Turmoil and Breakout: The Qing Empire in Collision, 1644–1840

The Qing Dynasty replaced the Ming Dynasty with a backward, barbaric but healthy civilization that replaced an advanced but decadent civilization. The rulers of the Qing Dynasty were based on preventing the Han Dynasty. Qianlong's reply to the letter rejecting Britain's relaxation of trade policy was definitely not careless or hot-headed. He regarded this reply as a serious political decision, and he thought clearly about the ins and outs. The so-called "Chinese products are all available" was just a grand excuse given by Qianlong to himself. The core reason for the rejection was to prevent the unruly British from colluding with the Han people and causing the Han people who had been brainwashed by the literary prison to have any inappropriate ideas and endanger the rule of the Qing Dynasty. Seclusion and literary inquisition are actually complementary policies that jointly achieve the goal of ruling the civilized and progressive majority with a barbaric and backward minority. Comparing the records of China recorded by missionaries who arrived in China during the late Ming Dynasty with the records of the British mission who arrived in China during the Qianlong period, we can see the tremendous changes that China has undergone since the Ming and Qing dynasties: from a prosperous and civilized country that was the envy of Europeans, to a tragic and backward place. Although the military success of the Qing Dynasty and the military success of the Han and Tang Dynasties look similar on the map, there are essential differences. During the Han and Tang dynasties, there were neither enemies nor trade on the sea. The south was the rear area and the north was the country's economic center. It actively defended to the north and opened up the Silk Road to the west, connecting the civilizations of the two rivers, which had great strategic value. During the Qing Dynasty, the Silk Road was interrupted, powerful enemies emerged overseas, trade routes had long been diverted to sea routes, and the south was the country's economic center. In the end, the Qing Dynasty did not pay attention to the development of sea power. This was a huge strategic mistake that caused the Chinese nation to miss major development opportunities in the era of great navigation and the industrial revolution.

The author's views and discussion are refreshing, especially the discussion on the impact of the Ding Revolution in the Ming and Qing Dynasties is very convincing. His view of the history of civilization is also unique and worth recommending.

The point of view is sharp, the content is detailed, and it is very convincing. It is worth saving.

Well written, great

This book gave me a deeper understanding of the history of the Qing Dynasty. The author Li Xiaopeng uses the analysis method of political economics to reveal the reasons why the Qing Empire turned from prosperity to decline. I like the portrayal of historical figures in the book, especially Qianlong. His governance made me think deeply. This book made me understand that the development of a country needs to keep pace with the times and continue to innovate in order to gain a foothold in the torrent of history.