Kneeling down on one knee or kneeling on both knees is a question.
Chinese civilization has been around for five thousand years, with a long history and profound knowledge. The reason why Chinese civilization is so brilliant is not only related to the creativity of the Chinese nation, but also related to the inclusiveness and openness of Chinese civilization.
China has been an open country since ancient times, the Chinese nation is also an open nation, we are willing to communicate with the world and promote common development, whether it is the Silk Road, or Zheng He's voyage to the West, these can prove that China is willing to communicate with the world.
However, after the Qing Dynasty entered the customs, the Qing Emperor began to close the country and was unwilling to communicate with the world, resulting in China lagging behind the world and being beaten. So to what extent did the Qing Dynasty at that time become self-imposed?
In 1792, the British sent an envoy, Macartney, to visit China, which was the eightieth birthday of Qianlong, and they thought that Qianlong Heshou was a mission to China. Macartney did not come empty-handed, but brought a lot of things, such as machine guns, globes, cars and other state-of-the-art products of the time.
Qianlong was very happy to learn that the British had sent someone to celebrate his birthday, so he received Macartney. But the happy Qianlong instantly became cold, because Ma Jiaerni refused to kneel for Qianlong.
Qianlong thought that his emperor of the Heavenly Dynasty, Ma Jiaerni was a foreign envoy, and he should kneel for Qianlong. But Macartney believed that England was an independent country, that he was a british messenger, and that he only needed to get down on one knee, not on both knees.
Qianlong and Macartney began to argue about etiquette, which made Qianlong even more angry. Qianlong saw that Ma Jiaerni was not far away to celebrate his birthday, and he forgave Ma Jiaerni.
However, Ma Jiaerni's subsequent actions once again angered Qianlong, and Qianlong waited to hear Ma Jiaerni's birthday greetings, but he just did not say it, because he did not come to celebrate Qianlong's birthday at all, but to do business with the Qing Dynasty.
Macartney kept telling Qianlong how he was going to trade with the Qing Dynasty, but Qianlong didn't listen to it at all, and he wasn't interested in trade. Macartney had been talking about trade and commerce, without mentioning the matter of wishing for a happy birthday, and only then did Qianlong understand that he had not come to celebrate his birthday at all, but had another purpose.
Qianlong, who learned the truth, was very angry, and he asked Macartney to leave the Qing Dynasty quickly. Qianlong issued an eviction order, and Macartney had to leave, and also took away what he had brought.
In this way, the Qing Dynasty lost the opportunity to understand the world, and Qianlong was still immersed in the dream of a great power in the Heavenly Dynasty. He Yan still saw this matter more thoroughly, and he risked his life to make a suggestion to Qianlong, he suggested that Qianlong trade with the British, but Qianlong was furious when he heard this, and if he had not spoiled He yan, he would have killed He Yan.
Experts said that if Qianlong did the same and traded with Britain, the Qing Dynasty would not be invaded by the great powers, and the Qing Dynasty would not die.
Unfortunately, Qianlong was short-sighted, so that China lost an opportunity to communicate with the world and an opportunity to promote China's development!
References: Draft History of the Qing Dynasty, Ma Garni's Visit to China, etc