Palace Memorial in Manchu and Chinese Scripts

Qing dynasty (1644�1911), Qianlong period (1736�95), dated 1760

Composed by Zhuang Yougong (jinshi of 1739; d. 1767)

Document with 21 folds; folded in accordion style; overall dimensions of document completely unfolded: 23.5 x 247.8 cm; each leaf: approx. 23.5 x 11.8 cm

Inventory number: 1143

Original palace memorials are extremely important archival documents for the study of Qing history.Their contents tend to be very specific and are considered authentic and reliable sources of regional and local data.After reading the memorials, the emperor would give his endorsement, issue instructions, or reply by inscribing them with a vermilion brush.Palace memorials are often the most direct records of the development of certain historical affairs as well as their subsequent management by the bureaucracy and the court.

This bilingual palace memorial (zouzhe in Chinese, bukdari in Manchu, literally "memorial written on folded paper") was submitted by the official Zhuang Youguang to the Qianlong emperor in 1760.Zhuang was the top-ranking participant in the 1739 metropolitan examinations; he was appointed to a series of important posts.

The Manchu portion of the memorial, read from left to right, has a total of six leaves with six columns per fold, except for the final leaf, which has only four columns of text; some of the leaves in Manchu text have been loosened from the rest of the document.The Chinese portion, read right to left, is written in very small, delicately inked, and stylized kaishu (regular script) over 13 folds.