How to run an empire in Inner Asia : The Qing court, summer 1780
Type
presentation
Date Issued
2003-01-16
Author(s)
Abstract
The focus of this paper is the Qianlong emperor's residence at Chengde where he spent summer 1780. I propose the micro-study of a place in order to better understand the interaction that altered both the center and the periphery of the Qing empire. The relationship that Inner China has had with Inner Asia (Tibet, Inner and Outer Mongolia, and Xinjiang or Eastern Turkestan) is a field of study that is quickly changing. My purpose is to broaden our traditional vision of Eighteenth century history and geography to include imperial China's frontier areas. This allows me to examine the contributions made by "national minorities" to the building of a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, and trans-continental state. "Building" means here more than a metaphor as I examine the garden architecture and religious landscape of Chengde. I emphasize the role of Tibetan Buddhism and the legacy of the Mongol empire in the definition of ethnicity. To do so, I rely on the recent scholarship that have enriched the perspective on the management of the Qing empire.
Language
English
Keywords
Buddhist architecture
Chengde (Hebei
China)
ethnicity
Kangxi emperor
Qianlong emperor
frontier studies
garden history
Qing dynasty
cultural landscape
Tibetan Buddhism
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
No
Event Title
University of Zurich, East Asian Seminar
Event Location
Zurich (Switzerland)
Subject(s)
Eprints ID
215201