China’s CCP Struggles to Publish Official History of Qing Dynasty
The Chinese Communist Party has long touted the rich history of Chinese civilization, but the recounting of more recent centuries remains a challenging task for the party. For years, Chinese scholars have been meticulously working on an official history of the Qing Dynasty at the request of the CCP, the last imperial dynasty to rule China.
With an investment of significant resources, including thousands of researchers and massive funding, the project has produced a draft of over 100 volumes and tens of millions of words. However, the growing ideological rigidity under Xi Jinping’s leadership has caused continued delays in the publication of this historical work, which has been stalled for over a decade. This delay reflects the CCP’s tightening control over history to serve its own agenda.
The Qing Dynasty holds a crucial place in the Communist Party’s narrative of China’s resurgence from a period of foreign domination known as the “century of humiliation.” China’s current territorial claims are largely inherited from the Qing Dynasty, making its legitimacy closely tied to that historical period.
Criticism of the “History of the Qing” manuscript focused on political issues, with some reviewers within the party claiming that it did not represent the people’s perspective. Additionally, the aging key researchers involved in the project pose a race against time for the National Qing History Compilation Committee.
Xi Jinping’s influence on historical narratives in China is unmistakable. The CCP leader has emphasized a “correct view of history” to bolster his vision of national rejuvenation and authoritarian rule. This nationalist narrative portrays the CCP as the sole driver of China’s rise, while suppressing dissenting historical views.
Despite efforts to revise and review the manuscript, challenges remain in aligning the content with Xi Jinping’s overarching goals. The project’s completion is further complicated by the passing of several key historians, raising questions about how to proceed and whether new scholars will be involved.
The resistance to certain historians who challenge the CCP’s narrative reflects the government’s stance on maintaining a unified historical account that supports its rule over diverse ethnic groups. Disagreements over how Western powers influenced Qing political reforms are emblematic of the ongoing struggle to present a cohesive historical narrative.
As the completion and publication of the “Qing History” remain uncertain, the project stands as a testament to the complex interplay between academic research and political agendas in China. With the fate of the manuscript hanging in the balance, scholars navigate the shifting landscape of historical interpretation under Xi Jinping’s rule.