Great Qing: Building a Strong Nation Through the Industrial Revolution

Give your mind some motivation, and don't let it feel like your period comes twice a day. Let's crowdfund a gift package. Xin Jing will add extra updates based on the size of our packages; the more packages we make, the more updates Xin Jing will provide. What do you think? If you think it's okay, please respond in the WeChat group.

I am a senior high school student majoring in humanities. When I first saw this book in the second year of junior high school, I was amazed. Before I knew it, five years had passed. From the economic pumping machine to the Opium Wars, and then to the Franco-Prussian War. This book gave me, a liberal arts student, more than just psychological pleasure; it gave me a completely new perspective on history, which was also the reason I chose liberal arts. Unlike other fast-paced articles that are updated five times a day, every stroke of this book is grounded in reality and stands out from the rest. I admire the author greatly; he led me to appreciate the splendor of history. Today, I'm tipping an online novel for the first time—not much, just 18 yuan. I'm also deeply sorry that I spent the past five years on pirated websites until today, when I was finally "awakened from my dream." I apologize again! I am very grateful to the author for helping me grow, preventing me from becoming a mechanical assembly line individual incapable of independent thinking in this fast-paced era, but rather a living individual who dares to question and resist. I wish the author good health and all the best in their work! Thank you again to the author for showing me the Chinese nation that could have existed. That profound sense of weight.

My three favorite works used to be: The Qin Empire, The Three-Body Problem, and The Cherry Blossom of Eden; now I have to add The Hidden Dragon of the Qing Dynasty. Miracles in online novels. This is my third time reading this book. I can't believe that online novels can achieve such a grand and comprehensive perspective while remaining so meticulously detailed. Beneath the grand scale lies the careful arrangement of every detail. Amidst the passion, there's little wishful thinking; instead, there's a meticulous analysis, intricately linked plots, and a step-by-step, determined progression. This story not only gets the reader's blood pumping but also offers profound insights on many levels. Even Xiao Letian's extraordinary knowledge, innate political acumen, and rapidly developed character are exaggerated to a perfect degree. Of course, this is my first ever book review, written after being criticized by the author in the article. I used to listen to audiobooks on a certain app, for a simple reason: I just liked the app's audio, even though it cost me a lot of money. But I still felt somewhat ashamed by the author's words. Thinking about it, the money I spent probably didn't translate into the author's deserved return, which really let down my appreciation for the work. I need to change! Today I specifically searched for the online platform for Yinlong's novel on Baidu, downloaded the 17App, registered an account, and came here specifically to vote and send gifts to Yinlong. I might still not read Yinlong on this platform (I really have high standards for the reading voice), but my respectful support will not diminish from now on. I spent 100 this afternoon, plus the few dozen I just spent. This is probably a drop in the ocean and won't stop Yinlong from becoming a phenomenal success due to his highbrow nature, but I'll keep investing. Not for anything else, but for my own gains and the respect I feel for the author who brings us such profound and delicate works in such a superficial world.

Let's start a new ad thread for the new book! Friends who want to advertise, please come in. Thank you for your cooperation. I will visit the ad thread from time to time!

Supporter Xin Jing 1: Like many readers, I found this book through pirated websites and am now actively seeking the official version and paying for it. Why? Because this book deserves payment; not paying would make me feel ashamed and uneasy. I've currently read up to chapter 536, "The Treasure Bowl."

I read this book in my senior year of high school. As a humanities student, I love history, and once I started reading, I was completely engrossed. It has had a profound impact on my life, containing a wealth of knowledge that I greatly benefited from. Although I didn't do well on the college entrance exam, scoring only 190 in the humanities section, I believe the characters in this book are flesh-and-blood individuals with their own desires and thoughts. As for the protagonist, Xiao Letian, I see him as a kind of totem. Modern Chinese history is a paradox of darkness and glimmer of light; you can't tell who is evil or who is good. I've recommended this book to my friends more than once, hoping it can have a greater impact, influencing more people and making them say, "Oh, so this is so complex," without underestimating those patriots who dedicated their lives to China. Frankly, it makes me sad that people today live such comfortable lives, forgetting who made them so comfortable. This is both a tragedy and a reality. Therefore, this good book shouldn't remain silent. The "Hidden Dragon" in my heart is enough to influence most people, but I'm just an observer—an observer who can only clench their fists and remain silent as they read. Keep going! The "Hidden Dragon" should far surpass many mediocre historical works. I will continue to support this book and not give up on it. It may not be popular now, but time will tell. I wish to share this with you. A fan's personal account

I enjoy reading history and always want to give China a chance. We lagged behind for 200 years, and we're still catching up. I read mostly about the Three Kingdoms, Tang, Song, and Ming dynasties because there was no humiliation or sorrow. I never read about modern history, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand. I saw this book on my reading list a long time ago. But yesterday, I saw a version of myself in the book, and I realized how I used to think about myself in that way. To be honest, I read it with myself in mind, imagining myself as the protagonist but finding myself unable to do certain things. My eyes were always filled with tears as I read. Until just now, I suddenly realized that I should also do something. Actually, I'm a law-abiding citizen, born in the new China, raised under the red flag, and I'm quite grateful for the present. The more history I read, the more grateful I am for this society. I just want to live humbly, which is probably the thought of most Chinese people. But I'm not lacking in passion, nor in the spirit of resistance. Jokingly speaking, I'll definitely join the army when a real war comes. I love this country, this nation. The only civilization in the world that has never lost its history or its heritage. I'm very proud. Gao Xiaosong said the most terrifying ideology in the world is the belief that one's own nation is the best. This ideology has led to fascism, militarism, and Nazism. Hasn't our nation been consistently powerful from ancient times to the present? Shouldn't we be proud? Elevating oneself doesn't require belittling one's opponents. Our nation is indeed powerful. Although there has been hardship, there have also been heroes. The Chinese nation has never lacked heroes. Superheroes fight crime, national heroes save the spirit. The Xinhai Revolution liberated us from feudalism. XX liberated us from the plethora of gods and Buddhas. There has never been a savior, nor do we rely on gods or emperors! Everyone in modern times has their own thoughts and opinions. Some things you can see if you want to. After all this rambling, let me end with this: This is my first time supporting an author by purchasing virtual currency for an online novel. I used to buy physical books. Thinking back on my 10 years as a bookworm, I've found myself with less and less to read, and only now have I realized the need to support an author. You are the first, not the last. I've subscribed to all your books. I support you.

There has been a persistent interest in discussing this topic since modern times. —Using various "Chinese-Western comparisons" to argue why China failed to modernize. Because of their stupidity or malice, the conclusions they draw are mostly absurd: such as the inferiority complex of the Han people, the weakness of the small-scale peasant economy, and the nobility of maritime civilization. Today I want to say All questions like these "comparison between China and the West" are false propositions! The premise of this type of problem is fundamentally flawed. At least three premise errors were committed: Error 1: Comparing the Han Chinese as a single ethnic group with N Western ethnic groups. The second mistake is that even from a cultural perspective, what they are comparing is not the tradition of the Han people at all, but the "pseudo-tradition" under Manchu colonization. The third mistake is the insistence that the Han people "spontaneously" modernize, without considering that the technologies, industries, sciences, and even ideologies involved in modernization are all very easy to learn. No single nation in Western Europe achieved modernization independently; they all learned from each other. Those who make such comparisons hold the Han Chinese to "high standards and strict requirements," but once the Han Chinese fail to achieve complete spontaneous modernization, they criticize them as utterly worthless and worthless. It not only put China (Han Chinese) in a one-on-one fight against N Western ethnic groups, but also made China cut off one of its own arms (i. E., Not considering the impact of the distorted rule by the Manchus). The conclusion drawn from this is naturally that "we are too weak, we must start all over again, and we can only be saved by foreign ideas and foreign rule." So-called "To be colonized for another three hundred years" "Abolish Chinese characters and Latinize them." "Let the foreign masters come and do the blood transfusion." All of these are products of this kind of thinking. History enthusiast: I've always had a question I'd like to ask. History enthusiasts: Why did China (the Han Chinese) fail to modernize smoothly? Why did modernization occur in the West? How should the Needham Question be answered? Me: First, we need to define what modernization is. History enthusiast: (searching on Baidu...) History enthusiasts: There's no clear definition, but it generally refers to industrialization and commodification in the economy, the rule of law and democratization in politics, and the humanization and scientification in thought, etc. Me: If you can't give an abstract definition, you can give a specific example of the process! History enthusiast: I'm not very good at history either, but if I were to go by gut feeling, it would probably be the Renaissance, then the Age of Discovery, the Age of Exploration, then the foundation of modern science and technology, the Enlightenment, and finally the Industrial Revolution, right? Oh, and we also have to consider the logic and mathematics invented by the ancient Greeks, which laid the foundation for modern technology. Me: Okay, I'll do it your way. Act One: What is the essence of the West's pioneering modernization? Me: First of all, let me clarify that the so-called "West" and "East" are just relative geographical concepts, and are figurative references. The people of the Ming Dynasty would consider Timur and the Ottoman Empire to be the West, while the Poles and the Eastern Romans would see these two Muslim countries as the East. Not to mention that in the eyes of the British, the Eastern Roman Empire was almost a "civilized ancient country of the East". The terms "West" and "East" are only general terms and cannot be used to analyze problems. Is there a problem with what I'm saying? A random comment from a remnant of the River Elegy: Nonsense! The West is clearly a maritime civilization! Full of ambition and pioneering spirit. The East is a weak, agrarian civilization; of course it can't compare! Me: First, let me clarify one point: there is no such thing as a maritime civilization. Take the typical so-called "Western countries" in our minds—France and Germany—for example; they are all agrarian civilizations, also known as "small-scale peasant economies." The unexpected remnants of the River Elegy incident: What about Britain, Spain, and the United States? Me: Before the Age of Discovery, the British (Anglo-Saxons) were farming on the island of Britain and were invaded and ruled by the Normans; the Spanish were conquered by the Moors and were busy reclaiming lost territory until the 13th century, having absolutely nothing to do with the sea (except for fishing). As for Americans, the foundation of the United States was the farmers and artisans of the 13 independent states, having absolutely nothing to do with the ocean. Me: Actually, the "maritime civilization" in your minds only lasted for a few hundred years from the Age of Discovery to the present. Me: Also, let me complain a bit. The concept of "ocean civilization" concocted by you River (Harmony) Elegy faction is not even a foreign import. Western historical research doesn't even have terms like "ocean civilization" or "maritime civilization." If you search for papers on this topic, you're most likely to find articles about the Tongan Empire in the Pacific Islands (laughs). Don't spout nonsense about a term that's been invented from the start to belittle itself. Me: Getting back to the topic, specific issues need to be analyzed specifically; we cannot treat the "West" as a "whole". The terms "West" and "East" are general terms and cannot be used to analyze specific issues. Is there a problem with what I'm saying? History enthusiast: No problem. From a Japanese perspective, the Ming Dynasty was still considered part of the West; it's just a relative geographical concept, nothing hard to understand. But what does that have to do with what we're talking about? Me: Let's look at your question. "Why did modernization occur in the West?" History enthusiast: Does this mean we shouldn't use the so-called "East" or "West" as a reference point for comparison? Then what should we use? Me: Of course, we should use "ethnicity"! History enthusiasts: Tell us about it! Me: First of all, the path to modernization you just outlined is basically correct: 1. Ancient Greece invented logic and mathematics. 2. The Renaissance 3. The Age of Geographical Discoveries 4. Foundation of modern science and technology 5. The Enlightenment Me: The Greeks invented (or rather, discovered) logic and mathematics. So, were the Greeks and the other Western European peoples the same people? History enthusiasts: The Greeks and the Franks, Anglo-Saxons, Visigoths, etc. Of Western Europe were indeed not the same ethnic group. Me: What about the Renaissance? Where did the Renaissance originate? History enthusiasts: City-states of Northern Italy. Me: The city-states of Venice and Genoa were commercially prosperous and long-term divided. This fostered a tolerant and open artistic atmosphere, leading to the Renaissance. Right? History enthusiast: Well, next up is the great geographical discovery. History enthusiast: I'm familiar with this; it was started by the two powers—Spain and Portugal. Me: What advantages did Spain and Portugal have that enabled them to initiate the Age of Discovery? History enthusiast: First and foremost, it's geographical. Looking at a map, you can see the Iberian Peninsula is the closest peninsula to the Americas. History enthusiasts: Secondly, Spain and Portugal were somewhat... "Centralized" in a sense. Many early navigators were heavily funded by the royal family to explore, giving the impression of "concentrating resources to accomplish great things". History enthusiasts: These two points must be what enabled them to be the first to start the "Age of Exploration"! Me: That's right. We can make a hypothetical scenario—given the conditions of the city-states of northern Italy, could they have discovered the New World? And given the political atmosphere and geography of Spain and Portugal, could they have led the Renaissance? History enthusiast: I'm afraid that won't work... I just mentioned the reason; this requires certain conditions. However, the Renaissance did provide some intellectual impetus for the Age of Discovery. Me: That's exactly what I wanted to say. Modernization is essentially a process of relay among multiple ethnic groups. Spain and Portugal couldn't have led the Renaissance, and Venice and Genoa would hardly have discovered the Americas. However, the two took turns, and the process continued. The Age of Discovery brought about more primitive accumulations; what's the next step? History enthusiasts: The foundation of natural science. Me: Who laid the foundation for natural science? History enthusiast: It's Newton—an Anglo-Saxon. *Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica*, published in 1687. Me: What's next? History enthusiast: The Enlightenment, right? France had the most developed civil society, so the Enlightenment first emerged there. Me: Just like the previous steps, one ethnic group takes the lead, and other ethnic groups follow suit. The Renaissance spread from south to north throughout Europe; During the Age of Exploration, ships from all over Western Europe flocked to the Americas to participate in the triangular trade. Enlightenment ideas spread throughout the "West" amidst the flames of the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Code. History enthusiast: Let me reiterate, what is the actual situation regarding the claim that the West was the first to modernize? 1. Ancient Greeks: Invented logic and mathematics 2. Northern Italians: The Renaissance 3. The Iberians: The Age of Discovery 4. Anglo-Saxons: The Foundation of Modern Technology 5. The French: The Enlightenment Me: Yes. Actually, we missed one step. —1.5 The existence of the Eastern Roman Empire protected the peoples of Western Europe from barbarian invasions. Because if, unfortunately, during the accumulation period of an agricultural society or on the eve of modern times, a barbarian invasion leads to a major decline in productivity, the consequences would be catastrophic. (The word count has been reached, so the next part will be posted in Part Two.)

I'm a middle school student, and I used to read pirated versions, only recently switching to the official version. I specifically went to 17k. Com for this book. The reason I switched to the official version is because it was truly worth the money I'd spent on my first online novel. A large portion of online novels are increasingly becoming low-quality, or starting off very engaging but then fading into filler. But this book is a breath of fresh air, a truly excellent work! It doesn't pad out the word count or add chapters just to make more money; nor does it randomly insert plot points. Many people say the updates are too slow, but the author has a main job, and historical fiction can't be entirely based on wild imagination. Every chapter we read is likely the result of the author researching extensively, drawing on historical facts, insights, and reflections. Each chapter could be a good story elsewhere, and the theories and viewpoints in each chapter are worth learning. These are heights that so-called "feel-good" novels can't reach. Those empty "feel-good" novels update many times a day, but you learn nothing. Don't you feel it's a waste of money spent for a few minutes of excitement each day? You can browse through the book reviews; you'll find almost no complaints. No one is saying the book is padded out, disjointed, or has a bad plot. If you find the plot too convoluted, it just means you're still stuck in the mindset that killing is the best and quickest way to solve problems. Furthermore, with the author's writing talent, they could easily write mainstream online novels, cultivation stories, or fantasy novels; not that they're bad, but they certainly won't be as substantial as this historical novel. However, some history books completely revise history, masking their superficial knowledge by introducing various time-traveling plot devices, inventing this and that from remote mountain villages, and ultimately becoming emperors with thousands of concubines. Sure, these seem exciting, but is such a desecration of history really acceptable? Were ancient people really that stupid? Was the line between friend and foe so clear? Were military, political, economic, and diplomatic considerations all taken into account? We can't focus solely on military matters, nor can politics be about the entire world obeying the protagonist alone. Economics isn't simply a matter of being broke, and diplomacy isn't merely about war and submission. Yet, the author didn't delve into these aspects, even maintaining high quality by writing two chapters despite being unwell. When a book considers all aspects of a single issue, when each event is discussed in terms of its political, military, cultural, and economic advantages and disadvantages, what reason is there not to read it? The author has stated that the main storyline is very long and may take a very long time to develop, but my fellow readers and I will continue reading until our Chinese nation stands tall in the blood of every people. Finally, I hope everyone can describe this book in two words. I'll start: A masterpiece!!!

The boss sped up.