Sunday, September 25, 2011

1873 Annual Event: States Minister to bow to an audience with the emperor wen

Courtesy audience with foreign diplomats in what the Chinese emperor, Qianlong era since the beginning, has always been a deadlock on the foreign relations of Western diplomacy requires equal attention to imperial vassal system, surrounded by "kneeling and not kneel," triggering a number of diplomatic conflict. Imperial attitude, type of tough from Emperor Qianlong, Xianfeng style to avoid, and finally evolved into the Empress-style to delaying tactics - minor wen emperor, Empress is the fair sex inconvenience to the spotlight and became blocked at the national Minister The last line of defense outside the Forbidden City.
October 1872, the emperor finally wen the wedding, the ceremony is extremely grand, national diplomats in Beijing that will invited to the ceremony. Unexpectedly, they not only did not receive invitations Yamen was also sent to "tell": Minister of States in the "Auspicious Day", it is best not to go out, and bound their people do not go out in Beijing.
February 23, 1873, Emperor announced Tongzhi reign. English, Russian, German, American and French Minister for the next day five-nation joint note Yamen, an audience with the emperor asked. Qing no escape route, had to accept "under the Temple Pi, as if the minister has not kneel," the reality.
Qianlong era: by tribute format, unauthorized alteration of his diplomatic instruments

Traditional Chinese dynasty to the founding of the Confucian doctrine, the core of its political doctrine, "Ritual." Central Plains from the customs Qing Dynasty, the "Rites" traditional inheritance, became their most important source of legitimacy, naturally, in the ritual of the "rigid" also stronger than the previous generation, for a smaller room to maneuver .
Qing Li governance of the traditional challenges, Qianlong began Fifty-eight years (1793) Macartney (C. MaCartney) in China. Tributary system, since the Qing court as "the world became the overlord," Macartney who are looking for is equality under the improved terms of trade diplomacy. Responsibility to reconcile this contradiction, fell head vassal affairs Rites body.
Rites of the approach is in accordance with the needs of the tributary system, unauthorized tampering with people's diplomatic instruments.
For example, the East India Company sent a letter to Emperor Qianlong, chairman Sir Bearings for Macartney's visit to China in preparation. The original is this:
"The most merciful of His Majesty heard of, who celebrated his 80th Emperor Wanshou your time, have been prepared to push the British subjects living in Guangzhou to send representatives to Beijing Jing Feng Zhu stretch, but said the delays in sending representatives, His Majesty was very sorry. In order to establish a friendship between your country, the Emperor, Beijing and London in order to improve the friendly exchanges between the two dynasties, I sides to enhance your business relationships between subjects, His Majesty's Special Representative and the Senate to send their officers, wise and capable of Lord Macartney as sole envoy, representing the Crown, I call on the Chinese emperor, looking through him to lay deep between the permanent and good. "
Rites of the adults were handed the revised version of the Qianlong emperor's become this:
"Smell heavenly emperor eighties big Wanshou, its not a knock Zhu Wanshou people to Beijing, I am very disturbed heart king and I king said, sincerely want to seek mercy Tonghao heavenly emperor, who have their own people to the people of Guangzhou and the heavenly trade, are each a good friend, but the physical look larger abundance of cargo rates. public officials today held their own Wang Ming Fu poor country ministers do Gaer Ni to Tianjin, where the emperor invited to the heavenly reward met with the person, I am very happy that the King, guarantee the English people and the heavenly people always a good friend. "
Macartney king transmitted a letter to the emperor, has been modified beyond recognition.
Text begins:
"His Majesty the King Kill the carrier, to put the kindness and caring. Jian Zuo later, in addition to pay attention to protect their domestic peace and security and promote their own subjects of happiness, wisdom and moral suits, and where possible seek to promote with all mankind by its benefits in such a noble spirit, the British military power, and though far from all the world, but after the victory, His Majesty for the defeat of the enemy also give the most fair to share the peace conditions happy addition to surpass the previous generation in all aspects to enhance their prosperity and happiness of his subjects, but His Majesty sent the country's most outstanding scholars, several organizations voyage travel for geographical discovery and exploration. "
The revised version to the Emperor Qianlong is read:
"Hot Wall on the English King King Long live the emperor played a large Chinese. Wal-day heat kept the third world grace of God, Buddha and the English National Division West orang it Yaacob by Bayer main sea, big compliment Long live the emperor should take the Temple thousands of years; its great to know where China, possession of many people, big world of the emperor my heart long to do, always take care of the people around. not only Chinese place, and even foreign countries have to protect him. they are the heart offers responsive, internal and external peace. all sorts of learning various skills, great emperor grace, are to look after them, tell them to dedication and efforts, but also grow hair growth, traffic exquisite. their heart to be sent for long, because the environment is not safe all around the place , delay for a long time and now the flat sides of the enemies are served, the territory of peace, made a number of the ship, the number of poor people who Piaoyang to understand throughout. "
Instruments can follow their favorite means random change, anyway, the "barbarians" and can not read; but true to the need to "barbarian people" Sanguijiukou Chinese emperor of the moment, can not help but always eluded capture. But the words still have to keep playing - British archives records, Macartney Embassy to call on the King line courtesy kneel on one leg, an audience with the Emperor of China; Chinese literature, but grand record: Mission is to "salute as instrument. " Unlike his father, Emperor Jiaqing the word game is so satisfied, he refused to Amherst Sanguijiukou mission, he was in Amherst on the application for an audience filled with instruments, "said an even deceive deceive." "hedged hateful," a class of words, and then drive them out of China.
Xianfeng era: not bow down to not see the ceremony of the barbarians

As a product of the Second Opium War, Britain "Treaty of Tianjin" article: The UK is the self-righteousness, equality with China, as the minister on behalf of the British imperial state Bingquan high officials, an audience with the emperor of the Qing, the encounter with hinder the state system of the ceremony, not feasible. Must be unified with the British diplomats pay homage to the unity of the other heads of state courtesy.
Treaty-based "MFN" nature, which means that Western countries have been equal to the modern Western audience etiquette Qing emperor, in the form of a treaty has been resolved. However, foreign ambassadors were soon discovered, put into practice has become a big problem.
Until 1858 "Treaty of Tianjin" signed on the occasion, Emperor Xianfeng never forget: "All bow down to etiquette, learned Chinese system of compliance, not with their families." His concern is: Once the ceremony instead of allowing the west of Western envoys bow audience, the emperor lost face, the "why the world became the overlord '?
1860, British and French troops from Tianjin scored Tongzhou. Xianfeng Emperor of the coalition's eight conditions of all meetings and promised, with the exception of the British side's credentials to be "pro-Yu Lan, was a great emperor," this one said "extremely difficult to allow." He is responsible for negotiating the instructions in front of Prince Zai Yuan Yi, saying:
"State of the deposit, extremely difficult to allow. Wangda Chen with the agreement, wishing to pro-handed his credentials to be in accordance with Chinese etiquette, and prayed as a ritual, before allowing the line; set or not, it should only according to meters (United States) and Russia's cases, the credentials to turn to the capital, to pay into the Imperial Commissioner was, once accepted, to give seal the book, also with the same pro-handed now ask successful Bureau said, not worth the courtesy due to break stubborn set before the barbarian said, I do not know repentance, only with a decisive battle. "
Failure of the negotiations. British and French troops quickly gates of Beijing, the burning of the Summer Palace. Emperor Xianfeng fled hastily Rehe, the mess left Christine Prince Yixin. Then signed a new "Beijing Treaty", the coalition gain a lot of material interests, but still does not move to shake the Xianfeng emperor's insistence on the ritual bow down, have had to give up.
Flee Emperor Xianfeng Rehe sad For broken - "the barbarian, not step by step hand, resulted Yi Emirates to meet with I brother, is already not a physical thing, Ruofu any of its wild and reckless, yet I Ching was Jesus? "he would not return to Beijing, because the" barbarians "is only temporarily receded, they refuse row Sanguijiukou of the ceremony, and handed his credentials to an audience with their parents not to dispel the idea. His edict in Jiyanlise: "If a layer can eliminate the pro-handed his credentials, disaster will not Ai, ie, or temporarily allow, as a strike on, back to Luang, a check from Tianjin to Beijing, has no blackmail, I CD Haier is asked. "
This December, Christine Prince from the British and French ministers had obtained no longer insist on a guarantee into the Kun. But still have misgivings about Xianfeng, unwilling to return to Beijing. The following year in August, Xianfeng died in Rehe, finally completed his practice, "never see not bow down to the ceremony of the barbarians" promise.
Under such circumstances, the British government had made concessions, decided not to insist on the issue into the Kun. British Foreign Secretary on January 9, 1861 Instructions British ambassador, ordered them not to ask for credentials to the Chinese emperor was a pro, just ask the Chinese government recognized as the representative of the British government can be. Other countries and the United Kingdom has also taken the same approach.
Chih reign: Envoys to the six equality of audience etiquette

Xianfeng's death, the young Emperor and Empress womenfolk Tongzhi inconvenience the spotlight, it becomes a long-term Qing Kun refused to enter the most effective outside the grounds. Burlingame on behalf of the Americans occurred during the Chinese ambassador to the Western countries to Western heads of state diplomatic protocol Meet the matter, requires countries to take this opportunity to minister into the Jin Emperor of China, was also young Qing emperor refused.
Tongzhi Emperor and reign adult, then became the national ministers hope lies.
February 23, 1873, aged 18 formal reign of Emperor Tongzhi. The next day, Britain, France, Russia, the United States, Germany and the five countries jointly to the Prime Minister that the Yamen to submit a note requesting an audience with Emperor Tongzhi, presented his credentials.
Delay no delay, reasons for the rejection no longer exists. Yamen only agreed on 11 March Minister talks with five countries. Negotiations around the delivery of credentials of the pro-Kun Li, the two sides no less than of words, according to "organized barbarian whole story," records, the two sides of the specific debate as follows:
"He said that the treaty impedes the state system of the ceremony, is not feasible; then reported to the state system because of China, is not feasible. He stated that the treaty allowed for preferential treatment; China is told to treat each other better than the gift being able to not better than the ceremony outside. He prayed that the CD of the ceremony, those who can not impede the line of the state system, also can be deliberate; CD is reported to the bow of the ceremony, most related to China's state system, first agreed, before they can calm the proposed addition. to give an example Xiao 100 side, repeatedly argued scold, a few worn Chunjiao on the tongue. "
Face to face war of words failed to reach agreement, then embarked on a long war between documents. National minister insisted: audience had "Treaty of Tianjin" long convention, the Qing emperor has promised to reign after the performance; minister audience is customary in Western countries, Chinese translation of the "law of nations" where there are documented, there is no difficulty to understand ; audience etiquette should be in accordance with national accepted way, equality of States, not a vassal, not force the line bow down to the ceremony.
Qing side insisted: "Treaty of Tianjin" there are still "self-organized" requirement, you can not press us; Chinese Minister countries preferential treatment, only with their own rituals inherent to preferential treatment, China does not have the ritual can not be used to preferential treatment; China envoy envoy to all countries do as the Romans used your manners, you should also do as the Romans came to China; Kun without kneeling, do not meet China's political system, China can not agree.
Debate from up to three months. Not limited to Chinese and foreign sides, a large number of officials and literati are involved. To May 15, the debate has finally come to an end, the two sides reached an agreement:
1, the five ministers audience not bow down to the ceremony when, as a concession, ministers have their own special audience with the monarch will be the gift of three to five bow bow.
2, do not hold an audience with the ceremony, only with their own credentials, the Chinese who first participated in an audience, present his credentials. After the audience can not always required.
June 29, 1873, Britain, France, Russia, the United States, Holland and Japan, the five countries, Ambassador, Minister, a total of six envoys Ziguangge west of the Li-chih Emperor audience. Western diplomats finally got the first countries to equal the identity of the representatives to stand in front of the Qing emperor, this time from Macartney to China, has gone a full 80 years.

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