Explored the construction and dissemination of the image of Emperor Qianlong in the 18th century in the West. French missionary Qian Deming translated Emperor Qianlong's "Ode to Shengjing" into French, satisfying the curiosity of Europeans and aligning with the political ideals of Enlightenment thinkers. French painter Martine created Qianlong's first Western copperplate print based on Pan Tingzhang's artwork. Voltaire showed great interest in the works of Emperor Qianlong, reflecting the "Chinese fever" in France at that time. In contrast, the UK has little interest in the rational political reform of Chinese style and pays more attention to "Tea Poetry". William Chambers translated "The Tea Poem" in "The Theory of Oriental Gardening", which opened the way for the English translation of works by Emperor Qianlong. Byron's book list shows the influence of 'The Tea Poem' in England. After the Macartney mission to China, the Western portrayal of the image of Emperor Qianlong showed a characteristic of coexistence of old and new.

1、 Initial Image Building: The Harmony of Art and Politics

In 1792, Gilroy's comic "Receiving Diplomatic Missions at the Beijing Court" satirically depicted Emperor Qianlong as lazy and cunning, echoing the image of China in British cultural controversies. In the debate over British garden art, Emperor Qianlong became the target of attack, and some intellectuals looked down upon the Chinese sentiment. When the Macartney mission was dispatched, the political situation in Europe was turbulent, and King George III of England strengthened the monarchy. The mission faced multiple objections and ridicule. The portrait of Emperor Qianlong drawn by Alexander carries official colors and has the highest number of followers, but differs in appearance from Emperor Qianlong. Alexander's portrait is modified according to political needs and supplemented with explanations of political events, which is a common means of Western political propaganda. The negative records of Emperor Qianlong by the members of the mission helped the mission gain sympathy from the local people. The harmony between artistic creation and political interests is reflected in the portrayal of the image of Emperor Qianlong. The British hoped that the Chinese Empire would become a hospitable host and a rational trading partner, but in reality, the Qing government was wary of Western countries and even unwilling to trade with them. The portrait of Emperor Qianlong in Bowei's court attire is more authentic, but the popularity of Alexander's paintings far exceeds that of Bowei's, which is inevitable due to political demands and cultural differences.

2、 Deletion and weakening: shifting from "present" to "suspended"

At the beginning of the 19th century, the portrait of Emperor Qianlong appeared in Europe, and painters removed the background and details, making the portrait a cultural symbol. In 1811, the portrait of Emperor Qianlong in the book "A Miniature of China" simplified the color scheme and background of clothing, modified the physical characteristics of the emperor, and made the character's temperament more delicate. The English illustrations inherited these elements and influenced later portraits. In the Alexander version of the seated image, the seat of Emperor Qianlong is lifted, the background is dissolved, and the characters are displayed, forming a window display metaphor. This change in spatial structure reflects a shift in the artist's understanding, as Emperor Qianlong transformed from a part of the Chinese Empire into a symbol with clear edges. Under the policy of 'isolationism', Westerners' outdated understanding of China has fueled the 'China stagnation theory'. The deletion and weakening of the portrait of Emperor Qianlong has reduced the cost of image dissemination and weakened the moral anxiety of the audience. It is a product of Orientalist logic, transforming China from a "presence" to a "suspension" state in order to gain benefits.

3、 New Trend: Discipline and Inclusion of China

Explored the British strategy of disciplining and integrating the Chinese Empire, and how this strategy was reflected in the modification and shaping of the portrait of Emperor Qianlong. Britain attempts to discipline China as an "advanced" country, while cultural arrogance provides moral legitimacy for economic aggression. In the mid-19th century, the portrait of Emperor Qianlong was subjected to extreme binary transformation, with some parts demonized and others shaped according to Western norms. The image of Emperor Qianlong in the Book of Pali is gloomy, pale, and bearded, which contradicts traditional male traits and is depicted as a symbol of evil and terror. This image shaping has led the West to associate Chinese culture with barbarism and backwardness, transforming the identity of the Chinese emperor from a civilized and noble one to a barbarian chieftain. At the same time, the West weakens the image of Emperor Qianlong through gender narratives, linking him to hysterical patients and excluding the East from the rational civilization world. In addition, the West has also constructed a new image of Emperor Qianlong based on its own culture, such as the image of the young Emperor Qianlong in the illustrated version of Hill's New Perfection of Sino Indian History, which differs from historical reality. The discourse perspective of Western centrism obscures the evil of colonial activities, erases China's historical sanctity and cultural autonomy, and rationalizes aggressive behavior as an inevitable process of civilization evolution.

4、 Conclusion

The ambiguity of image information requires viewers to interpret the artist's intentions through composition, symbolism, and narrative traditions. The Western perception of China went through two stages, namely between 1500-1800 and after 1840, when the image of China presented differently in the West. The portrait of Emperor Qianlong presents different images in these two stages. At the beginning of the 19th century, Europe formed a value system that saw change as progress. The background of the Qianlong portrait was removed and the characters were weakened, shifting from a close relationship to a suspended state and enhancing symbolic power. The West seized the privilege of changing the Chinese Empire through aggression, sparking a passion for transformation. In the mid-19th century, the Qianlong statue painted by Western painters appeared to be contradictory, but in reality, it was a combination of two sides, symbolizing the ability of the West to transform the image of China. Add barbaric features to the portrait of Emperor Qianlong, and use the discourse system of barbarism and civilization opposition to infer the rationality of China's acceptance of Western management towards civilization. With the accumulation of colonial crimes, there has been an increase in questioning and moral criticism of the legitimacy of colonial activities, leading to fierce resistance from people under colonial rule. The painter used romantic and classical methods to transform the portrait of Emperor Qianlong, using a progressive Chinese image to refute the rationality of colonial aggression and avoid moral criticism of colonial behavior. The changes in the portrait of Emperor Qianlong reflect the overall embellishment of the colonial discourse system by the West after the mid-19th century, making its expansionist behavior more reckless and causing profound suffering to the people of the invaded territories.