Forgetful Empire: Qing China’s Intelligence Crisis and Trans-Himalayan Diplomacy in the Qing-Gurkha War (1788–1793)

Dr. Lei Lin will discuss a chapter from her book manuscript, The Limits of Empire: The Qing-Gurkha War and China's Trans-Himalayan Frontier, 1788-1793. The book uses the Qing-Gurkha War as a lens to examine broader patterns of Qing engagement with the Tibetan frontier and Nepal in the late eighteenth century. Challenging conventional narratives that portray this period as the "apex of Qing hegemony," the book argues that Qing rule in Tibet was characterized instead by fragmented governance and epistemic gaps-limitations that ultimately constrained Qing ambitions in the trans-Himalayan region. The chapter under discussion focuses on the Qing's struggle to produce reliable intelligence and forge alliances with Himalayan and South Asian states in response to Gurkha expansion, revealing the complex and often precarious nature of Qing frontier strategy.

Dr. Lin is Assistant Professor of Chinese History, Division of Arts and Humanities at Duke Kunshan University. She is a historian of late imperial and early modern China, specializing in frontiers and borderlands, foreign relations, and the Qing Empire's (1644-1911) state-building efforts. Her research engages with transnational and comparative imperial history, positioning China's presence in the trans-Himalayan region as a vital part of the broader narrative of early modern global imperialism. She works with multilingual sources-including Chinese, Manchu, Tibetan, and Nepali-gathered through extensive archival research across several regions.

At Duke Kunshan University, Dr. Lin teaches courses on late imperial and medieval Chinese history, as well as an upper-level seminar on China and the Silk Roads. She also teaches and serves as the course head for "China in the World," an award-winning course in DKU's signature Common Core program, overseeing curriculum design and a team of instructors for 500 freshman undergraduates.

Education: Ph.D., Harvard University; M.A., Harvard University; B.A., Renmin University