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Abstract Based on the travel texts of western travelers who came to Guangzhou in the 19th century, the travel situation of travelers in Guangzhou in the 19th century was deeply analyzed; Thirteen Hongs of Canton as the focus of the travel texts, and western travelers' impressions of Guangzhou's urban landscapes and water landscapes were described and discussed in detail; China's national image in the eyes of Westerners was analyzed, and it was an objective reflection of the situation of the Qing Empire at that time.
Keywords Travelers, Guangzhou image, Thirteen Hongs of Canton, National image
Guangzhou is the only location of Thirteen Hongs of Canton, the only management institution of Chinese and foreign trade in the Qing Empire, and it is the focus of the narrative of the travel text in China. Guangzhou is like the epitome of the Qing Empire, and it is the first impression of China's image formation and dissemination. In Guangzhou, travelers can observe magnificent sights, and can directly feel the prosperity and strength of the Qing Empire. Besides, travelers can witness the development of commerce and trade in Thirteen Hongs of Canton, and feel the good will of the people to carry out exchanges between China and the West. Guangzhou can not only leave a good impression of honesty and trustworthiness to tourists in China[1], but also intuitively demonstrate the corrupt, backward and contradictory side of the Qing Empire.
1Travelers who visited Guangzhou in depth in the 19th century
As an important port city on the southeast coast of China, Guangzhou was always a city where China participated in overseas exchanges in history, and has been the primary travel destination for Western embassies to visit China since the age of geographical discovery. Whether before the sea ban or after the opening of the sea, the Canton Fair is world-famous, attracting a large number of Westerners to trade in Guangzhou. In the more than 80 years since Qianlong implemented the "one-stop trade" in 1757, Guangzhou became the only place where China and the West met. For Western missions to China, Guangzhou is the only receiving port. After the Opium War, Guangzhou became the earliest Chinese city to open up. In the 19 century, the tourists who came to Guangzhou were...