In 1799, two heads of state died this year, one was Emperor Qianlong and the other was George Washington.

When talking about Qianlong, everyone will think that he is an ancient figure, but when talking about Washington, everyone will think that he is a modern figure.

In fact, the following people and events all happened during the Qianlong period:

In 1755 (the 20th year of Qianlong's reign), in order to crack down on the cliques in the DPRK and China, Qianlong used the Literary Prison to point out that the poem "Jian Mo Sheng Shi Chao" by Hu Zhongzao, a disciple of Ortai, had the meaning of insulting the Qing Dynasty.

He was sentenced to death.

At the same time, Empress Elizabeth of Russia issued an edict to establish Moscow University, and Russia's highest academic institution was established.

In March of the same year, Immanuel Kant published "Introduction to the History of the Development of the Universe", and the Nebular Hypothesis was born. This was the first scientific hypothesis about the origin and evolution of the solar system in human history.

Later, when the British envoy sent the astronomical telescope used to discover nebulae to the Qing Dynasty, Qianlong felt that it was no different from the telescope he usually used for hunting, so he named it "Telescope".

Along with the "Telescope", there were also hot air balloons and globes. Unfortunately, these "Western gadgets" failed to inspire Qianlong. At that time, he was still intoxicated in his dream of a great country and only wanted to make those who "come to Korea"

"Foreigners" kneel three times and kowtow nine times.

In the 30th year of Qianlong's reign (1765), the imperial concubine Wei succeeded in ascending to the throne and was granted the title of imperial concubine by the Jin Dynasty. Just when this Qing embroiderer in "The Story of Yanxi Palace" "made a comeback", she came to the distant Lankai in England.

There was a weaver in the county, James Hargreaves, who was inspired by a spinning machine that he kicked over and built the first spinning jenny——

It was eight times more efficient than the old spinning wheel, and this invention became the beginning of the British Industrial Revolution.

In the thirty-third year of Qianlong's reign (1768), perhaps the Ministry of Internal Affairs at this time was still rushing to hand-make Chinese clothes overnight for the imperial concubine who favored Zhenglong. At this time, in England, Richard Arkwright had already invented the invention.

The reel spinning machine evolved human spinning into hydraulic spinning, and the spinning industry gradually began to transition from handicraft workshops to large-scale factory industry.

In the 40th year of Qianlong's reign (1775), there seemed to be no major events in the Qing palace, but in the distant United States, the War of Independence broke out.

In the forty-one year of Qianlong's reign (1776), the imperial concubine died of illness, and she was given the posthumous title of Imperial Concubine Ling Yi. At this point, Sister Wei, who dominated the harem in "Story of Yanxi Palace", was offline.

Just when Sister Wei left the assembly line, the "Declaration of Independence" was signed in the United States, which also became the beginning of the founding of the United States. At that time, Americans should not have imagined that their motherland would grow into a superpower hundreds of years later.

You can impact the world.

By the way, two years after Sister Wei went offline, Joseph Brahm invented the flush toilet. Unfortunately, Sister Wei, who was cleaning the toilet bowl in Yongxiang of Daqing, no longer knows about it. At that time, in Daqing, Yongxiangzhong

There will never be a shortage of slaves to clean the toilets.

In the forty-fourth year of Qianlong's reign (1779), the garden of Prince Gong's Mansion of Heshen, a bachelor and first-class public official (and a corrupt official), began to be built.

In the UK, Samuel Crompton, who was a child laborer, invented the spindle worsted spinning machine in this year, which brought the British spinning industry to a higher level - the cotton yarn spun by this machine was soft and fine, far superior to

On jenny and reel spinning machines.

In the forty-fifth year of Qianlong's reign (1780), Qianlong began his fifth southern tour. Then he betrothed his favorite tenth daughter of the emperor, Gu Lun and Princess Xiao, to Heshen's son Fengshen Yinde. In July, Panchen VI went to spend the summer vacation.

The villa met Emperor Qianlong in the Qingkuang Hall and presented golden Buddha statues, ritual instruments, Dharani sutras, quilts, etc. to celebrate Emperor Qianlong's birthday. He later passed away in the capital.

At this time, the Qing Dynasty seemed peaceful, but the world outside had been turned upside down - the first naval battle of Cape St. Vincent broke out that year, and the British defeated the Spanish warships. Subsequently, Russia established an armed neutrality alliance with some European powers to jointly

To deal with British attacks at sea.

In the forty-eighth year of Qianlong's reign (1783), Emperor Qianlong made his fourth eastward tour to Shengjing to pay homage to his ancestors' mausoleums. This was also the last eastward tour in his life, and it was also the last eastward tour for the Qing emperors in the so-called prosperous age. Although all previous emperors had

The Eastern Tour was used to inspect the people's sentiments, deploy military forces, reward and punish officials, and supervise governance. However, because Qianlong loved to show off, it was inevitable that this Eastern Tour would waste a lot of people and money.

While Qianlong was on his glorious tour to the east, Americans were still working hard for their country's independence - American negotiators John Adams, Benjamin Franklin and John Jay submitted the Treaty of Paris to Congress, which included Britain's recognition of American independence.

and delineated key terms such as boundaries.

In the same year, the Montgolfier brothers successfully conducted the first manned flight experiment.

In January of the forty-ninth year of Qianlong's reign (1784), the American War of Independence officially ended. In order to show support for the new republic in the United States, "the college located in New York City, previously known as King's College, will from now on be forever known as King's College."

It’s called Columbia College, which is now many people’s dream school—Columbia University.

In February, China and the United States conducted their first direct trade. The Americans, who had just escaped from British rule, sailed the ocean-going sailing ship "Queen of China" and docked at Guangzhou Port.

The Americans spent US$120,000 on this trade, but the net profit was only more than US$30,000. However, this transaction was considered a great value for the United States - they finally got rid of the British monopoly on international trade and opened up channels.

Trade routes to China.

In the fiftieth year of Qianlong's reign (1785), the Qing Dynasty was at peace and the world was prosperous. It happened that Qianlong was happy to have a fifth-generation grandson. To show his great kindness, Qianlong held a banquet for thousands of seniors in Chengqian Palace. According to records

, 3,000 old people attended this banquet, and a large number of them died after they returned.

And just when Qianlong held the Qianlong Banquet, which was an unprecedented event, the British had entered another era - the age of machines and steam. Watt improved the steam engine and began to use it as textile machinery.

The driving force is also the symbol of the first industrial revolution.

It is a pity that the gears of the times did not carry the Qing Dynasty.

What happens next is just like what Empress Fucha said in "Story of Yanxi Palace": "One wrong step will lead to a wrong step."

In the fifty-fourth year of Qianlong's reign (1789), the 78-year-old Qianlong, although he had come into contact with the globe, the Parker lens and even the heliocentric theory, and knew that people had traveled around the entire earth, he still turned a deaf ear to the changes in the outside world and concentrated on perfecting it.

and consolidated his autocratic rule.

It was also in this year that the French King Louis XVI on the other side of the ocean convened a meeting of the Estates-General, but it was dissolved because the third estate (bourgeoisie, urban civilians, farmers, etc.) had objections to their representative power.

In July, the Bastille, a symbol of French feudal autocratic rule, was captured by Paris citizens, and the French Revolution broke out.

On August 4, the French National Constituent Assembly passed the "August Decree", and the nobility and clergy lost their privileges. Subsequently, the "Declaration of Human Rights" with constitutional validity was issued.

In October, French women formed a parade to demand government officials to solve food shortages and economic problems, and also asked the royal family and the government to move to Paris to show their sincerity in solving the problem. In the end, the king followed public opinion and moved from Versailles to the Tuileries Palace in Paris.

In the same year, Washington became the first president of the United States.

In the fifty-eighth year of Qianlong (1793), the people of the Qing Dynasty were still living in the cage of autocratic rule carefully reinforced by Qianlong. The French National Assembly had executed King Louis XVI for treason, and then Queen Marie Anne

Toinette was also executed.

That year, there were still eight years before Qianlong abdicated the throne, and he was inevitably aging.

Along with Qianlong, the Qing Dynasty, which had been ruled by Aisin Gioro for hundreds of years, also grew old. The world had completely left this secluded place and entered another era, but the rulers here still ignored the suffering of the people and were drunk on

In his own "Kang and Qian Dynasties".

And another 50 years later, things like electric lights and telegraphs began to appear in the world.

Later... the five-thousand-year-old King was forcibly turned into bronze.
Chapter completed!