Pardafas Reporter
Screenshot of a post of Chinese social media 'weibo.com' where false information about invasion of the Kathmandu valley and submission of Nepali King to Chinse leaders are spread.Photo: weibo.com
Although neighboring China, which often claims to become a good friend with Nepal and shows zero tolerance about misinformation about it from Nepal, it seems quite the opposite to fake information about Nepal being circulated in its own popular social media.
A news article being circulated at weibo.com, China’s own social media’ has wrongly portrayed the five years long ‘Sino-Gorkha war’ about trade dispute, as an invasion of the Chinese Qing dynasty into the Kathmandu valley in 1792.
It is a well-known fact that Nepal has never been under invasion by any foreign countries. But, the social media post has wrongly mentioned the war between two countries and accused the then King of Nepal for immediately submitting before the Qing Dynasty. It did not even mention which Nepali King did so, because the war was led by a warrior prince Bahadur Shah while there was Rana Bahadur Shah on the throne.
The claims in Chinese social media have also wrongly portrayed the Sino-Gorkha war or also called the ‘Campaign of Gorkha’ by the Chinese sides. The war in fact was initiated by the Nepali side against the Tibetan unscrupulous rulers who foul-played and did not use quality coins in the trade done between two countries. However, Tibet was occupied by the Qing dynasty in China and Nepal had to fight the oppressive Qing.
Regarding this fact the social media in Chinese language reads, “Taking advantage of the victory (over Tibet), they (Qing) crossed the Himalayas and approached the city of Yangbu, the capital of Gurkha (now Kathmandu). The desperate Gurkha king expressed his willingness to submit to the Qing Dynasty and pay tribute every five years.”
This classic example of fake news which was first shared by a person called Jiangnan Ziyunying is being circulated on various other platforms. This is not verified by the people in social media because no Nepali Kings have submitted themselves to the Chinese dynasty nor they have come down to the valley in a bid to invade the Kathmandu valley. However, it is true that in 1792 there was a treaty signed between two countries where Nepali agreed not to interfere in Tibetian affairs and the Chinese side allowed easy and free access to Tibet for trade.
In a good faith of the treaty, Nepal and China had then paid tribute to each other presenting valuable gifts to each other. But, this fact has been twisted, saying the artifact in the picture was gifted by the Nepali as a sign of accepting the rule of the Qing dynasty in Nepal.
Pardafas could not verify facts about the statue of Sakyamuni in lacquered sandalwood which was supposedly handed over to Emperor Qianlong by the Nepali King.
