Qianlong Emperor

Qianlong Emperor
乾隆帝
Emperor of the Qing dynasty
Reign18 October 1735 – 9 February 1796
PredecessorYongzheng Emperor
SuccessorJiaqing Emperor
Emperor Emeritus of the Qing dynasty
Tenure9 February 1796 – 7 February 1799
Prince Bao of the First Rank
Tenure1733–1735
Born(1711-09-25)25 September 1711
(康熙五十年 八月 十三日)
Prince Yong's Mansion, Beijing
Died7 February 1799(1799-02-07) (aged 87)
(嘉慶四年 正月 三日)
Forbidden City, Beijing
Burial
Yu Mausoleum, Eastern Qing tombs
Spouses
(m. 1727; died 1748)
(m. 1734; died 1766)
(m. 1745; died 1775)
Issue
Names
Aisin-Gioro Hongli (愛新覺羅·弘曆)
Manchu: Hung li (ᡥᡠᠩ ᠯᡳ)
Era name and dates
Qianlong (Ch'ien-lung; 乾隆): 12 February 1736 – 8 February 1796
Manchu: Abkai wehiyehe (ᠠᠪᡴᠠᡳ ᠸᡝᡥᡳᠶᡝᡥᡝ)
Mongolian: Тэнгэр тэтгэгч (ᠲᠩᠷᠢ ᠲᠡᠳᠬᠦᠭᠴᠢ)
Posthumous name
Emperor Fatian Longyun Zhicheng Xianjue Tiyuan Liji Fuwen Fenwu Qinming Xiaoci Shensheng Chun (法天隆運至誠先覺體元立極敷文奮武欽明孝慈神聖純皇帝)
Manchu: Yongkiyaha hūwangdi (ᠶᠣᠩᡴᡳᠶᠠᡥᠠ
ᡥᡡᠸᠠᠩᡩᡳ
)
Temple name
Gāozōng (高宗)
Manchu: G'aodzung (ᡬᠠᠣᡯᡠᠩ)
HouseAisin-Gioro
DynastyQing
FatherYongzheng Emperor
MotherEmpress Xiaoshengxian
ReligionBuddhism
Seal[a]Qianlong Emperor 乾隆帝's signature
Qianlong Emperor
Traditional Chinese乾隆帝
Simplified Chinese乾隆帝
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinQiánlóng Dì
Wade–GilesChʻien2lung2 Ti4
IPA[tɕʰjɛ̌nlʊ̌ŋ tî]
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationKìhnlùhng Dai
JyutpingKin4-lung4 Dai3
IPA[kʰin˩.lʊŋ˩ tɐj˧]

The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 1711 – 7 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, personal name Hongli, was the sixth emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. He reigned officially from 1735 until his abdication in 1796, but retained ultimate power subsequently until his death in 1799, making him one of the longest-reigning monarchs in history as well as one of the longest-lived.

The fourth and favourite son of the Yongzheng Emperor, Qianlong ascended the throne in 1735. A highly ambitious military leader, he led a series of campaigns into Inner Asia, Burma, Nepal and Vietnam and suppressed rebellions in Jinchuan and Taiwan. During his lifetime, he was given the deified title Emperor Manjushri by the Qing's Tibetan subjects. Domestically, Qianlong was a major patron of the arts as well as a prolific writer. He sponsored the compilation of the Complete Library of the Four Treasuries, the largest collection ever made of Chinese history, while also overseeing extensive literary inquisitions that led to the suppression of some 3,100 works.

In 1796, Qianlong abdicated after 60 years on the throne out of respect towards his grandfather, the Kangxi Emperor, who ruled for 61 years, so as to avoid usurping him as the longest-reigning Qing emperor.[1] He was succeeded by his son, who ascended the throne as the Jiaqing Emperor but ruled only in name as Qianlong held on to power as Emperor Emeritus until his death in 1799 at the age of 87.

Qianlong oversaw the High Qing era, which marked the height of the dynasty's power, influence, and prosperity. During his long reign, the empire had the largest population and economy in the world and reached its greatest territorial extent. At the same time, years of exhaustive campaigns severely weakened the Qing military, which coupled with endemic corruption, wastefulness in his court and a stagnating civil society, ushered the gradual decline and ultimate demise of the Qing empire.


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  1. ^ Jacobs, Andrew (31 December 2008). "Dusting Off a Serene Jewel Box". The New York Times.