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Very good. Fairly evenly toned. Light foxing in the margins, especially at bottom-right. Size 22 x 15.25 Inches. A lovely example of Sir John Barrow's 1796 schematic of the main audience hall of the Yuanmingyuan or 'Old Summer Palace,' an impressive complex of palaces and gardens built for the Qing emperors just outside of Beijing. It appeared in George Leonard Staunton's An Authentic Account of an Embassy from the King of Great Britain to the Emperor of China , recounting the Macartney Embassy, a failed British attempt to gain expanded trading and diplomatic rights in China. A Closer Look This diagram depicts the main audience hall (???? or ?????) of the Yuanmingyuan, located near the main southern gate (???) of the complex, designed for receiving prominent guests including foreign visitors. Typical of Chinese palace architecture, especially structures intended for the emperor's use, visitors passed through a series of courtyards and gates laid out according to fengshui principles before approaching the emperor himself. The audience hall itself was designed with the aim of facilitating the giving of gifts by visitors to the emperor. In this respect, Macartney's Embassy followed ritual protocol, gifting the Qianlong Emperor clocks, a telescope, watches, and other Western goods, largely of a mechanical nature. Qianlong was decidedly unimpressed. This is often attributed to his lack of appreciation for modern wares, though it was just as likely due to the fact that he was already well-aware of such goods due to the long presence of European Jesuits at the Qing Court, some of whom brought mechanical items from Europe or constructed them on site in Beijing. Likewise, the gifts given to Macartney, consisting mostly of silk, porcelain, and tea, were not especially novel as most could be acquired in Europe via Canton, albeit for a handsome price. Despite the audience hall's intended function, Macartney did not meet Qianlong here, though the British did leave gifts in the hall as dictated by proper ritual. When the British arrived in Beijing, Qianlong was undertaking a regular hunting expedition, a symbolically important activity for Qing emperors laden with ritual, north of the Great Wall. Thus, after depositing their gifts at the Yuanmingyuan, the embassy proceeded to another Qing summer palace at Chengde (Rehe), also north of the Great Wall, where the Qing emperors often received delegations from vassal states at a similar audience hall. On September 14, 1793, after considerable debate over whether Macartney would kowtow to the emperor, the embassy met Qianlong, exchanged more gifts, delivered a letter from King George III, and had a relatively pleasant meeting, though they failed to gain the main concessions desired from the Qing. The 'Old Summer Palace' - Yuanmingyuan ??? The Yuanmingyuan, originally known simply as the 'imperial gardens,' was a magnificent garden and palace complex that was constructed by the Qing rulers of China beginning in the early 18th century. Started under the reign of the Kangxi Emperor, the complex was expanded considerably by his son, Yongzheng, and grandson, Qianlong, to eventually reach some 3.5 square kilometers. One of the most novel features of the complex was the inclusion of hybrid Chinese-Western style structures (???) designed by European Jesuits in the service of the Qing emperors. Located some five miles northwest of the walled city of Beijing, the Yuanmingyuan was a resplendent retreat for the Qing emperors and provided a venue for impressive displays of their grandeur for visitors. Aside from the Jesuits, who were understandably partial to the complex, Lord Macartney's mission was among several foreign delegations to visit the gardens. They made such an impact on European visitors that they influenced European gardens of the 18th century, most notably Kew Gardens in London. The name 'Old Summer Palace' in English and other Western languages resulted from the construction of multiple imperi.
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