Produced by Anne Soulard, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team. CHINA BY DEMETRIUS CHARLES BOULGER WITH A SUPPLEMENTARY CHAPTER OF RECENT EVENTS BY MAYO W. HAZELTINE [Illustration: THE EMPEROR RECEIVING THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS _China Frontispiece_] I DEDICATE THIS SHORT HISTORY OF CHINA TO SIR HALLIDAY MACARTNEY, K.C.M.G. AS A SLIGHT TRIBUTE OF PERSONAL RESPECT AND ADMIRATION FOR ONE WHO HAS MAINTAINED THE RIGHT OF CHINA TO BE TREATED BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF EUROPE WITH THE DIGNITY AND CONSIDERATION THAT BECOME A GREAT EMPIRE. IF TO LORD MACARTNEY WE OWE THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN AUDIENCE OF THE EMPEROR OF CHINA ON THE SAME CONDITIONS AS THOSE ON WHICH FOREIGN AMBASSADORS ARE RECEIVED AT EUROPEAN COURTS, TO SIR HALLIDAY MACARTNEY A SCION OF THE SAME FAMILY CHINA OWES MUCH OF THE SUCCESS THAT HAS ATTENDED HER DIPLOMACY IN 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 is unnecessary to elaborate an argument in support of even the humblest attempt to elucidate her history. It is a subject to which we can no longer remain indifferent, because circumstances are bringing every day more clearly into view the important part China must play in the changes that have become imminent in Asia, and that will affect the security of our position and empire in that continent. A good understanding with China should be the first article of our Eastern policy, for not only in Central Asia, but also in Indo-China, where French ambition threatens to create a fresh Egypt, her interests coincide with ours and furnish the sound basis of a fruitful alliance.