Learn How to Pronounce Qianlong | YouPronounce.it
How to Pronounce Qianlong
(Listen to the audio below for the stress and intonation)
Meaning and Context
The Qianlong Emperor, born Hongli, presided over the Qing Dynasty from 1735 to 1796, marking one of the most expansive and culturally prolific reigns in Chinese history. His six-decade rule, which formally ended with his abdication in 1796 to honor his grandfather the Kangxi Emperor's record, represents the zenith of Qing imperial power, territorial reach, and economic might. This High Qing era was characterized by massive military campaigns that solidified control over Xinjiang and Tibet, unprecedented patronage of the arts leading to a vast collection of paintings, ceramics, and jades, and the compilation of the Siku Quanshu, the largest collection of books in Chinese history. However, his later years saw the rise of corruption, most notably through his favorite Heshen, and sowed the seeds for dynastic decline. The Qianlong Emperor's legacy is thus a complex tapestry of Qing dynasty golden age achievements, imperial Chinese art patronage, and the beginning of late Qing dynasty challenges, making his Forbidden City court a pivotal subject for understanding 18th century China.
Common Mistakes and Alternative Spellings
The standard and correct romanization is "Qianlong," following the modern Hanyu Pinyin system. Historically, the name was rendered in older systems, most commonly as "Ch'ien-lung" using the Wade-Giles system, which researchers may still encounter in older academic texts. A frequent misspelling arises from phonetic guessing, leading to errors like "Qianlong" (incorrectly adding a diacritic), "Qian Long" (splitting the two characters into separate words), or "Chienlong." The "Q" in Pinyin can also cause confusion, leading to spellings such as "Qianlong." It is important to note that "Qianlong" is his era name (nianhao), not his personal name, which was Hongli. In formal contexts, he is correctly referred to as the Qianlong Emperor, not "Emperor Qianlong," following the convention for Ming and Qing rulers.
Example Sentences
Scholars often study the Qianlong Emperor's extensive poetry and his inscriptions on ancient artworks to understand imperial aesthetics during the High Qing period.
The emperor's southern inspection tours, meticulously depicted in monumental scroll paintings, were grand political spectacles designed to consolidate Manchu authority over the Han Chinese heartland.
While Qianlong's military campaigns, known as the Ten Great Campaigns, greatly expanded the dynasty's borders, they also placed a tremendous financial strain on the imperial treasury.
Today, artifacts from the Qianlong era, such as famille rose porcelain and intricate cloisonné, are highlights of major museum collections worldwide.
His decision to reject British diplomatic overtures during the Macartney Embassy in 1793 is frequently analyzed as a turning point in China's relations with the expanding West.
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