Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1816 - 1827 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
1 piece 4 sides handwritten
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
George Eden, 1st Earl of Auckland, was born in Kent and educated at Eton and Oxford before being called to the Bar in 1809. He was a member for Parliament from 1810 to 1814 when he inherited his father's title and moved to the House of Lords. In 1830 he became President of the Board of Trade and Master of the Mint. He also served three times as First Lord of the Admiralty. In 1836 he was appointed Governor-General of India, a position he held until 1842. He was also actively involved with the Royal Asiatic Society and served as its president from 1843 to 1849.
Name of creator
Biographical history
Daoguang, Emperor of China, was the seventh Emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the sixth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1820 to 1850. His reign included the First Opium War and the beginning of the Taiping Rebellion.
Repository
Archival history
The creator of the document is unknown. It was in the possession of Lord Auckland who donated it to the Royal Asiatic Society.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The paper was received from Lord Auckland in 1827.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
'Translation of the Emperor of China's Letter to the King of England from the original Chinese'. A translation of the document sent to George III from the Emperor of China after the Amherst Embassy in 1816. The letter is dated 11 September 1816 and was given to the Society by Lord Auckland in 1827. The document complains about the behaviour of the ambassadors sent and orders no further ambassador to come. The emperor has no wish to trade.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Open. Please contact the archivist. Details can be found here : https://royalasiaticarchives.org/. The archive is open on Tuesdays and Fridays 10-5, and Thursdays 2-5. Access is to any researcher without appointment but it will help if an appointment is made via phone or email. Please bring photo ID.
Conditions governing reproduction
Digital photography (without flash) for research purposes may be permitted upon completion of a copyright declaration form, and with respect to current UK copyright law.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
The Library Collections hold a copy of 'Notes of proceedings and occurrences, during the British Embassy to Pekin in 1816' by George Thomas Staunton, published 1824. Details can be found in our Library catalogue: https://ras.koha-ptfs.co.uk/.
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Eden George 1784-1849 1st earl of Auckland (Subject)
- Daoguang Emperor of China 1782-1850 (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
The material was catalogued by Nancy Charley, RAS Archivist, in 2022.