Chapter 26 Section 2 "The Prosperous Age of Kangxi and Qianlong" in the eyes of the British
Lord Macartney was 55 years old during his mission to China.Since he was sent to Russia as a special envoy by the king at the age of 27, he has been engaged in diplomacy for 28 years. He has served as Minister of Irish Affairs, Governor of Grenada and Governor of Madras. He is already a hardcore figure in the diplomatic circle.A long diplomatic career had worn him out. "Later, the government appointed him as the Governor of Bangladesh, but he refused to resign. In terms of power and remuneration, the Governor of Bangladesh is the highest position that a minister can recommend." (Standton's "The British Envoy's Meeting with Qianlong Documentary")
However, the appointment of going to China as an envoy made him excited all of a sudden. "The job of visiting Beijing is too attractive for a person who is eager to pursue new things. Therefore, when the government first signaled to him, he immediately accepted it."
It turned out that Lord Macartney was a "China fan".In fact, in Europe at that time, there would be one or two Chinese fans in every aristocratic salon.
Since the Roman period, Europeans have had a strong curiosity about China.Through the silk that came across the ocean, they have developed endless imaginations about this ancient country.To Europeans, China seems to be a country on another planet, and everything in China seems so mysterious.It is said that in the distant oriental silk country, people extracted silk thread from a strange tree bark to weave beautiful silk. (Xin Jianfei, "The World's View of China")
It was not until the era of Marco Polo that the West really touched China. In 1275, 21-year-old Venetian businessman Marco Polo traveled across Eurasia to Kaiping Mansion, where he met Kublai Khan, the Great Khan of Mongolia, who shocked the world.He reported to Europeans that China has a vast territory, numerous products, and gold everywhere, and everyone wears silk and satin.
In 1522, Magellan opened up the route from the Atlantic to the Pacific.Since then, batch after batch of missionaries with missionary enthusiasm have arrived in China.They sent numerous letters back to Europe, reporting their astonishing discoveries.The missionaries said that China has been guided by the thought of Confucius for thousands of years, ruled by enlightened monarchs, the society is prosperous and peaceful, and the people are hardworking and polite.These statements opened the eyes of Europeans who had just awakened from medieval ignorance.An upsurge of "China Worship" quickly spread across Europe.Many European scholars are fascinated by Chinese culture. They think that everything in China, from system to morality, is superior to Europe.Voltaire enshrined a portrait of Confucius in his small auditorium and declared to Europeans: "The history of the world begins in China." The highest culture and the most advanced technical civilization".His student Wolf thought that China was a utopia in this world.
Macartney is a Chinese fan who grew up in such a cultural atmosphere.He has traveled to all continents of the world, from the Caribbean to India, but the mysterious China is still a mystery to him, a mystery that haunts him.In 1786, when he didn't know that he was going to China as a diplomatic mission, he already expressed his longing for China in a poem:
As if I were visiting China's blissful shores,
Climb the Great Wall, her masterpiece of immense pride.
Looking at her stormy rivers,
Her cities and plains, her mountain rocks and forests.
Beyond the northern borders, to explore the Tartar wilderness,
Where no British adventurer has gone. ("Proceedings of the Symposium on the Bicentenary of the Sino-British Communication")
He once visited the most magical country in the world in his dream, and now he has the opportunity to make his dream come true, how could he not be extremely excited?
Europe in Macartney's time was in the Age of Enlightenment.Contrary to the current "European superiority theory", Europe at that time had a deep inferiority complex in front of Chinese civilization.In the European writings at that time, we can find many expressions in the sentence pattern of "when China has already..., Europe is still...".For example, Voltaire said: "When the Chaldeans only carved characters on rough bricks, the Chinese have already carved characters on light bamboo slips." Just like today we often use "the West" to compare "China", that European intellectuals of the era used "China" to criticize "Europe". (Zhou Ning, "Research on the History of Chinese Image in the West: Issues and Fields")
After the collapse of the Roman Empire, Europe fell into a long "Dark Middle Ages".Crude and dogmatic religious convictions hung over everything in Europe. "The condition of the mind in the Middle Ages was that of ignorant prostration before the idols of the Church—dogma, authority, and cumbersome philosophy." (John Symonds, History of the Italian Renaissance)
The Enlightenment movement meant waking up from ignorant religious superstitions, and China gave Europeans a lot of inspiration in the process.Europeans are surprised to find that China without church seems to be superior to Europe in every way.Compared with the fragmented Europe, China has been a unified and stable country for thousands of years.Europe appoints nobles to manage the country, while China selects civil servants without discrimination through a strict examination system.European countries are obsessed with narrow religious sectarian disputes, while Chinese religions tolerate each other.Europeans pin all their hopes on the ethereal afterlife, while Chinese Confucianism is more rational because it does not talk about strange powers and gods.From the middle of the 17th century to the middle of the 18th century, the secular spirit of the Chinese inspired Enlightenment thinkers to hold high the banner of rationalism and slam the theological dogma of the Middle Ages.The missionaries' tablets became the most popular reading materials. In the living rooms of the elite, everyone talked about the teachings of Confucius, the long history of the Chinese Empire, and even the life of the sage Kangxi.
The missionaries said that China's political system is rational because it is based on the sacred natural law of patriarchy, and law and ethics are integrated.A wise monarch, good laws, and sound administrative institutions constitute a brand-new moral world like China.This made Voltaire, who had been vehemently condemning the Catholic Church, as excited as discovering the New World.He praised the great mysteries of Chinese civilization for its principles of rationality and morality.He said that the Chinese "has a complete morality, which ranks first among all sciences."He praised China under the entry "Glory" in the "Dictionary of Philosophy" as "the most beautiful, oldest, largest, most populous and best governed country in the world".
Like today's westernization tide, many scholars at that time called on Europe to learn from China.Voltaire said: "Europeans should become apprentices of the Chinese in morality." Leibniz even suggested: "In my opinion, we are currently in a situation where moral degradation is difficult to extricate ourselves from. I even think that the Chinese must be invited. Send men, come and teach us about the purpose and practice of natural theology."
Of course, the voices about China are not one-sided, and some people have made another interpretation of the missionaries' letters.The freedom-loving Europeans of the Enlightenment were extremely sensitive to any hint of despotism, and unfortunately there are many hints of this in the missionary letters.Montesquieu concluded that China's thousand-year stability and social stability are the result of authoritarian control.
Like Voltaire, the host of the Encyclopedia School, Diderot, admired Confucius' rationality and pragmatic spirit very much, but questioned the Chinese patriarchal principle.He believes that blind obedience to the parents can only produce the evil result of condoning the mistakes of the parents and depriving the children of freedom.
Rousseau, another famous Enlightenment thinker, questioned the superiority of Chinese culture from another angle: If Chinese culture is so brilliant, why is it repeatedly ruled by foreigners? "If neither the knowledge of the ministers nor the professed wisdom of the law nor the multitude of the inhabitants of that vast empire can secure them from the yoke of the ignorant and uncouth Tartars, what is the use of their literati What is the result of the honors they piled up? Isn’t the result full of slaves and people who commit crimes?” -Exploring the Chinese Cultural Views of Enlightenment Thinkers in Western Europe in the 18th Century; Xin Jianfei's "World Views on China")
For the same country, people's judgments and evaluations are so polarized that people can't agree, and it also confuses the members of the Macartney mission.Is China heaven or hell?In a few months, everything will be revealed.
After nine months of driving, the British mission finally arrived in the sea of China.
The prosperous age of Qianlong was the pinnacle in Chinese history, and it has always been praised by later generations.In order to show the wealth and prosperity of the empire to people far away, the emperor made careful preparations and spent a lot of money.So, what does such an unprecedented traditional flourishing age look like in the eyes of the British?
The first thing the British noticed was the large population and the prosperity of the city life in this big eastern country.This has fascinated Europeans since the days of Marco Polo.Regarding China's population, it has long been a mystery in Europe.Marco Polo said that Khan Bali City (the name of Dadu by the Mongols in the Yuan Dynasty, which is today's Beijing) has "a large number of people... beyond the imagination of the world". ("Marco Polo's Travels") This has already made Europeans suspicious, and the words of missionaries in the Ming and Qing Dynasties are even more unbelievable: one-third of the human population will be concentrated in one country, and this country Although the area is vast, it is only one-twelfth of the entire land area.However, the visit of the British came to a conclusion for Europe: "It is not only possible, but even real, that people give the upper limit of the population of this country."
The strongest evidence of a large population is the scarcity of natural resources.The British felt this as soon as they arrived in China.
In early July 1793, the British fleet arrived at the Zhoushan Islands, the first Chinese territory.Due to the low tide, the "Clarence" had to drop anchor at a small island called Liuheng Island.The British wanted to "take advantage of the time waiting for the tide to go ashore for the first sightseeing of Chinese territory", so they climbed up Liuheng Island.After climbing over the steep rock wall by the sea, they found a small plain at the foot of the mountain that was filled by artificial reclamation.Obviously, in order to create this small plain, the local residents have worked hard. "In order to prevent the washing of the sea, a thirty-foot-high earth embankment was built in front. But the area of the plain is not large, and we doubt whether it is worthwhile to expend such a large effort to obtain such a small piece of land. The most important thing is rice, and it is cultivated very carefully." (Standton's "Records of the British Envoy's Meeting with Qianlong")
This is the typical Chinese national condition shown in front of the British: land is scarce and population is dense.This is a bit beyond the expectations of the British.In their impression, although China has a large population, it also has an extremely vast territory.They did not expect that the population pressure of this big eastern country had reached an unbearable level.
As the following trips deepened in China, they became more and more aware of the preciousness of land to Chinese people:
All of China's land, with very few exceptions, is mainly used to grow food for people to eat.There are no large pastures in China, and there are no oats, beans, turnips, etc. specially designed for growing livestock.Except for the emperor's imperial garden, there are few parks and other public entertainment areas in the country.China's transportation mainly relies on waterways, with few and narrow roads.There are no commons in the country.The big landowners are also unwilling to set aside a large piece of land to use it as a place for entertainment or sports instead of production.All cultivated land is never fallow. (Standton's "The British Envoy's Meeting with Qianlong Documentary")
Indeed, traditional China seems to have never had the concepts of "park" and "fallow land".In our eyes, the only mission of the land is to produce food and feed more people.
Historians believe that the actual population in the fifty-eighth year of Qianlong (1793) was larger than the government statistics.In the later years of Qianlong’s reign, China’s per capita arable land was optimistically estimated to be 3.5 mu, while in Britain at the same time, the per capita arable land was 10 mu, three times that of China.In addition, there were 8 million acres of wasteland in the UK at that time, that is to say, each person in the UK could still have 1 acre (about 6 acres) of land reserves.The situation in Europe as a whole is similar to that in Britain, "Europe is a region full of grasslands, fallow land and forests, and it has never lacked arable land." (Xie Henai's "Chinese Social History") Knowing this fact, we can understand why the British are so surprised by the tension in China's cultivated land.
From the first day they landed, the British began to continuously marvel at China's large population."If there is one thing to be astounding about," said Barrow, the head of the mission, "it is the sheer size of the population. Men and women, young and old, have flocked to the shore every day since the day of arrival." (John Barrow, I See "The Prosperity of Qianlong") Everywhere, the roadside is always full of spectators.According to what he saw and heard along the way, Deputy Envoy Stanton judged that the population density of China was 1/3 higher than that of the most densely populated country in Europe.In other words, when Macartney arrived in China, the population of China was estimated to be around 350 million.
The second impression of the British is that China's social life is tense and busy and business is prosperous.
After arriving at the Zhoushan Islands, the British, who were not familiar with China's sea conditions, stayed on the coast of Zhejiang for a few days, in order to wait for Chinese officials to find a navigator for them to go north.
Taking advantage of this time, they came to Dinghai, a small county town one mile away, for sightseeing.
Their main concern is the daily life of Chinese people.In their eyes, Dinghai is a small but prosperous city. "Dinghai is very similar to Venice, but smaller...There are many clothing stores, food stores and furniture stores in the city, and the display is quite exquisite...The whole city is full of lively and lively atmosphere. In order to survive, everyone must work. In fact, everyone is working, and no one is living a parasitic life. We see men busy walking on the street, and women shopping in shops."
A group of blond and blue-eyed monsters appeared on the streets of a small oriental town, and we can imagine the degree of sensation. "Innumerable curious crowds rushed to surround us... We ended up in a temple to hide from the crowd." Barrow's description is always more vivid: "Everyone wants to put his head in front of the sedan window to satisfy his curiosity, Grinning and shouting: "Red hair!" (John Barrow's "I See the Prosperity of Qianlong") These Dinghai people who stared at the British curiously with wide eyes could not have imagined the disaster that would come more than 40 years later.
An ordinary small county town has already made the British understand the high commercial prosperity of China and the tense life of the Chinese people under the pressure of population. Later, other cities in China, especially the largest city Beijing, certainly impressed them more. for profound.
After a short stop on the coast of Zhejiang, the mission's ships continued northward and arrived at Dagukou.Here, they changed to shallow-draft Chinese boats and headed for Beijing along the Baihe River.
Arriving in Beijing, the British were immediately slapped by the oncoming business atmosphere.Deputy envoy Si Dangdong said: "The stone-paved streets (in the eastern suburbs of Beijing) are crowded with people. There are so many shops, workshops and customers, and everywhere shows prosperity." "Most of the houses on the streets are shops. , the exterior paint and decoration is similar to the Tongzhou store, but it is much larger... There are corner lamps, gauze lamps, silk lamps or paper lamps hanging outside the door of the store, which are extremely delicate and capable. The store is full of various goods inside and outside.” (Stangdong "The Record of the British Envoy's Meeting with Qianlong")
Barrow's record is more detailed and vivid:
Having passed through the city gates and taken the high road, a very strange sight opened before our eyes.On both sides of the main road are a row of houses, all of which are shops and warehouses, with their own unique goods displayed in front of the door.There are usually large wooden pillars erected in front of the shops.The top of the column is higher than the eaves, and the body of the column is engraved with large gold-plated characters, indicating the goods sold and the honest reputation of the owner.
…Itinerant artisans such as tinkers, barbers, shoemakers, and blacksmiths, vendors selling tea, fruit, rice, and other food, and goods displayed in front of the shops squeezed a wide road to only a central line.
...everything is moving.Both sides of the main road are also crowded with a huge flow of people.Or buy or sell, or barter, take what you need.There was a lot of noise, including hawkers yelling and other quarrels... Hawkers holding baskets, acrobats, jugglers, fortune tellers, Fang Langzhong and quack doctors, crosstalk talkers and singers all crowded together. (John Barrow's "I See the Prosperity of Qianlong")
The Chinese are a nation of commercial geniuses, and have been since ancient times.Although Britain is a big commercial country, the prosperity of China's domestic business in the Qianlong era still opened the eyes of the British.Although China has always practiced light mercantilism throughout history, the commercial instinct of the Chinese people has never been extinguished.In fact, soon after the world is peaceful, commerce in all parts of China will flourish rapidly.The commercial prosperity during the Qianlong period was not the first time in Chinese history, but due to its huge population base and wealth base, it must be the largest one.In this sense, the British witnessed and witnessed a side of Qianlong's prosperity.
Marco Polo marveled that China was "the most prosperous place imaginable on earth". The British who came to China at the end of the 18th century were surprised to find that, contrary to the legend that gold was everywhere, most ordinary people in China lived in poverty.
As mentioned earlier, the mission enjoyed the emperor's most generous hospitality along the way.As soon as they arrived at Dagukou, two Chinese officials greeted them with a large amount of food as a gift. The quantity surprised the British, so that the deputy envoy of the mission, Stanton, carefully wrote down the contents of the gift.This meeting ceremony was beyond the expectations of the British.According to Western diplomatic practice, except for special invitations, general missions are responsible for their own expenses.But when they arrived in China, they unexpectedly enjoyed a free and extremely plentiful supply.The overly generous gifts seem to justify Marco Polo's record of China's super-richness.However, shortly after the Chinese ship carrying the food left with the two officials on board, an unexpected scene completely changed the British estimates: because the Chinese sent too much food, and "some pigs and poultry were already on the way. Collision and death", so the British threw some dead pigs and chickens from the "Lion" into the sea.When the Chinese watching the scene on the shore saw it, they scrambled to jump into the sea to pick up the discarded things of the British. "But the Chinese picked them up right away, washed them and salted them." (John Barrow, "I See the Prosperity of Qianlong")
Officials carried out the emperor's will and tried their best to demonstrate the prosperity of the empire in all links.But this purpose has not been understood by every ordinary people after all.They care more about their own stomach than the dignity of the country.This detail suddenly exposed China's embarrassment.
In fact, after landing in China, the British mission was repeatedly shocked by the unimaginable poverty of this seemingly prosperous and prosperous country.
They noticed for the first time that Chinese people eat dog meat.Of course, not just dog meat, as long as it is meat, the Chinese eat it: "Dog meat is their usual food. The miserable Chinese people living on the water are always in a state of half-starvation and are happy to eat any food, even if it is rotten I will not let go."
What surprised them even more was the abandoned babies everywhere.On both sides of the road, in the middle of the river, and on the garbage dump, a small pale hand may be exposed at any time.Abandoning a baby is an unforgivable sin in a Christian country, but the Chinese regard it as normal.Barrow said: "There are nearly 9,000 abandoned babies every year in the capital alone... I once saw the body of a dead baby, without a gourd, drifting among the boats on the Pearl River. People turned a blind eye to it, as if it was just a dog The corpse of a dog. In fact, if it was really a dog, it might attract their attention more."
Clearly, this is due to population pressure and poverty. "Extreme poverty, helpless misery, perpetual famine, and the resulting misery, are more likely, perhaps, to affect the weak of affection, and to lead to this practice, encouraged by custom and not sanctioned by law. Prohibited crimes of inhumanity."
Chinese people have always been very hardworking.Macartney said: "During the entire journey, I did not see a piece of land that was not cultivated with infinite toil to produce every kind of grain and vegetable it could grow." "The Chinese must be the best in the world." Farmers." ("Proceedings of the Symposium on the Bicentenary of the Sino-British Communication") In order to obtain a greater harvest, farmers crowded a small flat land, worked intensively, carefully selected seedlings, and carried out intensive cultivation.In fact, agriculture had developed to a fairly high level during the Qianlong period, and Barrow estimated that the harvest rate of grain was higher than that in England. He wrote: "In China, the harvest rate of wheat is 15:1, while in Europe the Britain is 10:1."
However, the excessive population growth made Qianlong's prosperity inevitably a starving one.The visit of the horse mission has effectively broken the theory of China's prosperity and strength that has been popular in Europe since Marco Polo, and the West's judgment on China's economy has taken a 180-degree turn since then.Malthus later used China as a typical example in "On Population" to demonstrate the terrible consequences of unlimited population growth:
In some countries, populations seem to be forced, and people are used to surviving on as little food as possible.There must have been periods in such a country when the population was constantly increasing, without any increase in the means of subsistence.China seems to fit that description.If the description of it that we have been given is to be believed, the people of the lower classes are accustomed to subsist on as little food as possible, and are happy to eat the flood of rubbish that the European workers would rather die than eat... A country in such conditions Inevitably there will be famine.
What surprised the British even more than economic poverty was China's political poverty.
Both Staunton and Barrow noted: "Chinese officials are really too extravagant when it comes to eating. They eat several meals a day, and each meal has many meat dishes." In sharp contrast to the general poverty at the bottom, it is the social life of the upper class. luxury.Although it is rare to find people with ruddy complexions in the lower class, there are many fat people among high-ranking officials in the Chinese government. The main content of life of these high-ranking officials and nobles is eating.
Stangton said that there are only two types of houses he saw in China, one is a wealthy family and the other is a poor family. "In the places we pass and on both sides of the river, most of the houses are thatched cottages with earthen walls and thatched roofs. There are also a few tall, painted and decorated houses, which may be the residences of the rich. We rarely see houses of middle-class families. In other countries, between the rich and the abject, there are many classes of middle class."
The Chinese have been used to the strong polarization of society for thousands of years.But this is not the case in every other country on earth.Stendon concluded that the gap between rich and poor in China is the widest among countries they have ever seen. "There's a famous saying in China: 'The rich are in the sky, but the poor have no place to stand'...but that doesn't apply in other countries."
An important change in European society in the 18th century was the rapid rise and growth of the middle class.The rise of the middle class is an important driving force for the progress of human society: "Many changes in the modern world, such as the Puritan Revolution in England, the French Revolution and the democratic reforms in the 19th century, are closely related to the demands of the middle class." With The growth of their power, the king and the nobles had to bow to them.
Barro said: "There is no middle class in China—a class of people who, because of their wealth and the idea of independence, are important in their own country; their influence and interests cannot be ignored by the court. In fact, China has only rulers and ruled."
The British easily understand that in China all the rich are almost simultaneously the holders of power.That is to say, the accumulation of wealth of the Chinese people is mainly based on power.China's dictatorship is beyond the economy, and the economy is always subordinate to politics. In other words, wealth is always dominated by power. Once there is no power to back it, wealth can easily disappear. "In China, the poor and unsuspecting people are under the power of the officials, and they have no chance to complain and redress their grievances." (Standon's "Records of the British Envoy's Meeting with Qianlong") Therefore, for the Chinese, "being an official Like his religion."
For the British, "industry" is the basic means for them to get rich, and the rise of economic status will naturally lead to the rise of political status.Of course, this process requires absolute respect for individual property rights.The protection of personal property rights is an important content of British law.The British recognized that the right to individual property was a fundamental element of human civilization and the cornerstone of a free society.Locke said that property rights are directly related to individual liberty.Property rights are not a material relationship, but a moral relationship, a social relationship involving the stability of expectations linked to causality.Without them, people's expectations in social life are impossible.
In Chinese law, personal property rights are subordinated to political power.Barrow studied Chinese law and concluded:
All the property laws in China are really not enough to give people the sense of security and stability, and it is precisely this sense of security and stability that can make people happy to accumulate property.Greed for power may make them turn a blind eye to those who are well-off, but it is hard for those rich to escape the plunder of others... The law enforcement agencies and law enforcement methods are so unreasonable that law enforcement officials have the right to override the law, making the good and the good The judgment of evil depends largely on the personal moral character of law enforcement officials.
Macartney's conclusions were similar to Barrow's.He said that it was despotism that destroyed the property safety of the Chinese people, thus destroying all the factors that stimulated China's progress.Progress can only occur when one is sure of enjoying the fruits of one's labor undisturbed.However, in China "the emperor's interests are always considered first" because "any property that violates his claims cannot be guaranteed."Macartney did not deny the existence of large land industries in China, but he believed that they were obtained through improper means such as "usury and official gifts".They were ephemeral accumulations of trade or appropriation, not the estates of landed nobles or gentlemen.He wrote: "There is no hereditary nobility in China exactly."
In the works of European scholars who admire Chinese politics, the peace, stability and orderliness of Chinese society have always been the focus of their praise.They believe that this shows that China is a rational kingdom dominated by civil rights and humanity. "Human wisdom cannot think of an organization better than Chinese politics." (Zheng Mingqian, "The Mirror Image of Confucianism in the French Enlightenment")
As in the legend, the political order of the Chinese Empire that the British saw was indeed very orderly.
The uniformity of the entire Chinese Empire amazed the British: "Since entering China, on such a large land, everything has been so uniform, which is unparalleled in the world." Documentary) "Such a large population, such a vast land, abide by a unified political system and laws, have a common language and way of life, and submit to the absolute rule of the monarch alone." (John Barrow "I see the prosperity of Qianlong")
The British believe that China's social security and political efficiency are better than those of Europe:
"The iron palm of the imperial power deters all behaviors that violate the law and order, and all members of the diplomatic mission feel absolutely guaranteed." (Standton's "Records of the British Envoy's Meeting with Qianlong") The majesty of power keeps the order in Beijing. "Although the population of Beijing is so large, the order is good and there are few crimes." (John Barrow, "I See the Prosperity of Qianlong")
Imperial China's organizational skills and political efficiency were also impressive.The British originally worried that a few of the large and huge gifts they brought would be damaged during land transportation.However, under the strong organization and coordination of the officials of the Qing Empire, the entire transportation task was completed very beautifully: "Our parcels have a total of more than 600 pieces, with different shapes and sizes. Lost or damaged one." "Indeed, everything here seems to be done at the order of the court, and the most laborious tasks can be carried out at any time, even with joy." (John Barrow, "I Look at Qianlong Prosperity)
Interactions with Chinese officials, however, have opened their eyes to the empire's basic means of maintaining order.
On the way north to Tianjin, the British stopped briefly in Dengzhou Prefecture, Shandong.The prefect of Dengzhou came to visit after hearing the news, "The prefect brought many followers, one of them immediately knelt down to answer when the prefect asked him something, which surprised the British. The prefect accepted this politeness safely. , it seems that they have always talked like this among themselves, and this gave the British people even greater surprise". (Standton's "The British Envoy's Meeting with Qianlong Documentary")
What makes the British even more unacceptable is another rule in Chinese officialdom: In any case, the superior may beat the subordinate.
It is an unimaginable and intolerable shame for British gentlemen to be spanked in public with their pants removed.However, the British found that the Chinese were accustomed to this.
Barrow said: "In any occasion, as long as they (Chinese officials) think it is appropriate, in the name of patriarchy, they will be punished immediately with a board, without pre-trial or investigation."
This made the British, who regard personal dignity and honor as their lives, unable to understand and were very angry: "A court official stretched his limbs and lay down on the ground to face a board, and the person who ordered him to beat him was only one rank higher than his official. It may seem absurd to me. This base obedience, this depravity of the human soul, to place oneself without complaint on any occasion under the hands of a slave or common soldier, to inflict vicious corporal punishment, and then disregard Doubling the shame and humiliation, to actually kiss the board that has taught you a lesson, and witnessing all this, you can't suppress the fire of indignation burning in your chest.” (John Barrow, "I See the Prosperity of Qianlong")
A political system that is completely different from that of Europe has also created Chinese people that are completely different from Europeans.
Before the British came to China, the image of the Chinese in the world was basically positive.The Chinese are considered "the most intelligent and polite people in the world".Leibniz said: "They obey their superiors and respect the elderly. No matter how their children grow up, their respect for their parents is like a religion, and they never make harsh words. What surprises us especially is that Chinese farmers and servants have daily conversations or When they met the next day, they were very polite to each other, and their hospitality surpassed all the nobles in Europe..." Goethe said: "Everything is clearer, purer and more moral in them than in ours." Voltaire through "The Chinese Orphan" He expresses his views on the Chinese in this way: "Our state is built on patriarchy and the faith of ethics, justice, honor, and the faith of keeping promises. Filial piety, loyalty, propriety, righteousness, and shame are the foundation of our country. Ben." (Zhou Ning, "Research on the History of Chinese Image in the West: Issues and Fields")
The British found that the moral character of the Chinese living under the threat of violence was very different from what the missionaries had described.The Chinese who served them left this impression on the British: "lying, treacherous, stealing quickly, repenting quickly, and without blushing." Tell us where the loot was hidden. Our cook once had the audacity to try to trick us at a meal. He served us two chickens, each missing a leg. When we pointed out to him that a chicken should have two When there was only one leg, he smiled and sent the few chicken legs." (Perefit's "Stalled Empire-The Collision of Two Worlds")
The British noticed that when there were no officials, the expressions of the Chinese were very normal.Once an official appeared, the expression of the Chinese people immediately changed:
Ordinary Chinese people have a very reserved appearance, which is a natural result of their long-term rule under the iron regime.In their private lives, they are also very lively and cheerful.But as soon as he saw the official, he immediately became another person. (John Barrow's "I See the Prosperity of Qianlong")
Barrow said: "These examples show nothing more than a great defect in the vaunted moral character of the Chinese. But as I have said before, the fault lies in the political system, not in the nature or temperament of the nation." "As far as the current regime (the Qing court) is concerned, there is ample evidence that its high-handed methods have completely tamed the nation and shaped the character of the nation according to its own pattern. Their moral concepts and behavior are completely determined by the ideology of the court. It is almost completely under the control of the imperial court." "The Chinese imperial court has plenty of leisure and energy to shape the people according to its own wishes. This kind of practice is enough to prove that the Chinese imperial court has rich experience in this regard." "...灌输清心寡欲的思想，摧毁相互的信任，培养人们的冷漠，使他们对自己的邻居猜忌和怀疑，凡此种种朝廷煞费苦心作出的努力，不能不使人们终止社会交往……（中国人）满足于在朝廷中没有任何发言权，他们甚至从来没有想过他们是否有任何权力。”
巴罗认为，中国人缺乏自尊心，是因为政府从来没有把百姓当成成年人来看待，而是当成了儿童和奴隶。“在这样的国度里，人人都有可能变成奴隶，人人都有可能因官府中最低级官员的一点头而挨板子，还要被迫亲吻打他的板子、鞭子或类似的玩意，跪倒在地上，为麻烦了官府来教育自己而谢罪。于是荣誉观和尊严感就无处可寻了……人的尊严的概念巧妙地消灭于无形。”
Macartney's conclusion about the Chinese regime is better known: "This government, as it currently exists, is strictly speaking the despotism of a handful of Tartars over hundreds of millions of Chinese." This despotism had disastrous effects . “自从北方或满洲鞑靼征服以来，至少在过去的一百年里没有改善，没有前进，或者更确切地说反而倒退了；当我们每天都在艺术和科学领域前进时，他们实际上正在成为半野蛮人。”（佩雷菲特《停滞的帝国——两个世界的撞击》）
英国人对中国的造访，迅速打破了传教士们在欧洲建造起来的中国神话。马戛尔尼使团虽然没有完成他们的使命，但它却将大量的关于中国的情况带回了英国。英使团为后代留下了厚厚的文字记录。马戛尔尼写下了大量的公文报告、书信与出使日记，副使乔治·斯当东和约翰·巴罗，甚至一位仆从和一位列兵都出版了他们的随行纪实，使团的画家托马斯·希基和制图员威廉·亚历山大还带回了大量的中国风物画与素描。
全世界第一次真正撩开了这个神秘国度的面纱。“这个使团最为重要的收获，大概就在于它导致了有关中国知识的激增”，“从这个意义上来说，它明确地标志着英中关系一个新时代的开始”。
回国之后，英国副使斯当东编辑的《英使谒见乾隆纪实》以及使团随行人员发表的各种报告在欧洲引起了巨大反响。西方人的中国观念发生了根本性的转折：中国从天上掉到地下，从文明变成野蛮，从光明变为阴暗。欧洲人发现，“中国人不是无神论者，而是更为原始的多神论者。中国不是开明的君主专制，而是依靠棍棒进行恐怖统治的东方专制主义暴政的典型。中国不是富裕的国度，而是一片贫困的土地；不是社会靠农业发展，而是社会停滞于农业”。（周宁《西方的中国形象史研究：问题与领域》）
作为一个严肃的学者，黑格尔仔细阅读了当时他所搜集到的全部有关中国的文字，从翻译到欧洲的《通鉴纲目》到传教士们的《中国丛刊》。不过，马戛尔尼等人的游记显然给了他最大的震动。
黑格尔认为，人类文化的发展是分阶段的。他认为，中亚文化代表了人类文化的少年时期，人类文明最早在那里发源。希腊文化则是青年，表现出生机勃勃的活力。罗马文化是壮年，而日耳曼文化是成熟理性的老年。
那么，中国文化是什么呢？黑格尔说，是幼年。中国人在官府面前的逆来顺受给了黑格尔极深的印象。黑格尔认为，造成中国落后的原因是中国人内在精神的黑暗，中国是一片还没有被人类精神之光照亮的土地，在那里，理性与自由的太阳还没有升起，人还没有摆脱原始的、自然的愚昧状态。“凡是属于精神的东西……都离它很远。”
很显然，黑格尔的许多结论直接来自马戛尔尼使团成员的记载和判断。比如他说，在欧洲，鞭笞是“加在荣誉上的一种侮辱”，“在中国就不同了。荣誉感还没有发达，一顿笞打原是极易忘怀的，但是对于有荣誉感的人，这是最严厉的刑罚”。西方人对这种侮辱十分敏感，而“中国人就不一样，他们认不出一种荣誉的主观性，他们所受的刑罚，就像我们的儿童所受的教训”。
黑格尔也认为弃婴反映了中国人对生命权利的漠视：“自杀……和弃婴，是经常性的，几乎天天发生，显示了他们对自己个人的不尊重，在总体上也是对人类不尊重。”
在《历史哲学》中黑格尔得出这样的结论，中国是彻底的、奇特的、最具东方性的东方国家。“中国纯粹建筑在这一种道德的结合上，国家的特性便是客观的'家庭孝敬'。中国人把自己看作是属于他们家庭的，而同时又是国家的儿女。在家庭之内，他们不是人格，因为他们在里面生活的那个团结的单位，乃是血统关系和天然义务。在国家之内，他们一样缺少独立人格；因为国家内大家长的关系最为显著，皇帝犹如严父，为政府的基础，治理国家的一切部门。”因此，中国是一个只属于空间的帝国，“中国的历史从本质上看是没有历史的；它只是君主覆灭的一再重复而已。任何进步都不可能从中产生”。千百年来在广阔的土地上“重复庄严的毁灭”，而又在本质上毫无变化。
黑格尔的思考不乏理性的因素，在黑格尔之后，对中国的轻蔑成了欧洲声音的主流。在马戛尔尼造访中国前，对于中国与西方交往中的高高在上与轻慢侮蔑，欧洲人虽然心怀不满但一直竭力隐忍。遵从强者逻辑的西方人知道，他们的祖先还生活在树上的时候，中国人就已经发明了纸张。这个伟大而强盛的帝国在他们心目中各方面都是远远优越于自己的，他们有骄傲自大的资本。然而，马戛尔尼的访问使他们发现，多年来他们居然一直屈服于一个半开化的野蛮国家，这个国家“沉沦在'卑鄙的暴政下'，皇帝昏庸暴虐，官吏贪赃枉法，百姓生活在棍棒竹板的恐惧中，他们禁闭妇女，残杀婴儿，奸诈、残酷、胆怯、肮脏，对技术与科学一窍不通，对世界一无所知。一切都愚蠢透顶”。这让他们感到奇耻大辱。“欧洲人好像大梦初醒。'现在该是让中国人名声扫地的时候了！'批判贬低中国是一种报复。对自己受骗上当的经历痛心疾首、恼羞成怒的欧洲人从一个极端到另一个极端”。（周宁《野蛮与文明：中华帝国的“东方性”黑暗中心》）
妖魔化中国的大门从此打开。而这种妖魔化是为了适应帝国主义的种族征服性意识形态。从马戛尔尼一回国，以武力教训中国的声音就开始在欧洲响起。马戛尔尼的出使使欧洲得出了这样的结论：如果不用武力，就无法打开中国的大门。因为礼貌和沟通对中国人来说不起任何作用。既然把中国人定义为半野蛮人，那就意味着中国需要用西方的炮火之光加以照亮。虽然并不主张马上武力攻打中国，但马戛尔尼也认为中国政府是应该被推翻的。马戛尔尼认为：“如果中国现政府由一个会保证其居民财产安全的政府所取代，那么亚洲农民和工匠的技术与进取心以及亚洲商人的商业敏感就会激励起来。从随之而来的财富增长中，欧洲贸易将会获益，世界将会在互惠的商业中联合起来。”
这种进步主义神话为后来的鸦片战争准备了思想武器。德昆西在《1840年中英鸦片问题》中为鸦片战争所作的辩护是一种极为典型的说辞，他说，国家冲突可以以和平的方式解决，但是，那只是在文明国家之间。而中国是个邪恶的、半野蛮的东方帝国，不用武力征服，就无法使顽固僵化的中国人开化。他强词夺理地说：“（鸦片战争）标志着文明推进的进程，知识与科学之光将穿透阴霾，照亮地球上这片最暗的地方。”
持有这种观点的当然并非德昆西一人。卫三畏也说，中国人的顽固态度除了武力之外无法打破。中国人“在同外国人的一切来往中，保持着一种傲慢的、不公平的和轻视的态度，这种态度使得外国人除掉从中国海岸撤退或者屈服外，别无其他办法，而这种屈服是那些稍有独立地位的人所无法忍受的”。“这种妄自尊大的想法，以及对于这种想法确实自以为是的印象，是他们周围的一道高墙。这道高墙比北京以北的万里长城还要高些。武力似乎是这道障壁的唯一有效的摧毁者。”“从这个观点来看，这个战争（鸦片战争）可以说是必要的，它迫使中国政府以平等地位来对待西方国家。”（《外国资产阶级是怎么看待中国历史的》）
而丹涅特则直接认为，正是乾隆皇帝强迫马戛尔尼叩头导致了后来的鸦片战争：“战争的原因是叩头！——是中国妄自尊大的主张：它不要在相互平等的条件上，而要在君臣之间那种侮辱和卑贱的形式上维持和其余人类的商业交往。”（《外国资产阶级是怎么看待中国历史的》）
这当然是强盗逻辑。事实上，教训中国的声音之所以如此响亮，另一个更为重要的原因是马戛尔尼对欧洲报告说，以武力教训中国轻而易举。
对这次英国人的来访，乾隆皇帝不但在接待工作上做了精心准备，而且还在武力炫耀方面连篇累牍地做了多次指示。皇帝通告各地军方，凡英国人经过之处，都要全副武装，列队迎接，向英国人展示天朝强大的武力，让他们开开眼，对天朝的强大有所敬畏。
乾隆五十八年（1793年）正月，即英国人到来前半年，皇帝指示各省长官：“著传谕各该督抚等，如遇该国贡船进口时，务先期派委大员多带员弁兵丁，列营站队，务须旗帜鲜明，甲仗精淬。”
在皇帝的设想里，一连串的军事检阅一定会向英国人证明中国军队的军纪严明，装备良好，操练有素。大清军队在乾隆漫长的统治期间取得了无数辉煌的胜利，这样一支战无不胜的队伍会让英国人肃然起敬的。各地官员十分深入地理解领会了皇帝的指示，英国人每到一地，他们都派出最好的军队，进行列队迎接。那么，他们给英国人留下的印象是什么呢？
抵达天津后，英国人发现在城外迎接的不止有直隶总督，还有一队中国士兵。他们有弓箭手、火绳枪火和大刀手。他们一个个挺胸叠肚，全力展示东方人的武勇。然而副使斯当东却注意到了士兵手中的扇子：“有几个士兵的手里除了武器之外，还拿着扇子……列队兵士手里拿着扇子，是一个奇怪现象。”中国军队的分列式表演没有使英国人感到敬畏，他们发现，世界已经进入火器时代，而中国军队仍然停留在冷热兵器混用的时代。而其战阵战法和精神面貌，则停留于中世纪。
巴罗这样描绘他见到的中国军队：
在一些地方，士兵列队出来迎接英国特使。如果天暖，他们手中操练的会是蒲扇而不是火枪。在另一些地方，我们看到士兵单列成队，非常自如地双膝跪地迎接特使，在他们的长官下令起立之前，他们都保持这种姿势。如果我们的到访是出其不意，他们总是一片慌乱，匆忙从营房中拿出节日礼服。他们穿上这些服装后，与其说像战场武士还不如说是跑龙套的演员。他们的绣花背心，缎面靴子和蒲扇看起来笨拙不堪又女气十足，与军人气质格格不入。
对于中国的武备，英国人极为轻蔑：
他们的大炮为数很少，仅有的几门炮都破旧不堪。我都怀疑这些炮是向葡萄牙人借来的，因为那些火绳枪便是。
这种军事展示在英国人眼里成了一个笑话。回到英国后，马戛尔尼的话迅速传遍了世界：
中华帝国只是一艘破败不堪的旧船，只是幸运地有了几位谨慎的船长才使它没有沉没。它那巨大的躯壳使周围的邻国见了害怕。假如来了个无能之辈掌舵，那船上的纪律与安全就都完了。
只需几艘三桅战舰就能摧毁其海岸舰队。
可以说，英国人在军事方面收获巨大。除了对中国军队的整体评估外，他们还对中国的具体防务进行了考查。马戛尔尼初步探明了从宁波到天津大沽口以及从大沽口到通州的航道，对北京、通州、定海等中国城市的防卫设施进行了细致观察，为西方人后来入侵北京提供了大量的军事资料。比如他们曾这样向英国军方汇报定海的防卫设施：
城墙高三十呎，高过城内所有房子，整个城好似一所大的监狱……除了城门口有几个破旧的熟铁炮而外，全城没有其他火力武器。城门是双层的。城门以内有一岗哨房，里面住着一些军队，四壁挂着弓箭、长矛和火绳枪，这就是他们使用的武器。
斯当东的这些记载，是否对英军选择定海为攻打的第一座中国城市有所影响呢？反正在那次战争中，定海军民虽然竭尽全力，毫不退让，最终也不堪一击。
鸦片战争的直接导火索当然是鸦片，这与乾隆皇帝也并非毫无关系。
“鸦片”是英语opium一词的音译。若追根寻源，此词则是由拉丁语“汁液”一词演变而来。而鸦片的另一个中文名称“阿芙蓉”，则源于阿拉伯语“afyun”。正像两个词所表明的那样，鸦片最早出现在中东和欧洲。在《圣经》与荷马的《奥德修纪》里，鸦片就已经被描述成为“忘忧药”。
事实上，早代唐代，中国人就已经接触到这种药物。当时中国高僧义净赴印度取经，取回了真经的同时也带回了“药烟”（鸦片）。到了宋代，用鸦片煎茶已经是士大夫的一种时尚，故苏轼诗中有“道人劝饮鸡苏水，童子能煎莺粟汤”之句。
不过，在清代中期以前，鸦片从来没有成为人类之害，因为截至那时，人们吃鸦片只有两种方式，一是整个儿吞食，如服金丹。二是掺上其他药品，煎汤喝掉。这两种方法都不容易使人上瘾。
鸦片成为一种令人难于抗拒的毒品，是从爪哇、苏门答腊一带发明用枪管灼火吸食鸦片的方法开始的。清代初年，荷兰人把这种吸法传入中国。从此，鸦片在中国蔓延速度明显加快。
早在雍正年间，鸦片成瘾就已经引起了皇帝的注意。雍正年间，鸦片烟馆已经出现在北京，吸食鸦片已经成为一种风气。雍正皇帝在1729年颁布圣旨，禁止这种毒品：“兴贩鸦片烟者……枷号一月，发近边充军；私开鸦片烟馆引诱良家子弟者，照邪教惑众律，拟绞监候。”（李圭《鸦片事略》）不过，由于中国本土种植鸦片极少，加以直至雍正末年中国每年只进口鸦片300箱，没有成为一个严重的社会问题。
鸦片真正成为中国的威胁，是在乾隆年间。
如前所述，在中英贸易中，英国人只能用白银换取中国的茶叶。从18世纪中叶起，白银占英国东印度公司对华输出货值的90%。因此中国在中英贸易中的顺差是惊人的。1765-1766年，英国东印度公司从中国输入的商品是对华出口商品值的302%。在1775-1776年间，这一比值是256%。连年不断的巨大顺差使得白银源源不断地流入中国。据统计，在1700-1840年间，从欧洲和美国运往中国的白银约17000万两。（《茶叶、白银和鸦片：1750-1840年中西贸易结构》）
然而，世界上白银产量毕竟是有限的。英国人运到中国的白银主要产自西属美洲的上秘鲁（Upper Peru，现玻利维亚）和新西班牙（现墨西哥）。对华贸易不断增长，而银矿的产量却十分有限。中国对白银的惊人胃口导致美洲很多银矿面临枯竭。白银的短缺使其他欧洲国家逐渐退出对华贸易。英国人也心急如焚，急于找到打开中国市场大门的办法。
病急乱投医，他们想到了鸦片。
史载英国商人第一次向中国输入鸦片，正是在乾隆初年。东印度公司员工偷偷把印度的鸦片运到广州，头次尝试让他们惊喜交集。每箱鸦片在印度的购价不过250印币，而运到中国，售价竟高达1600印币，一翻就是6倍多。很显然，这是换取中国茶叶的最有力武器。
在利润的驱动下，英国东印度公司的高级职员华生上校（Colonel Watson）正式提出了在印度大面积种植鸦片，然后卖给中国人，用来交换中国茶叶的计划。1773年，也就是乾隆三十八年，这项计划得到批准并开始实施。当然，乾隆对此一无所知。（《茶叶、白银和鸦片：1750-1840年中西贸易结构》）
不过，中国政府还是感觉到了鸦片贸易的不正常发展。乾隆十三年（1748年），鸦片出口仅占英国货物的1/8，到乾隆后期，鸦片输入量已占输入货物的1/2了。中国社会上，吸食鸦片者的数量大大增长。乾隆四十五年（1780年），皇帝不得不重申雍正年间的禁令，并且禁止烟具的输入和贩卖。
但是，与乾隆晚年的许多其他禁令一样，这道禁令也成了一纸空文。“在中国，很少有花钱做不到的事情。”（《鸦片战争前中英通商史》）这是外国商人的经验之谈。英国商人轻易地用行贿手段打破了海关的封锁。事实是，朝廷越禁，走私越欢。因为禁令为海关关员提供了巨大的灰色收入空间。英国人后来记载道：“禁烟法令甚严，但送给主管官员金钱后，鸦片买卖却可公开进行。”（《中华帝国对外关系史》）
因此，乾隆晚年，鸦片在中国上流社会已经成了一种公害。英国使团成员到了中国不久就发现了这一点。巴罗在书中这样描述乾隆晚年中国社会上鸦片的流行程度：
上流社会的人在家里沉溺于抽鸦片。尽管当局采取了一切措施禁止进口，还是有相当数量的这种毒品被走私进入这个国家……大多数孟加拉去中国的船都运载鸦片；但是土耳其出产、由伦敦出发的中国船只所载的更受欢迎，价钱也卖得比其他的高一倍。广州道台在他最近颁布的一份公告中指出了吸食鸦片的种种害处……可是，这位广州道台每天都从容不迫地吸食他的一份鸦片。
当然，对这种坑人的买卖，英国人也心存忐忑。一开始，他们把这桩罪恶的生意当成病急乱投医的救急措施，并没有打算长期进行下去。他们还是寄希望于中英高层接触，使中国打开市场，这样他们就可以不必依赖这种非法的勾当。但是马戛尔尼出使的失败使他们的希望破灭了。东印度公司一不做二不休，又进一步垄断了鸦片的制造权，扩大了在印度的鸦片种植面积。为了在华扩大鸦片销售，他们甚至对中国吸食者的嗜好专门做了精心调查，力求鸦片的制造更适合中国吸食者的口味。马戛尔尼使团失败后，鸦片贸易数量迅速上升。据统计，1775-1797年，中国平均每年进口鸦片1814箱。而1798-1799年，平均每年增至4113箱，到1800年，则达到4570箱。
正是在乾隆年间兴起的鸦片走私在几十年后导致了中国财政的濒临破产。鸦片走私打破了中国对外贸易方面的长期优势，中国从以前的顺差一下子变成了逆差，白银大量外流。到1807年，英属印度总督指示孟买、马德拉斯、槟榔屿英国殖民地首脑，原先各地准备运往中国的白银都改运加尔各答，因为公司广州监委会已有足够财力应付交易。当年，从广州运抵加尔各答的白银有243万余两。
1821年以后，鸦片走私激增，银荒已从沿海省份蔓延到全国各地。而到鸦片战争前夕，中国每年的白银流出量至少达1000万两，接近清政府每年总收入的1/4。鸦片战争因此变得不可避免。
在英国发动鸦片战争的过程中，有一个人起了决定性的作用。他的名字叫小斯当东。
1840年4月7日，英国的下院进行了一场激烈的辩论，辩论的议题是：要不要向中国派遣远征军。漫长的辩论过程中，一位叫小斯当东的议员的发言引起了大家的特殊重视。在他发言的时候，全场鸦雀无声，人们听得异常认真。小斯当东以果断的口吻说，通过他对中国统治者性格的了解，他认为战争不可避免：
当然在开始流血之前，我们可以建议中国进行谈判。但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。
他认为，对中国的武力征服是必须的。
如果我们在中国不受人尊敬，那么在印度我们也会很快不受人尊敬，并且渐渐地在全世界都会如此！正在准备中的战争是一场世界性的战争。它的结局会产生不可估量的影响。根据胜负，这些影响又将是截然相反的。如果我们要输掉这场战争，我们就无权进行；但如果我们必须打赢它，我们就无权加以放弃。
小斯当东的发言对议员们的选择影响是至关重要的。发言结束后，下院里响起了长时间的鼓掌声。在后来进行的投票中，主战派271票，反战派262票，9票之差。也就是说，如果再多5张反对票，鸦片战争就不会在那时爆发。
大部分议员都十分相信小斯当东，因为他13岁就到过中国，而且还曾经与乾隆皇帝亲切交谈，得到乾隆的特殊关注与喜爱。
原来，小斯当东正是当年马戛尔尼使团副使斯当东的儿子。马戛尔尼访华时，13岁的他被作为“见习侍童”带到中国。乾隆五十八年（1793年）八月初十，马戛尔尼觐见乾隆皇帝，小斯当东因负责为特使提斗篷的后沿，也得以见到天颜。
在驶往中国的漫漫旅途中，小斯当东闲来无事，向翻译们学起了中文。小孩子的接受能力是极强的，何况斯当东爵士的儿子智商很高。很快他就掌握了许多日常对话。在觐见的时候，和砷向皇帝介绍，说这个小鬼子会说中国话。
刻板严格的程序被打破了，皇帝微笑着命孩子跪得再近一些，“让他讲中国话。或许是因为孩子的谦逊，或许由于他讲话的漂亮用词使皇帝十分高兴，后者欣然从自己的腰带上解下一个槟榔荷包亲自赐予该童”。
英国人没感觉有什么大不了的，他们认为这不过是一个手工绣成的钱包。但是在中国人看来，这却是了不得的恩典。“赐给自己身上的荷包可说是一种特殊恩惠：东方人把皇帝身上带过的任何一件物品都视为无价之宝。”小斯当东自己也感到很荣幸，这个荷包后来他一直保存着。（佩雷菲特《停滞的帝国——两个世界的撞击》）
回到英国后，小托马斯·斯当东并没有浪费他此行打下的中文基础。中国之行激发了他的兴趣，他继续刻苦学习中文。
中文特长奠定了他一生事业的基础。5年后，也就是1798年他被聘为东印度公司广州分公司的书记官，长驻广州，几年后就任总管专员，居留中国18年。嘉庆年间的1816年，他又参加了英国另一次对中国不成功的出使。这次出使彻底断了英国人通过和平手段与中国建立外交关系的念头。1817年后，他返回英国南汉普顿，成为下院议员。
中国经历在他心底结下了浓浓的中国情结。他终生喜欢中国事物。他在城里修了一个中国式的亭园，起名为“古亭莱园”，其中的标志性建筑是一座仿中国样式的灯塔状古亭。古亭莱园的书房中藏有大量中国书籍。他用10年的时间翻译了《大清律例》，这是第一本直接从中文译成