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China: Soldier of the Emperor Qianlong, by William Alexander, 1793.

Qianlong (25 September 1711 – 7 February 1799) was the sixth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1736 to 8 February 1796. On 8 February, he abdicated in favor of his son, Jiaqing, a filial act in order not to reign longer than his grandfather, the illustrious Kangxi Emperor. Despite his retirement, however, he retained ultimate power until his death in 1799. Although his early years saw the continuity of an era of prosperity in China, he held an unrelentingly conservative attitude. As a result, the Qing Dynasty's decline began later in his reign.