一部近代史，就是一部捱揍史，捱揍一方面是因為落後，一方面是無知和無恥。

到了清朝統治時期，差距進一步拉。當康熙乾隆祖孫全力打造盛世的時候，西方國家已經開始飛速躍進，同時帶來的還有帝國主義與侵略擴張。

清朝統治者卻把科技發明看成是“奇技淫巧”，既不鼓勵科技發明，也不學習西方先進技術。不僅清朝皇帝，就是整個官僚集團甚至黎民百姓，都覺得大清是天下第一，大清偉大、繁榮、富強。

直到清朝末年，老佛爺慈禧和各權力機關的大佬大臣還都以“天朝上國”自居，把西方國家的叫做“蠻夷”。

這位湖廣官員的日記中這樣寫道：“竊自各國使臣呈國書請覲以來，諸臣會議，初則爭議見與不見，繼又爭以跪拜與不跪拜，相持不決，近半年矣。”從這篇日記可以看出，當時的清廷官員是多麼的狂妄自大，外國使節正常交流，而大清官員還在為芝麻大小的禮儀爭論不休。

當時的清朝已經遠遠地被西方國家甩在後面，而那些滿清重臣渾然不覺，還在做著“萬國來朝”的美夢，真是夜郎自大，井底之蛙。

乾隆下江南的排場

同樣的事情在乾隆時期也發生過，那時英國使節帶來了世界上最先進的機械裝置與火器來討好乾隆爺，與清朝交流，可是乾隆皇帝卻非常鄙視，覺得那是“夷人的小把戲”，嗤之以鼻。

那位英國使節數年後再次到訪，詢問乾隆皇帝時，乾隆才讓奴才開啟雜物間，武器上長滿了蜘蛛網，機器已經鏽跡斑斑。

大清這種狂妄自大的做派，到清朝滅亡都沒有改過來。本來華夏文明是世界四大文明，歷史上一直是世界的排頭兵，但到了後來卻被歐洲超越，不能不說是一個巨大的諷刺。

而妄自尊大的清朝皇帝卻不知道天高地厚，覺得自己就是天下老大，是萬國之首，那些“小國”離開自己就不能獨活。

1793年，英國國王派馬嘎爾尼率團曾經到訪過清朝，他們看中了這個龐大的市場，向清朝丟擲橄欖枝，還帶來了大量的珍寶，向大清投石問路。

大清繪製的馬嘎爾尼訪華圖

除此之外，他們還帶來了工業革命的先進成果，蒸汽機、織布機、天體儀、地球儀、鐘錶和榴彈炮、毛瑟槍、步槍及軍艦模型等一應俱全。

英國這樣做，還是算真誠的，他們不僅是想取悅清朝皇帝，還是在告訴清朝人，你們已經有點落後了哦，趕緊奮起直追吧。

可是出乎英國人的意料，清朝的官員們看到這些凝聚著他們心血的文明成果，好像看到妖孽一樣排斥。讓英國人暗香：似乎用文明手段是行不通的。

就是大清皇帝乾隆，對英國進獻的這些禮物也沒有正眼瞧一下，他覺得大清天朝上國，什麼都是最好的。外國人到底是蠻夷小國，只會一些雕蟲小技，可笑可憐。假如乾隆認真看看這些東西，從中會受到啟發，也許會激發自己的鬥志，大刀闊斧進行改革，此後清朝的屈辱也許就不會出現了。

乾隆皇帝回覆的國書

於是文采飛揚的乾隆，在回覆英國的國書中寫下來這麼一段話（大意）：

我們天朝上國地大物博，幅員遼闊，人民聰明勤勞，所以物品都能自給自足，不屑於通商。如爾等喜歡的瓷器、絲綢等物，我可以每年賞賜你們一些，送你們許多；爾等蕞爾小國就不用花費老百姓的錢，千里迢迢每年來天朝上貢了，只需要心向天朝足矣。

附錄：珍貴資料：乾隆皇帝給英國國王的信（中英對照）

《敕英咭利國王諭》

奉天承運，皇帝敕諭，英吉利國王知悉：

諮爾國王，遠在重洋，傾心向化，特遣使恭齎表章，航海來廷，叩祝萬壽，並備進方物，用將忱悃（還帶了不少禮物，忠心可嘉）。朕披閱表文，詞意肫懇，具見國王恭順之誠，深為嘉許。所有齎到表貢之正副使臣，念其奉使遠涉，推恩加禮。已令大臣帶領瞻覲（讓大臣帶領他們瞻仰天朝文明，賜予筵宴，疊加賞賚，用示懷柔。其已回珠山之管船官役人等六百餘名，雖未來京，朕亦優加賞賜，俾得普霑恩惠，一視同仁（已經回到寧波珠山的管船役使等600多人雖然沒有來京，我也一視同仁給與優厚賞賜，讓大家都沾沾光）。

You， O King， live beyond the confines of many seas。 Nevertheless， impelled by your humble desire to partake of the benefits of our civilisation， you have dispatched a mission respectfully bearing your memorial。 Your Envoy has crossed the seas and paid his respects at my Court on the anniversary of my birthday。 To show your devotion， you have also sent offerings of your country‘s produce。

I have perused your memorial： the earnest terms in which it is couched reveal a respectful humility on your part， which is highly praiseworthy。 In consideration of the fact that your Ambassador and his deputy have come a long way with your memorial and tribute， I have shown them high favour and have allowed them to be introduced into my presence。 To manifest my indulgence， I have entertained them at a banquet and made them numerous gifts。 I have also caused presents to be forwarded to the Naval Commander and six hundred of his officers and men， although they did not come to Peking， so that they too may share in my all-embracing kindness。

至爾國王表內懇請派一爾國之人住居天朝，照管爾國買賣一節，此則與天朝體制不合，斷不可行。向來西洋各國有願來天朝當差之人，原準其來京，但既來之後，即遵用天朝服色，安置堂內，永遠不準復回本國，此係天朝定製，想爾國王亦所知悉。今爾國王欲求派一爾國之人居住京城，既不能若來京當差之西洋人，在京居住不歸本國，又不可聽其往來，常通訊息，實為無益之事。且天朝所管地方至為廣遠，凡外藩使臣到京，驛館供給，行止出入，俱有一定體制，從無聽其自便之例。今爾國若留人在京，言語不通，服飾殊制，無地可以安置。若必似來京當差之西洋人，令其一律改易服飾，天朝亦不肯強人以所難。設天朝欲差人常駐爾國，亦豈爾國所能遵行（假設我天朝也派人常住你國，恐怕你國也不同意吧？）？況西洋諸國甚多，非止爾一國，若俱似爾國王懇請派人留京，豈能一一聽許？是此事斷難準行。豈能因爾國王一人之請，以至更張天朝百餘年法度（不能因為國王你一人之請，將天朝一百多年的規矩給廢了）。

As to your entreaty to send one of your nationals to be accredited to my Celestial Court and to be in control of your country’s trade with China， this request is contrary to all usage of my dynasty and cannot possibly be entertained。 It is true that Europeans， in the service of the dynasty， have been permitted to live at Peking， but they are compelled to adopt Chinese dress， they are strictly confined to their own precincts and are never permitted to return home。 You are presumably familiar with our dynastic regulations。 Your proposed Envoy to my Court could not be placed in a position similar to that of European officials in Peking who are forbidden to leave China， nor could he， on the other hand， be allowed liberty of movement and the privilege of corresponding with his own country； so that you would gain nothing by his residence in our midst。

若云爾國王為照料買賣起見，則爾國人在澳門貿易非止一日，原無不加以恩視（若派人來京是為了照顧買賣起見，那你國人在澳門貿易也不是一天兩天了，天朝原本對商人就沒有另眼相看）。即如從前博爾都噶爾亞、意達哩亞等國屢次遣使來朝，亦曾以照料貿易為請。天朝鑑其悃忱，優加體恤（像以前葡萄牙、義大利幾國好幾次派人來，也曾經以照顧貿易的名義請我關照。天朝看他們挺真誠的，也不容易，就多加體恤）。凡遇該國等貿易之事，無不照料周備。前次廣東商人吳昭平有拖欠洋船價值銀兩者，俱飭令該管總督由官庫內先行動支帑項代為清還，並將拖欠商人重治其罪。想此事爾國亦聞知矣，外國又何必派人留京，為此越例斷不可行之請？況留人在京，距澳門貿易處所幾及萬里，伊亦何能照料耶（何況你們派人駐京，京城距澳門差不多一萬里，他怎麼能照顧到？）？若雲仰慕天朝，欲其觀習教化，則天朝自有天朝禮法，與爾國各不相同。爾國所留之人即能習學，爾國自有風俗制度，亦斷不能效法中國，即學會亦屬無用。

Moreover， our Celestial dynasty possesses vast territories， and tribute missions from the dependencies are provided for by the Department for Tributary States， which ministers to their wants and exercises strict control over their movements。 It would be quite impossible to leave them to their own devices。 Supposing that your Envoy should come to our Court， his language and national dress differ from that of our people， and there would be no place in which to bestow him。 It may be suggested that he might imitate the Europeans permanently resident in Peking and adopt the dress and customs of China， but， it has never been our dynasty‘s wish to force people to do things unseemly and inconvenient。 Besides， supposing I sent an Ambassador to reside in your country， how could you possibly make for him the requisite arrangements？ Europe consists of many other nations besides your own： if each and all demanded to be represented at our Court， how could we possibly consent？ The thing is utterly impracticable。 How can our dynasty alter its whole procedure and system of etiquette， established for more than a century， in order to meet your individual views？ If it be said that your object is to exercise control over your country’s trade， your nationals have had full liberty to trade at Canton for many a year， and have received the greatest consideration at our hands。 Missions have been sent by Portugal and Italy， preferring similar requests。 The Throne appreciated their sincerity and loaded them with favours， besides authorising measures to facilitate their trade with China。 You are no doubt aware that， when my Canton merchant， Wu Chao-ping， who was in debt to foreign ships。 I made the Viceroy advance the monies due， out of the provincial treasury， and ordered him to punish the culprit severely。 Why then should foreign nations advance this utterly unreasonable request to be represented at my Court？ Peking is nearly two thousand miles from Canton， and at such a distance what possible control could any British representative exercise？

天朝扶有四海，惟勵精圖治，辦理政務，奇珍異寶，並不貴重（天朝管轄的地方那麼大，我想的是如何勵精圖治，至於奇珍異寶啥的我並不看得很重）。爾國王此次齎進各物，念其誠心遠獻，特諭該管衙門收納（你啊這次進貢了不少禮物，念你特別誠懇大老遠獻來了，我才特別下旨讓有關部門收了）。其實天朝德威遠被，萬國來王，種種貴重之物，梯航畢集，無所下有，爾之正使等所親見（其實天朝德澤四方，威加海內，萬國來朝，透過水旱兩路給我進貢，咱啥貴重玩意兒都不缺，這些你的使者都是親眼見過的）。然從不貴奇巧，並無更需爾國制辦物件。是爾國王所請派人留京一事，於天朝體制既屬不合，而於爾國亦殊覺無益。特此詳晰開示，遣令該使等安程回國（我把話都挑明瞭，現令讓你國使者馬上安排回國行程）。爾國王惟當善體朕意，益勵款誠，永矢恭順，以保義爾有邦，共享太平之福（國王你應該很好地領會我的意思，對天朝要更加誠心歸附，發誓永遠對天朝恭順，天朝的恩澤就能施予你們國家，共建和諧社會）。除正副使臣以下各官及通事兵役人等正貫加賞各物件另單賞給外，茲因爾國使臣歸國，特頒敕諭，並賜齎爾國王文綺珍物，具如常儀，加賜綵緞羅綺，文玩器具諸珍（除了正副使臣以下一干人等都按等級賞給各種物件，因為你國使者馬上就要回國，我又特別下令，除了按常規賞給你的好玩意兒以外，加賜你綾羅綢緞、文玩器具等好玩意兒若干），另有清單。王其祗受，悉朕眷懷（皇恩浩蕩，那都是我對你們的關懷）。

特此敕諭。

——《清實錄》

Qianlong’s Letter to George III， 1793

If you assert that your reverence for Our Celestial dynasty fills you with a desire to acquire our civilisation， our ceremonies and code of laws differ so completely from your own that， even if your Envoy were able to acquire the rudiments of our civilisation， you could not possibly transplant our manners and customs to your alien soil。 Therefore， however adept the Envoy might become， nothing would be gained thereby。

Swaying the wide world， I have but one aim in view， namely， to maintain a perfect governance and to fulfil the duties of the State： strange and costly objects do not interest me。 If I have commanded that the tribute offerings sent by you， O King， are to be accepted， this was solely in consideration for the spirit which prompted you to dispatch them from afar。 Our dynasty‘s majestic virtue has penetrated unto every country under Heaven， and Kings of all nations have offered their costly tribute by land and sea。 As your Ambassador can see for himself， we possess all things。 I set no value on objects strange or ingenious， and have no use for your country’s manufactures。 This then is my answer to your request to appoint a representative at my Court， a request contrary to our dynastic usage， which would only result in inconvenience to yourself。 I have expounded my wishes in detail and have commanded your tribute Envoys to leave in peace on their homeward journey。 It behoves you， O King， to respect my sentiments and to display even greater devotion and loyalty in future， so that， by perpetual submission to our Throne， you may secure peace and prosperity for your country hereafter。 Besides making gifts （of which I enclose an inventory） to each member of your Mission， I confer upon you， O King， valuable presents in excess of the number usually bestowed on such occasions， including silks and curios-a list of which is likewise enclosed。 Do you reverently receive them and take note of my tender goodwill towards you！ A special mandate。

You， O King， from afar have yearned after the blessings of our civilisation， and in your eagerness to come into touch with our converting influence have sent an Embassy across the sea bearing a memorial。 I have already taken note of your respectful spirit of submission， have treated your mission with extreme favour and loaded it with gifts， besides issuing a mandate to you， O King， and honouring you with the bestowal of valuable presents。 Thus has my indulgence been manifested。

Yesterday your Ambassador petitioned my Ministers to memorialise me regarding your trade with China， but his proposal is not consistent with our dynastic usage and cannot be entertained。 Hitherto， all European nations， including your own country‘s barbarian merchants， have carried on their trade with our Celestial Empire at Canton。 Such has been the procedure for many years， although our Celestial Empire possesses all things in prolific abundance and lacks no product within its own borders。 There was therefore no need to import the manufactures of outside barbarians in exchange for our own produce。 But as the tea， silk and porcelain which the Celestial Empire produces， are absolute necessities to European nations and to yourselves， we have permitted， as a signal mark of favour， that foreign hongs ［merchant firms］ should be established at Canton， so that your wants might be supplied and your country thus participate in our beneficence。 But your Ambassador has now put forward new requests which completely fail to recognise the Throne’s principle to “treat strangers from afar with indulgence，” and to exercise a pacifying control over barbarian tribes， the world over。 Moreover， our dynasty， swaying the myriad races of the globe， extends the same benevolence towards all。 Your England is not the only nation trading at Canton。 If other nations， following your bad example， wrongfully importune my ear with further impossible requests， how will it be possible for me to treat them with easy indulgence？ Nevertheless， I do not forget the lonely remoteness of your island， cut off from the world by intervening wastes of sea， nor do I overlook your excusable ignorance of the usages of our Celestial Empire。 I have consequently commanded my Ministers to enlighten your Ambassador on the subject， and have ordered the departure of the mission。 But I have doubts that， after your Envoy‘s return he may fail to acquaint you with my view in detail or that he may be lacking in lucidity， so that I shall now proceed 。 。 。 to issue my mandate on each question separately。 In this way you will， I trust， comprehend my meaning。。。。

（3） Your request for a small island near Chusan， where your merchants may reside and goods be warehoused， arises from your desire to develop trade。 As there are neither foreign hongs nor interpreters in or near Chusan， where none of your ships have ever called， such an island would be utterly useless for your purposes。 Every inch of the territory of our Empire is marked on the map and the strictest vigilance is exercised over it all： even tiny islets and farlying sandbanks are clearly defined as part of the provinces to which they belong。 Consider， moreover， that England is not the only barbarian land which wishes to establish 。 。 。 trade with our Empire： supposing that other nations were all to imitate your evil example and beseech me to present them each and all with a site for trading purposes， how could I possibly comply？ This also is a flagrant infringement of the usage of my Empire and cannot possibly be entertained。

（4） The next request， for a small site in the vicinity of Canton city， where your barbarian merchants may lodge or， alternatively， that there be no longer any restrictions over their movements at Aomen， has arisen from the following causes。 Hitherto， the barbarian merchants of Europe have had a definite locality assigned to them at Aomen for residence and trade， and have been forbidden to encroach an inch beyond the limits assigned to that locality。。。。 If these restrictions were withdrawn， friction would inevitably occur between the Chinese and your barbarian subjects， and the results would militate against the benevolent regard that I feel towards you。 From every point of view， therefore， it is best that the regulations now in force should continue unchanged。。。。

（7） Regarding your nation’s worship of the Lord of Heaven， it is the same religion as that of other European nations。 Ever since the beginning of history， sage Emperors and wise rulers have bestowed on China a moral system and inculcated a code， which from time immemorial has been religiously observed by the myriads of my subjects。 There has been no hankering after heterodox doctrines。 Even the European （missionary） officials in my capital are forbidden to hold intercourse with Chinese subjects； they are restricted within the limits of their appointed residences， and may not go about propagating their religion。 The distinction between Chinese and barbarian is most strict， and your Ambassador‘s request that barbarians shall be given full liberty to disseminate their religion is utterly unreasonable。

It may be， O King， that the above proposals have been wantonly made by your Ambassador on his own responsibility， or peradventure you yourself are ignorant of our dynastic regulations and had no intention of transgressing them when you expressed these wild ideas and hopes。。。。 If， after the receipt of this explicit decree， you lightly give ear to the representations of your subordinates and allow your barbarian merchants to proceed to Chêkiang and Tientsin， with the object of landing and trading there， the ordinances of my Celestial Empire are strict in the extreme， and the local officials， both civil and military， are bound reverently to obey the law of the land。 Should your vessels touch the shore， your merchants will assuredly never be permitted to land or to reside there， but will be subject to instant expulsion。 In that event your barbarian merchants will have had a long journey for nothing。 Do not say that you were not warned in due time！ Tremblingly obey and show no negligence！ A special mandate！

宣告〡本文來源於網路。版權歸原作者及原出處所有，內容為作者觀點，不代表本公眾號贊同其觀點和對其真實性負責。如涉及版權問題，請與我們聯絡。