To What Extent Does the Reign of the Emperor Jia Qing (1796-1820) Give Evidence for Qing Decline?

        The next aspect of Jia Qings reign to be examined for evidence of Qing decline is the extent of corruption. It can be seen that during JiaQings time, the inherited system of administration remained in place, despite the emperor’s attempts to change this with his introduction of the 3 and the 5 antis. The blunder made by Qien Long by allowing his protégé and imperial body guard Ho Shen to amass a huge personal fortune was no anomaly, as officials at all levels could be seen to be practicing corruption with more and more aplomb. Despite Jia Qing’s attempts to clear out officials placed by Ho Shen, such widespread corruption was too built in structurally to fix. Therefore, it can be seen that Jia Qings efforts to refute corruption were not effective, and that in this aspect his reign clearly evidences Qing decline.

        The next aspect of Jia Qings reign to be examined for evidence of Qing decline is the state of intellectual integrity and education. Confucianism had always been the major influence in the Chinese education and examination system, but by JiaQings reign, following extensive Manchu literary purges and restrictions on freedomn of speech, scholars were reduced to memorising Confucian texts published hundreds of years before. Innovation had been completely stifled, and without reforming the system to make it so that it was a good thing to be critical in your thinking, the stagnation of the intellectuals, usually the class which generates change and improvement, in Jia Qings regin can be seen to clearly evidence Qing Decline.

The final factor of Jia Qings reign to be analyzed for evidence of Qing decline is the state of the economy. This is closely linked to the state of the administration and the extent of corruption. Basically, during Jia Qings reign, problems were rife. The fixed land poll tax put into place by Qian Long, which accounted for 5 per cent of imperial revenue, had their figures totally falsified by corrupt officials who increased their expected ‘customary charge’ for transaction to about 50 per cent of the tax itself! Local officials were often not above raising exchange rates for their own benefits, and ground level bastardization of the revenue system was commonplace and everyday. Therefore, it is evident that in this aspect, Jia Qings reign can clearly be seen to evidence Qing decline.

In conclusion, in the case of the state of the economy, the state of the education and intellectual system, the state of administration and bureaucracy, and the extent of corruption, the regin of JiaQing clearly gives evidence for Qing decline. The lack of reform and inherited problems resulting from dynastic stagnation were definite factors in his rule.