乾隆写给英国国王的信，至今珍藏在大英博物馆，976字 乾隆说了啥 ？

乾隆晚年，清政府也逐渐开始走下坡路了，虽然败绩未现，但已经可窥端倪。
《敕英咭利国王谕》
本文来源：From Backhouse, E. and J. O. P. Bland, Annals and Memoirs of the Court of Peking . Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1914. pp. 322-331.

奉天承运，皇帝敕谕，英吉利国王知悉：

咨尔国王，远在重洋，倾心向化，特遣使恭赍表章，航海来廷，叩祝万寿，并备进方物，用将忱悃（还带了不少礼物，忠心可嘉）。朕披阅表文，词意肫恳，具见国王恭顺之诚，深为嘉许。所有赍到表贡之正副使臣，念其奉使远涉，推恩加礼。已令大臣带领瞻觐（让大臣带领他们瞻仰天朝文明，赐予筵宴，叠加赏赉，用示怀柔。其已回珠山之管船官役人等六百余名，虽未来京，朕亦优加赏赐，俾得普沾恩惠，一视同仁（已经回到宁波珠山的管船役使等600多人虽然没有来京，我也一视同仁给与优厚赏赐，让大家都沾沾光）。

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.

至尔国王表内恳请派一尔国之人住居天朝，照管尔国买卖一节，此则与天朝体制不合，断不可行。向来西洋各国有愿来天朝当差之人，原准其来京，但既来之后，即遵用天朝服色，安置堂内，永远不准复回本国，此系天朝定制，想尔国王亦所知悉。今尔国王欲求派一尔国之人居住京城，既不能若来京当差之西洋人，在京居住不归本国，又不可听其往来，常通信息，实为无益之事。且天朝所管地方至为广远，凡外藩使臣到京，驿馆供给，行止出入，俱有一定体制，从无听其自便之例。今尔国若留人在京，言语不通，服饰殊制，无地可以安置。若必似来京当差之西洋人，令其一律改易服饰，天朝亦不肯强人以所难。设天朝欲差人常驻尔国，亦岂尔国所能遵行（假设我天朝也派人常住你国，恐怕你国也不同意吧？）？况西洋诸国甚多，非止尔一国，若俱似尔国王恳请派人留京，岂能一一听许？是此事断难准行。岂能因尔国王一人之请，以至更张天朝百余年法度（不能因为国王你一人之请，将天朝一百多年的规矩给废了）。

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.

若云尔国王为照料买卖起见，则尔国人在澳门贸易非止一日，原无不加以恩视（若派人来京是为了照顾买卖起见，那你国人在澳门贸易也不是一天两天了，天朝原本对商人就没有另眼相看）。即如从前博尔都噶尔亚、意达哩亚等国屡次遣使来朝，亦曾以照料贸易为请。天朝鉴其悃忱，优加体恤（像以前葡萄牙、意大利几国好几次派人来，也曾经以照顾贸易的名义请我关照。天朝看他们挺真诚的，也不容易，就多加体恤）。凡遇该国等贸易之事，无不照料周备。前次广东商人吴昭平有拖欠洋船价值银两者，俱饬令该管总督由官库内先行动支帑项代为清还，并将拖欠商人重治其罪。想此事尔国亦闻知矣，外国又何必派人留京，为此越例断不可行之请？况留人在京，距澳门贸易处所几及万里，伊亦何能照料耶（何况你们派人驻京，京城距澳门差不多一万里，他怎么能照顾到？）？若云仰慕天朝，欲其观习教化，则天朝自有天朝礼法，与尔国各不相同。尔国所留之人即能习学，尔国自有风俗制度，亦断不能效法中国，即学会亦属无用。

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，惟励精图治，办理政务，奇珍异宝，并不贵重（天朝管辖的地方那么大，我想的是如何励精图治，至于奇珍异宝啥的我并不看得很重）。尔国王此次赍进各物，念其诚心远献，特谕该管衙门收纳（你啊这次进贡了不少礼物，念你特别诚恳大老远献来了，我才特别下旨让有关部门收了）。其实天朝德威远被，万国来王，种种贵重之物，梯航毕集，无所下有，尔之正使等所亲见（其实天朝德泽四方，威加海内，万国来朝，通过水旱两路给我进贡，咱啥贵重玩意儿都不缺，这些你的使者都是亲眼见过的）。然从不贵奇巧，并无更需尔国制办物件。是尔国王所请派人留京一事，于天朝体制既属不合，而于尔国亦殊觉无益。特此详晰开示，遣令该使等安程回国（我把话都挑明了，现令让你国使者马上安排回国行程）。尔国王惟当善体朕意，益励款诚，永矢恭顺，以保义尔有邦，共享太平之福（国王你应该很好地领会我的意思，对天朝要更加诚心归附，发誓永远对天朝恭顺，天朝的恩泽就能施予你们国家，共建和谐社会）。除正副使臣以下各官及通事兵役人等正贯加赏各物件另单赏给外，兹因尔国使臣归国，特颁敕谕，并赐赍尔国王文绮珍物，具如常仪，加赐彩缎罗绮，文玩器具诸珍（除了正副使臣以下一干人等都按等级赏给各种物件，因为你国使者马上就要回国，我又特别下令，除了按常规赏给你的好玩意儿以外，加赐你绫罗绸缎、文玩器具等好玩意儿若干），另有清单。王其祗受，悉朕眷怀（皇恩浩荡，那都是我对你们的关怀）。

特此敕谕。

——《清实录》

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!

提及乾隆皇帝，“康乾盛世”就会随口而出，乾隆皇帝的人格魅力、巧妙地用人之道和治国之道使康乾盛世达到了空前的顶峰。“夫物盛而衰，乐极则悲。”河清海晏民殷国富的背后也暗暗预示了衰败的开端，先从乾隆写给英国国王的信开始说起。
在大英博物馆陈列柜内，保存这样一封回信《乾隆致英吉利国王书》内容其中一部分是这样的：“朕披阅表文，词意肫恳，具见尔国王恭顺之诚，深为嘉许。至尔国王表内恳请派一尔国之人住居天朝，照管尔国买卖一节，此则与天朝体制不合，断不可行。
若云仰慕天朝，欲其观习教化，则天朝自有天朝礼法，与尔国各不相同。尔国所留之人即能习学，尔国自有风俗制度，亦断不能效法中国，即学会亦属无用。”
大概的意思是说：“我看了你的来信，意思态度还是很诚恳的，深得我的高兴，你派来的人我会大大赏赐他们的，但是你派使节在我的大天朝，方便你们贸易这件事，与我大清体制不符，我大清朝疆域辽阔，物资丰硕，是不可以的，如果你仰慕我大天朝，可以观察学习，天朝的礼法制度是与你们国家不相同的，我们先进的思想制度，是你们万万学不会的，倘若学会了也不会用的，学了也无用”。

从这几句节选的短短几句话中，闭关锁国的韵味就出来了，这封信被称作“中国近代史的敲门砖”褒贬一语道破。高高在上骄傲自满的陈述着回馈给大英帝国的赏赐，短短几年后，大清国重重地向英国赔了不是。
当时的英国是什么样子的呢？当时的英国已经完成了第一次工业革命，开创了以机器代替手工劳动的时代，“日不落帝国”开始形成，由机器制造逐渐取代了传统的手工艺，为此开始寻求全球贸易。
而此时的乾隆皇帝正四处下江南，游山玩水赏悦着盛世下的天下太平，在前两位皇帝的基础上，乾隆时期的经济社会文化都有了进一步的发展，主张“宽严相济之道”巩固皇朝内部局势，平息边疆外部动荡取得了瞩目的政治成绩，对于科技类的东西向来嗤之以鼻，根本没有贸易的需要，他巧妙地形容为“奇淫技巧”。
1973年，当时的英国伯爵马戈尔尼受当时英国国王乔治三世之托，出使中国时便对大清有了全新的摸底了解。初到大清国，马戈尔尼丝毫不敢怠慢，他带着英国的使命率领600多人带上了当时英国各类科技与文明的礼品，其中包含天文、医疗、图书、车辆、手枪军用品等来寻求大清这个最大的贸易商，势在必行的要拿到这个贸易伙伴。

当时的中国主要盛产瓷器和茶叶，世界互通友好常常都带有敬畏之情，对皇帝毕恭毕敬。中国地大物博，科技生成丝毫从未涉及，自然成了英国首要的贸易对象。初见大清皇帝，马戈尔尼受单膝下跪表达着自己的敬意，并上呈了英国自认为互利平等的“通商请求”。
无事不登三宝殿，无利不起早，马戈尔尼自信地认为自己所带来的的科技和军事方面的礼物，模型以英国常用的四轮马车为主，在英国经过改造后大大提升了运输效率，以“皇家君主号最为醒目”乘坐拥有64门火炮的“狮子号”之外还特地带了个主力舰足以让乾隆皇帝大开眼界并接受贸易，在通商请求中，英国野蛮要求单方面的在中国商贸自由，并减轻通商赋税，权利平等，只字未提大清国的互通贸易问题，
可惜，这两件礼物都没有引起乾隆的注意——尽管那时候中国依旧沿用的是千百年流传下来的两轮畜力车，以及拥有的是自明朝“海禁”政策以来，已经大大退化的落后海军。随后看到皇帝欲求不满后马戈尔尼寻求皇帝的允许，希望由他带来的随行人员能为各位在坐的皇室进行一场展示，能更清楚的了解科技武器的威力，“看也可，不看也可，这种火器操法，没有什么稀罕。”
大臣们回答。事实上，当时清朝官员所配备的大多以刀剑冷兵器为主，对于手枪一无所知，最多也就了解过英国已经淘汰的火绳枪，威力极小。大臣认为雕虫小技，上不了台面。这时的乾隆皇帝正骄傲自满地沉浸在自己统治下的盛世之中，怎会受如此礼节，立即提笔回信。
马戈尔尼一团不久就遭到和珅以天气冷，气候不适水土不服为由驱赶。中国官吏奉命要带马戈尔尼使团好好游历一番大清国的大好河山。
而他万万没想到，过于自满的外交回信和游历送行也给大清王朝画上了半个句号。《西湖佳话·三台梦迹》：“也先不道,志满气骄,将有长驱深入之势,不可不预之防。”志高身下,敏事慎言没有意识到大清的不足，师夷长技以制夷。
乾隆皇帝采取的极端的外交手段，无疑是对英国的一番羞辱，在送行游历的过程中，马戈尔尼使团并未好好感受大好河山一番，而是颠覆了对这个神秘国度的认知。
马可波罗曾记载中国“遍地是黄金”，离开皇宫，官僚贪污腐败，拨款救灾的银两被层层克扣，黄金万两并不能解决天灾人祸的威胁，而这些皇帝并未知情，皇帝沾沾自喜的治国之道上，存在着大臣的叙事谎报，并未真正达到天下太平，也没有进一步东墙西墙一起补，军事文化齐头并进。
当时的清朝军队，兵力富足但素质软弱，武力和智力都远远不及。普通老百姓房屋简陋，食不果腹，衣不蔽体，街上乞丐，小偷肆意，治理之风不正。“仓廪实而知礼节，衣食足而知荣辱”在这种恶劣的社会风气下，百姓没有更高的物质追求。
除了皇宫，便是截然不同的两个天地。马戈尔尼使团随即抓住了这次游历的机会，对中国当时的国家状态和国力状态进行了综合的考察，随行的亚历山大画家对经过的山水，人物，交通，建筑，生活常态都做了大量的记载，最后归纳发现，之前敬畏的拥有“四大发明”东方神秘色彩的中国，不管是科技还是文化方面都远远比他想象的落后，远不如英国。
对于中国当时的军队和社会情况，马戈尔尼归纳为：“不堪一击，清政府的政策跟自负有关，它很想凌驾各国，但目光如豆，只知道防止人民智力进步。”带着遗憾离开了中国，带着希望回到了英国。

46年后，大清给英国赔了不是。英国的炮舰出现在的广州的海面上，清政府慌了，角色互换了，高傲的大清国丝毫没有谈判的资本，尔为刀殂，我为鱼肉。
谈判签订《南京条约》时，一个叫斯当东·托马斯的58岁议员的话起到了关键作用：“我很了解这民族的性格，很了解对这民族进行专制统治的阶级的性格，我肯定：如果我们想获得某种结果，谈判的同时还要使用武力炫耀。”
斯当东·托马斯当时是马戈尔尼访团的一员小将，当时年满12岁。大清没有选择的余地，甚至自拟条款成功地与英国“通商”了。1842年此后，英国的英国的“皋华丽”号战舰耀武扬威地停在了南京的江面”。而这封976字的写给英国皇帝的回信，现存大英博物馆，字字发人深省。

这两天，看了两三集电视剧《天下长河》，看到的是敬天爱民的好皇帝，似乎可以盛世永远。
而历史事实却是:即使在康乾盛世，因为强化专制，实施海禁，与世界潮流渐行渐远(尤其是在社会治理、商业文化、海洋文明的方面)，这为后来的皇朝崩溃，埋下了伏笔！