Qing Imperial Illustrations of Tributary Peoples (Huang Qing zhigong tu): A Cultural Cartography of Empire

Commissioned by the Qianlong emperor in 1751, the Qing Imperial Illustrations of Tributary Peoples (Huang Qing zhigong tu

), is a captivating work of art and ideological statement of universal rule. Best understood as a cultural cartography of empire, the captivating artwork paired with ethnographic texts helps us to understand the complexity of Chinese diplomatic relations as well the ideological force behind them which was rooted in both dynastic history and the specifics of Qing rule.