Research On Cultural Activities During Southern Inspection Of Emperor Kangxi And Emperor Qianlong

The Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong had made six southern inspection respectively from September 28 th in the 23 th year of the reign of the Emperor Kangxi to April 23 rd in the 49 th year of the reign of Emperor Qianlong.The southern inspection was not only the great event during the reign of two emperors,but also the landmark event for the study of Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianglong.This paper,from the perspective of cultural landscape,regards cultural activities of two emperors during southern inspection as the research object,attaches great importance to history books,local history of literature,especially the two emperors of the poetry and couplets by interdisciplinary research methods.With systematic introduction and depths analysis of,this paper pointed out that through interaction with the Jiangnan landscape,two emperors established the legitimacy of the Qing Dynasty,realizing the transition from unification of geographical pattern to unification of political culture pattern,and cultural integration between the Manchu and the Han,north and south,and inside and outside of the palace.The southern inspection has indispensable relations with the objective background of that time,two emperors' individual initiatives and invitations from officials and common people.Two emperors had multiplex purposes for their southern inspection,which included many purposes such as examining local affairs,making inspection tour for rivers,winning over the hearts of talents in order to consolidate the rule,protecting the feudal imperial power,realize the unity of Qing Dynasty and achieve the support from scholars and residents in Jiangnan region.As a result,two emperors took measures to strengthen the rules in Jiangnan region,proclaim themselves the lord of the earth,implement ideological control,propagate the values of Qing Dynasty through multiple ways like politics,economy,cultural and military affairs.The southern inspection of Emperor Kangxi and Qianlong had made far-reaching effect on economy and culture of that time,which was also an obvious political symbol,and which promotes the integration of north-south culture though it serious disturbed local residents.Jiangnan landscape,systematically witnessed the two emperor's southern inspection activities,who mainly visited and imitated Jiangnan landscape structures.According to poems,plaque and couplets they inscribed,the two emperors focused various types of landscapes,especially the humanities landscapes,Buddhist temples,mountains and gardens as top three.As a highly complex product of nature and culture,Jiangnan temples became two emperors' first choice with their elegant natural environment,strong religious atmosphere and personal complex and political purpose of two emperors.They were deeply attracted by Jiangnan landscape scenery,beautiful environment,tranquil landscape features,profound cultural connotations and fascinating historical legends.They imitated Jiang landscapes in the royal gardens,which satisfied their desire to occupy all the famous gardens under heaven,and which also became the symbol of grand unification.The south tour has a thorough and profound influence,which not only promotes the construction of Jiangnan landscape,improves popularity,increase connotation of the the Jiangnan cultural,but also integrates many northern elements.When visited Jiangnan cultural landscape,two emperors carried out many literary and artistic activities such as reciting poems of predecessors,writing inscriptions and titling names,appreciating calligraphy and paintings,and ttasting the spring and tea.Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong,who were both emperors and literati,not only endeavored to integrate into literati's life toexperience artistic taste,but also to conquer the hearts of literati of Jiangnan area culturally.Specifically,"reciting poems of predecessors" expresses the continuation of Emperor Qianlong's tradition of poetry and education,"writing inscriptions and titling names" was the embodiment for conveying truth by two emperors,"appreciating calligraphy and paintings" demonstrated the symbol of the two emperors' seeking for traditional culture,"tasting the spring and tea" was the symbol of the two emperors' integration into literati life.Above all,both Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Qianlong successfully shaped themselves as the spiritual leader of scholars so that they could win over the hearts of Jiangnan scholars by achieve their recognition.Among those Jiangnan cultural landscape,ancestral temples,tombs,academies,and libraries had very special meaning and value.As the supreme rulers of the Qing Dynasty,both emperor Kangxi and emperor Qianlong were diligent and promising.The focus problem for two emperors was how to further strengthen ideological control in order to consolidate the rule of the Jiangnan area.During the southern inspection,two emperors strengthened the ideology by worshipping temples,consolidated its rules by worshiping tombs of emperors of past dynasties and tombs of famous officials,educated people and unified thinking by ways of inspecting academies and awarding titles to famous libraries.By taking these measures,Jiangnan humanistic landscape had been endowed with the connotation of enlightenment,and the two emperors succeeded in gaining the legitimacy of the Qing Dynasty so as to consolidate the rule of the Qing dynasty.According to the New Historical Book of the Qing Dynasty,the reason why the Qing Dynasty could achieved successful rule was that Manchu feature especially using Chinese and riding and shooting had played an important role in it.However,the New Historical Book of Qing Dynasty paid too much attention on Manchu feature that had obvious one-sidedness.The southern inspection of Emperor Kangxi and Qianlong is an effective catalyst for the integration of Manchu and Han culture.The southern inspection is a process of cultural integration between Manchu and Han,palace and folk,north area and Jiangnan area.Cultural conflicts still existed between the Manchu and Han culture at the beginning of the southern inspection of Emperor Kangxi,however,by the end of the southern inspection of Qianlong,the Qing Dynasty had been formally integrated into the blood of Chinese traditional culture.The two emperors of Kangxi and Qianxi proved the legitimacy of the Qing Dynasty's accession to the orthodox Chinese culture.As a result,the author believed that sinicization is meaningful.If we denied the opinion of sinicization,we would not explain the cultural activities and cultural complex of two emperors during their southern inspection,and it denied the grand unification of the Chinese history.