trade.) The Heavenly Dynasty looks at them very sincerely, and it is not easy, so it is more sympathetic). Whenever there is trade in the country, all things are taken care of. The previous Guangdong merchant Wu Zhaoping had owed both the value of the foreign ships in arrears, and ordered the governor to be repaid by the official treasury, and the arrears of the merchants were severely punished. Thinking that this matter is also known to the country, why should a foreign country send someone to stay in Beijing, so why should it be decided that it is not feasible to ask for more than one law? If you stay in Beijing, a few thousand miles away from the Macao trade office, how can Yi Yi take care of Ye (not to mention that you sent people to Beijing, and the capital is almost ten thousand miles away from Macao, how can he take care of it?) ）？ If Yun admires the Heavenly Dynasty and wants to cultivate it, then the Heavenly Dynasty has its own Heavenly Dynasty rituals, which are different from those of the Erguo. Those who remain in Erguo can learn, and Erguo has its own customs and system, and it is absolutely impossible to imitate China, that is, it is useless to learn.
The Heavenly Dynasty has four seas, but it is not valuable to make great efforts to govern, handle government affairs, and rare treasures (the place under the jurisdiction of the Heavenly Dynasty is so big, I think about how to make great efforts to govern, as for the rare treasures, I do not take it very seriously). This time, the king of Erjin entered all kinds of things, read his sincere and far-reaching offerings, and specially instructed that he should take care of the yamen to receive them (you have paid a lot of gifts this time, and you have made special sincere offerings from afar, so I have specially ordered the relevant departments to receive them). In fact, the Heavenly Dynasty Dewei is far away, the kings of all nations, all kinds of valuable things, the ladder voyage is complete, there is nothing underneath, Erzhi Zhengshi, etc. (in fact, the Heavenly Dynasty Deze Sifang, Weijia Hainei, the Kingdoms come to the Dynasty, through the water and drought to pay tribute to me, we have no shortage of valuable things, these your messengers have seen it with their own eyes). However, it is never expensive and coincidental, and there is no greater need for state-made objects. The fact that King Er had asked him to send people to stay in Beijing was not in line with the Heavenly Dynasty system, and yu Erguo felt that it was not beneficial. Hereby explain in detail that the envoy should be dispatched to return home in peace (I have made all the words clear, and I hereby order the envoy of your country to arrange the itinerary of returning to China immediately). King Er should only be kind and sincere, encourage and sincere, and always be obedient, so as to protect the state of Yi'er and share the blessings of peace (King, you should understand my meaning well, be more sincere and obedient to the Heavenly Dynasty, and swear to always be obedient to the Heavenly Dynasty, and the grace of the Heavenly Dynasty can be given to your country and build a harmonious society together). In addition to the officials below the chief and deputy envoys and the general servicemen, who are rewarding each object separately, the envoys of the Ziin Kingdom return to China, issue a special edict, and give the king of Zi'er a number of good things, such as the usual ceremony, and the color satin and ornaments (except for the cadres below the main and deputy envoys, who are rewarded with various objects according to rank, because the envoys of your country will soon return to China, I have specially ordered that in addition to the good things that are rewarded to you according to the convention, you will be given a number of good things such as silk silk and literary and play utensils), and there is a list of others. Wang Qiqi received it, and he was cherished by his family (Emperor Grace Is Vast, that is my concern for you).
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