Chinese Civilization

During the eighteenth century, China and India held much of the world’s wealth. While India was under British influence, China was not. China was governed by an extraordinary emperor, the grandson of an equally exceptional grandfather. Emperor Qianlong (Ch’ien Lung) led the Celestial Empire for sixty years, from 1736 to 1796, belonging to the Manchu dynasty that succeeded the Ming, a Han Chinese dynasty. Qianlong’s grandfather, Kangxi (1654–1723), ruled for 61 years, demonstrating that lasting power is a guarantee of good governance and fruitful continuity.