In "The Background to a Dynasty" Yu tries to view the Qing with greater perspective, looking at the Manchus 'hardships and embarrassments as they did their best to go native.
余秋雨在〈一個王朝的背影〉一文中，企圖從另一個角度來瞭望清朝，企圖尋出這個王朝在努力漢化的過程中所遭遇的尷尬與困難。