How did Qianlong support Chinese art and literature?

The Qianlong emperor was a significant patron of the arts and literature during the Qing dynasty, though his legacy is complex due to his simultaneous use of strict censorship.1

Literary Contributions

Qianlong’s most monumental literary achievement was the sponsorship of the Sikuquanshu ("Complete Library in the Four Branches of Literature"). Initiated in 1772, this massive project involved scholars compiling the most important classical, historical, philosophical, and literary texts into 36,275 volumes.1

However, this effort was paired with the systematic destruction of approximately 2,600 titles deemed "seditious" for containing anti-Manchu sentiments. The emperor even ordered revisions to the Sikuquanshu after its completion to remove texts he found objectionable.1

Artistic Patronage

The arts flourished under Qianlong, with notable advancements in architecture, painting, porcelain, and jade and ivory work. He actively protected artists, such as the calligrapher Zhang Zhao, and patronized European missionaries like Giuseppe Castiglione, whose painting talents he admired. Additionally, he expanded the Yuanmingyuan, commissioning Jesuit missionaries to design gardens and buildings that blended Italian Baroque and Rococo styles with traditional Chinese architecture.1