Jurassic Parks

Lord George Macartney was accustomed to the finer things in life. He was a diplomat and politician of the most powerful nation in the world, during a time when those two professions came with a high level of prestige and paid well. He was no stranger to luxury.

However, the sheer display of opulence he saw in the Forbidden City, with its sprawling complex of palaces, gardens, and pavilions, adorned with intricate carvings, gold leaf, and exquisite paintings—a testament to the wealth and power of the Qing Dynasty—put what Macartney had seen back home to shame.

Everywhere he looked, there were signs of imperial might and the refined aesthetics of Chinese culture. Courtiers in richly embroidered silks moved gracefully through the courtyards, while the air was filled with the subtle fragrances of incense and blooming flowers.

In the heart of this splendor awaited the Qianlong Emperor, the Son of Heaven, whose authority was absolute and whose word was law throughout his vast empire. It was…