Friday, January 24, 2014

Lattices (and other parallels between Qing-era China and Mughal-era India)

Inspired by latticework designs from China and Mughal India:
Profile of young Qing Dynasty official

For beardless versions of these gentlemen, see Portrait of an Official and Portrait of a courtier. :-)

Some random (or not so random) parallels between the Qing period (1644-1912) in China and the Mughal period in India (1526-1857):
  • Both dynasties were established by non-indigenous rulers:
    • The Mughal Dynasty was established on the Indian subcontinent by Turko-Mongols from Uzbekistan.1
    • The Qing Dynasty was established in China by Jurchens from Manchuria (present-day Northeastern China).2
  • The capitals of both the Qing and the Mughals experienced repeated slaughter of their populations, looting of cultural treasures and destruction of exquisite architecture: