The first British embassy to China, under Lord Macartney, took place almost two centuries ago. The voyage took one year and although the ambassador managed to gain an audience with the Ch'ien Lung Emperor, the two sides fell out over the question of kowtow.
兩百年前，第一位英國特使麥卡尼（Lord Macartney）足足由海陸航行了整一年，好容易在熱河萬樹園覲見了乾隆皇帝，雙方卻為「磕頭禮」相持不下。