Qianlong Emperor

The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 1711 – 7 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, personal name Hongli, was the fifth emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. The fourth son of the Yongzheng Emperor, he reigned officially from 11 October 1735 to 8 February 1796. In 1796, he abdicated in favour of his son, the Jiaqing Emperor, out of filial piety towards his grandfather, the Kangxi Emperor, who ruled for 61 years, so that he would not officially usurp him as the longest-reigning emperor. Despite his retirement, however, the Qianlong Emperor retained ultimate power as the Emperor Emeritus until his death in 1799, making him one of the longest-reigning monarchs in history as well as one of the longest-lived, dying at age eighty-seven. During his lifetime, he was given the deified title "Emperor Manjushri" by the Qing's Tibetan subjects.

As a capable and cultured ruler who inherited a thriving empire, Qianlong ushered in the High Qing era, which marked the height of the Qing dynasty's power, influence, and prosperity. During his long reign, the empire had the largest population and economy in the world. As a military leader, he led military campaigns that expanded the dynastic territory to its largest extent by conquering and sometimes destroying Central Asian kingdoms. This turned around in his late years: the Qing empire began to decline with corruption and wastefulness in his court and a stagnating civil society.