![]()
Heshen was an 18th-century Manchu official who has come to symbolize the corruption of China’s Qing dynasty. A favorite of the emperor, he rose from bodyguard to grand councilor and minister of the imperial household in just two years, at which point he took to extorting and embezzling on a grand scale. His associates, whom he had given political appointments, followed his example, thus beginning a century of corruption that led to the dynasty’s downfall. Why did he enjoy the emperor’s favor? Discuss
Source: The Free Dictionary