Xenophobia Among Han Chinese Elites in the High Qing

Abstract: This article examines how Han Chinese elites reacted to foreign influences in the eighteenth century. As domestic politics shifted, anti-foreign sentiments increased, with Han literati expressing intertwined resentments toward Christianity, Tibetan Buddhism, and Manchu rule. These issues were often entangled and carefully discussed under Qing censorship. While initially subtle, these anti-foreign feelings surfaced in works like the novel Yesou puyan , reflecting growing dissatisfaction with foreign elements and foreshadowing the rise of anti-Manchu sentiments near the end of the Qing dynasty.