#300-01 - Qing 35-6: Empire of Images

What does it take to hold an empire together when conquest alone isn’t enough? In this sweeping episode, we explore how the Qianlong Emperor fused culture, coercion, and Confucian performance to stabilize a multiethnic empire, crafting an imperial image as powerful as his armies.

Time Period Covered:
~1735-1799 CE

Major Historical Figures:
The Qianlong Emperor (Aisin-Gioro Hongli) [r. 1735-1796, d. 1799]
Giuseppe Castiglione (Lang Shining) [1688–1766]
Heshen [1750–1799]
Lord Macartney [1737–1806]

Major Works Cited:
Elliott, Mark C. The Manchu Way: The Eight Banners and Ethnic Identity in Late Imperial China.
Chang, Michael G. A Court on Horseback: Imperial Touring & the Construction of Qing Rule, 1680–1785.
Berger, Patricia. Empire of Emptiness: Buddhist Art and Political Authority in Qing China.

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