Agricultural level

16, 17 centuries, westerners who visited the Ming dynasty described the agricultural production in China, which made them worship. The most famous is the comment of the missionary Matteo Ricci: "Far richer than Europe."

Why is it richer than Europe? Zeng Dezhao, a missionary, praised China farmers for their good physique, cheerful and enthusiastic attitude towards life, and advanced farm tools than European farmers. LADA, a Spaniard, marveled at the dazzling array of farm tools in rural areas of China, such as fan cars blowing in the valley and super-large waterwheels that can be irrigated at the top of the mountain. Rice is harvested three times a year, and the yield is quite high. Besides, there are many other crops. At that time, many common farm tools in China were sold to Europe, causing all the looting.

Rada once commented on the life of farmers in the Ming Dynasty: people are well-fed and well-dressed, and their homes are luxuriously furnished.

Matteo Ricci especially praised Guangdong Province, saying that Guangdong is an enlarged version of Venice, beautiful and rich, with convenient transportation. As for the Ming dynasty? "He (Ming Dynasty) as a whole looks like a big garden, with indescribable tranquility and serenity".

What was this "big garden" like in Qing Dynasty? Barrow, a member of the British Mission who was sent to China, lamented that the rural areas of China in the prosperous period of Kanggan were "poor and helpless". What impressed him especially was that there were more than 9,000 abandoned babies around Beijing every year, which was shocking.

Equally unforgettable for the British is the hunger of the Qing people. At that time, some dead pigs and moldy poultry in the food of the British mission were thrown away by the British. Then, what shocked them appeared: people from all over China flocked to grab food. Barrow exclaimed: "(China people) are willing to eat any food, even if it is rotten!"

Yes, the legendary rich garden-like countryside in China. Barrow commented: I have never seen any evidence to prove that the people are well-fed and the countryside is rich and prosperous. What we can see is nothing but poverty and backwardness.

2

Urban level

Cities in the Ming Dynasty, like rural areas, were once envied by those visiting Europeans.

It's also Rada's narrative. As a tourist from Spain, the most powerful country in Europe at that time, most of the Ming cities in his eyes were built by rivers. Not only are the walls strong, but the streets are well paved. There are many lush trees on both sides, and the roads are wider and straighter than those in European cities. This house is very beautiful.

What attracted Rada's attention in particular was the welfare institutions of the Ming Dynasty: Huimin Pharmacy and Yangji Hospital. According to Rada's records, there is a "very good thing that amazed us pagans" in the cities of the Ming Dynasty, that is, there are hospitals in cities of all sizes!

Rada has been to several cities in China, but she has never seen beggars. People in the Ming Dynasty told him that local nursing homes could accommodate disabled people who could not live. And "there is always an adequate supply of rice."

Moreover, even in small towns, food is cheap, and entertainment and banquets of all sizes are common. According to Ellada's estimation, "it is because they are rich and carefree.".

In addition to these amazing appearances, the cities of the Ming Dynasty also had a level of environmental sanitation envied by Europeans.

Matteo Ricci once compared Suzhou with Venice, both of which are "water cities", but Suzhou is not only prosperous and rich, but also has clear water. "Not as salty as the water in Venice.

Zeng Dezhao, a Portuguese who has lived in Hangzhou for ten years, painted the West Lake with more affectionate pen and ink: the water in the West Lake is almost clear to the point of "fine sand at the bottom". Why is it so clean? Zeng Dezhao explained that in addition to the hard work of the people, even "rags thrown on the street" can be recycled because of the mature sanitation management and even garbage recycling system in the Ming Dynasty.

Hundreds of years later, when the British Qianlong mission visited China, the members of the mission only had a few cold comments on the urban level of the Qing Dynasty: there were few public entertainment areas and few narrow roads.

Of course, what surprised the British even more was that there were really many people in the cities of the Qing Dynasty, and small counties like Dinghai were very crowded. After arriving in Beijing, according to Barrow's records, the streets in the eastern suburbs of Beijing were full of stalls and people, and the whole road was crowded into a line.

But in such a bustling city, what impressed the British most was the gap between the rich and the poor. It is also the feeling of Stenton. Most of the houses I saw in every city I passed were straw houses with earth walls and grass tops, and only a few were tall and beautiful houses. It is either poor or rich, and there is very little middle class.

As for Beijing, the capital of the Qing Dynasty? In the diaries of these British people, it is true that most houses are dilapidated, beggars can be seen everywhere, the quality of roads is poor, and it is too muddy to walk on rainy days. What opened their eyes most was that the city was a wasteland, and many collapsed houses were in ruins and overgrown with weeds.

three

The world is everything.

In the works of foreigners visiting the Ming dynasty, there are also descriptions of the personality and temper of the Ming dynasty.

Cruz, a Portuguese who lived in Guangzhou during Jiajing period, introduced a Guangzhou full of literary style to later generations. Everyone likes to play music during holidays. And not exclusive. They Portuguese enjoy the cool by the river at night, and often meet Guangzhou youths who play musical instruments on yachts. Then they will be invited to board the boat and play music together. The scene is enjoyable.

Moreover, unlike those Ming people who were proud of the "heaven" imagined by later generations, Zeng Dezhao, a Portuguese who also lived in the Ming Dynasty for many years, was very impressed by the mind of China people at that time. China people are very modest and can bravely admit their shortcomings. If you find something more advanced than yourself, you can learn with an open mind. But also very honest, pay special attention to observation time and commitment. This is really a nation that can surpass others.

Matteo Ricci wrote a letter to Roman, the Spanish tax director, and spoke highly of the quality of China people: the knowledge and ability of China people are really outstanding, too high and too great. If you write in detail, you need several large volumes.

The military style of the Ming dynasty, according to Rada, the elite of the Ming army can sweep all directions. Warships are also durable, and their artillery is more delicate and sturdy than European artillery, according to the evaluation of Spanish captain El Tiada!

It was also in the Qing Dynasty that the image of China people in the eyes of the British Mission changed dramatically.

With Barrow's teasing, China people in Qing Dynasty were really afraid of officials. No matter how relaxed they are at ordinary times, they immediately become jittery in front of officials.

As for Qing officials? Esteban's description: The poor in Qing Dynasty had almost no chance to complain, and being an official was the only religion of China people.

What the British particularly looked down upon was the Qing soldiers during the Qianlong period. In their view, the naval vessels of the Qing Dynasty were not suitable for sailing at all, and the draft was too shallow to carry heavy winds and waves. As for the army? According to Barrow, regardless of weapons, the spiritual temperament of the army is extremely poor, and it feels like a walk-on actor. So they came to an amazing conclusion: Only three warships can destroy the coastline of China! four

Image influence

At the end of the Ming Dynasty, a series of books about China became popular in the west at the same time, and even triggered a craze that swept Europe for hundreds of years: China fever.

In this China craze, it is common fashion to wear China silk, shake China paper fans, collect China porcelain, watch Chinese shadow play and raise China goldfish. King Louis XIV of France specially built the "China Palace" at Versailles. The Queen of England is a China fan. Defoe, a writer who wrote Robinson Crusoe, described it this way: The patterned furniture of the Queen's house must be made in China, and China Hanfu is her favorite.

Of course, the influence of ideology and culture is even stronger: as early as the apocalypse of the Ming Dynasty, the Latin version of China's Four Books and Five Classics appeared in Europe, which immediately caused a shock. More than a hundred years later, Europeans spared no effort to learn from China. That period had a profound impact on the progress of Europe, as described by the German philosopher Leibniz: "Now China from the East has awakened us".

Macartney, head of the British mission in Qianlong period, grew up in the era of "China fever" in Europe. Before he went to the Qing Dynasty, he was also an out-and-out China fan. His passion for China culture is as described in his own poems: It's like I visited the happy seashore in China and climbed his masterpiece, the Great Wall of Wan Li!

However, when they really set foot on the land of China and saw the various features of the Qing Dynasty, Magalny, a former China fan, left an inspiring comment: When we advance in the field of art and science every day, they are becoming semi-barbarians!