The book will highlight different aspects of Qing life (1644-1911), last imperial dynasty, and will endeavor to discover the personality of the Chinese emperors through selected works and writings. The personalities of the Qing emperors are a crucial element of the book, most notably in the cases of Kangxi (1662-1722), Yongzheng (1723-1735) and Qianlong (1736-1795), who considered themselves exemplars of Chinese culture. As the Son of Heaven, the emperor was an all-powerful being and the nations military, religious and cultural leader. Readers will discover items linked to these different functions, among them portraits, ceremonial costumes, furniture, precious objets dart and scientific instruments, some of which are ranked as national treasures.