WITH A SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER OF RECENT EVENTSBY MAYO W. HAZELTINE
[Illustration: THE EMPEROR RECEIVING THE DIPLOMATIC CORPSChina Frontispiece]
I DEDICATE THIS SHORTHISTORY OF CHINATOSIR HALLIDAY MACARTNEY, K.C.M.G.AS A SLIGHT TRIBUTE OF PERSONAL RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR ONE WHOHAS MAINTAINED THE RIGHT OF CHINA TO BE TREATED BY THEGOVERNMENTS OF EUROPE WITH THE DIGNITY ANDCONSIDERATION THAT BECOME AGREAT EMPIRE.
IF TO LORD MACARTNEY WE OWE THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO OBTAINAUDIENCE OF THE EMPEROR OF CHINA ON THE SAME CONDITIONSAS THOSE ON WHICH FOREIGN AMBASSADORSARE RECEIVED AT EUROPEAN COURTS, TOSIR HALLIDAY MACARTNEYA SCION OF THE SAME FAMILYCHINAOWES MUCH OF THE SUCCESS THAT HAS ATTENDED HER DIPLOMACYIN FOREIGN COUNTRIES
CONTENTS
CHAP.
I. THE EARLY AGES
II. THE FIRST NATIONAL DYNASTY
III. A LONG PERIOD OF DISUNION
IV. THE SUNGS AND THE KINS
V. THE MONGOL CONQUEST OF CHINA
VI. KUBLAI AND THE MONGOL DYNASTY
VII. THE MING DYNASTY
VIII. THE DECLINE OF THE MINGS
IX. THE MANCHU CONQUEST OF CHINA
X. THE FIRST MANCHU RULER
XI. THE EMPEROR KANGHI
XII. A SHORT REIGN AND THE BEGINNING OF A LONG ONE
XIII. KEEN LUNG'S WARS AND CONQUESTS
XIV. THE COMMENCEMENT OF EUROPEAN INTERCOURSE
XV. THE DECLINE OF THE MANCHUS
XVI. THE EMPEROR TAOUKWANG
XVII. THE FIRST FOREIGN WAR
XVIII. TAOUKWANG AND HIS SUCCESSOR
XIX. THE SECOND FOREIGN WAR
XX. THE TAEPING REBELLION
XXI. THE REGENCY
XXII. THE REIGN OF KWANGSU
THE WAR WITH JAPAN AND SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
THE FUTURE OF CHINA
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Frontispiece—The Emperor Receiving the Diplomatic Corps Hong Kong Canton—The Flower Pagoda Kang, the Reformer
PREFACE
As China has now fairly taken her place in the family of nations, it isunnecessary to elaborate an argument in support of even the humblestattempt to elucidate her history. It is a subject to which we can nolonger remain indifferent, because circumstances are bringing every daymore clearly into view the important part China must play in the changesthat have become imminent in Asia, and that will affect the security ofour position and empire in that continent. A good understanding with Chinashould be the first article of our Eastern policy, for not only in CentralAsia, but also in Indo-China, where French ambition threatens to create afresh Egypt, her interests coincide with ours and furnish the sound basisof a fruitful alliance.
This book, which I may be pardoned for saying is not an abridgment of myoriginal work, but entirely rewritten and rearranged with the view ofgiving prominence to the modern history of the Chinese Empire, may appeal,although they generally treat Asiatic subjects with regrettableindifference,