private collection, property of a family from the south of France since the early 20th century.

The poem Liu tiao bian is part of a larger collection reflecting on the Qing dynasty's frontier management system known as the Willow Palisade. The palisade, a network of earthworks and planted willows, was designed to regulate access between agricultural, pastoral, and imperial hunting zones. In the poem, Qianlong combines geographical description, administrative commentary, and political ideology, framing the palisade not only as a practical instrument but also as a symbol of enlightened governance. He explicitly contrasts it with the Great Wall of the Ming dynasty, emphasizing that unlike a purely military fortification, the Willow Palisade functions through regulation, moral authority, and ecological management. Through this text the emperor represents himself as a diligent ruler who integrates practical administration with Confucian ideals, elevating a utilitarian frontier structure to a literary symbol of Qing order, moderation, and foresight. It exemplifies the interplay of poetry, politics, and landscape in Qing imperial culture. Written during his second inspection tour of Manchuria, Qianlong had by that time acquired a profound understanding of the empire's territorial extent and administrative systems, and the composition of Liu tiao bian reflects a conscious effort to integrate frontier policy with cultural and artistic practice.

For a Qianlong Emperor Liu tiao bian hand-written calligraphy see Christie's Art of Asia Including the Palmer Family Collection - Online, 12 Nov 2025, lot 127

The original inscripted text with the translation:
西接长城东属海， 柳条结边画内外。 不关厄塞守藩篱， 更匪舂筑劳民惫。 取之不尽山木多， 植/援因以限人过。 盛京吉林各分界， 蒙古执役严谁何。 譬之文囿七十里， 围场岂止逾倍蓰。 周防/节制存古风， 结绳示禁斯足矣。 我来策马循边东， 高可逾越疏可通。 麋鹿来往外时获， 其设还/与不设同。 意存制具细何有， 前人之法后人守。 金汤巩固万年清， 讵系区区此树柳
"To the west it joins the Great Wall, to the east it embraces the sea;the willows trace a boundary, marking the threshold between within and without.Not to stand guard at the frontier, nor born of toil that exhausts the people.The mountains offer timber abundant and without end, planted to limit the passage of men. Shenyang and Jilin each define their own limit, the Mongols watch over it with rigour. Like an imperial reserve of seventy li, the hunting grounds extend well beyond twice as far. Complete defence and moderation preserve the ancient customs; knotted ropes to mark the prohibition are more than sufficient. I ride along the eastern frontier, where the heights yield to crossing and passages open before me. Deer and elk are taken here and there; their presence no different from their absence.The intent is to establish a system — what are its details? The laws of our ancestors shall be kept by generations yet to come. A secure and tranquil land for ten thousand years — how could it ever be contained within a mere willow?"