CHINESE  HISTORY:  THIRD  PERIOD  21
Roman  Catholic  missionaries  with  considerable  favor,
but  later,  owing  to  a  dispute  that  arose  concerning  the
Chinese  translation  for  the  word  “  God,  and  the  adoption
by  the  missionaries  of  the  term  approved  by  the  Pope,  in
opposition  to  the  one  favored  by  the  Emperor,  the  good
will  of  the  latter  was  forfeited.  The  Chinese  jealously
resented  the  appeal  to  an  authority  outside  their  own
nation.
The  literary  activity  during  the  reign  of  Kanghi  was
very  great,  for  during  this  time  were  published  the  standard
dictionary  of  the  Chinese  characters,  compiled  by  a  commission ­
  of  scholars  appointed  by  the  Emperor,  and  also
a  huge  encyclopedia,  consisting  of  6,026  volumes.  The
famous  sixteen  maxims,  known  as  the  Sacred  Edict,  were
composed  by  the  Emperor  ;  these  were  afterwards  expanded
and  annotated  by  his  son  Yung  Cheng,  and  from  that  time
to  this  have  been  expounded  monthly  in  the  city  temples
to  the  common  people.
The  Reigns  of  Yung  Cheng  and  Kienlung  (1723-1796)
Kanghi  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Yung  Cheng  (1723),
during  whose  reign  Russian  and  Portuguese  embassies
visited  the  capital,  and  were  granted  an  Audience.
In  1736  Kienlung  ascended  the  throne.  Although,
during  his  reign,  there  was  much  disorder  in  the  Empire,  yet
there  were  also  many  conquests  of  importance.  Frequent
rebellions  broke  out  and  were  put  down  with  considerable
difficulty.  A  serious  outbreak,  leading  to  the  annexation
of  Eastern  Turkestan,  occurred  in  Mongolia.  A  war  was
carried  on  with  Burma,  resulting  in  the  Burmese  entering
into  an  agreement  to  pay  a  triennial  tribute  to  the  Court
at  Peking.  This  was  henceforth  regularly  paid  until
Burma  was  annexed  by  the  British  Government.  Trouble
also  arose  in  Tibet,  due  to  the  Gurkhas  from  Nipal  interfering ­
  in  the  government  of  the  country.  An  army  was
dispatched  into  Tibet,  and  the  Gurkhas  were  driven  out  and
forced  to  acknowledge  the  sovereignty  of  China.