The Treaty of Nerchinsk

Let's continue our previous episode's theme of Russia.

The nationalist narrative of recent Chinese history often emphasizes the so-called "Century of Humiliation" from the mid-19th to the mid-20th century, during which Western imperial powers as well as Japan foisted many "unequal treaties" upon China.

But the same narrative often notes one exception: the one modern treaty that Qing Dynasty China entered into that the Chinese do not regard as "unequal."

It was the Treaty of Nerchinsk concluded in 1689 between the Qing Court of Emperor Kangxi and the Russian Empire under Tsar Peter the Great, two giant figures of world history who probably would've been good friends if they'd only had a chance to meet. The treaty demarcated the border between Russia and China for the next 170 years or so and was a remarkable example of cross-cultural negotiations.

And, as we now live in a time when we all ought to try our best to understand both of those countries, it was a fascinating episode in the history of their interactions with each other.

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