本文主要透過實錄、詔諭，解析嘉慶皇帝對重大事件的態度，運用御製詩文集，探索其內心情感，關注長期以來受忽視的清中葉歷史研究。長久以來，學者多以「倒放電影」的方法，將嘉慶朝視為清朝中衰起點。諸多弊病確實自嘉慶朝漸次浮現，或埋下導火線，嘉慶皇帝對此均未積極處理。其守成思想，更深刻影響繼位者的為政態度。然回歸「順著放電影」，即可發現嘉慶皇帝係有心求治，以期繼志述事，但勤政有餘，卻心餘力絀。自責己過、愧嘆德薄不時出現，但在自責文字背後，可見嘉慶皇帝多將過錯推至和珅與各級官員身上。嘉慶皇帝認為嘉慶朝深受上天眷佑，晚年雖仍表達己德不足、社會風俗未盡淳化等，然國家在其勤勉為治下，尚稱安和。即便阿美士德來華最後結局是不歡而散，仍可顯現天朝恩澤廣被四方。同時，各地豐收，亦象徵天佑大清。因此，唯有在倒放與順放之間，忠實掌握歷史脈動，才能幫助吾人更清楚理解清中葉以降的發展樣貌。

This article examines the Qingshilu (The Veritable Records of the Qing Dynasty) and discusses Jiaqing Emperor’s attitudes toward major events. By using Jiaqing Emperor’s poetry collection, this essay explores his inner emotions and focuses on the long neglected historical research of middle Qing period. For a long time, scholars tend to investigate the Jiaqing period by “playing movie backwards,” regarding it as the beginning of the decline and fall of the Qing dynasty. Indeed, many political and social maladies gradually appeared during the reign of Jiaqing, some of them even became the last straw for the dynasty, however, Jiaqing Emperor did not deal with them all. In addition, his conservative thinking deeply influenced his successors. Nevertheless, if we go back to “playing movie forwards,” we will find out that Jiaqing Emperor was eager to be a sagacious emperor and to inherit his ancestors’ will but fail to do so. Jiaqing Emperor not only used to criticize himself for his poor governance, but also severely blamed it for Heshen and other officials. In Jiaqing Emperor’s self-explanation, his reign was blessed by heaven. Although the custom was not simple and sincere, the country was still stable and contented. Even William Pitt Amherst’s tribute led to an unpleasant end, Qing dynasty’s glory still shined over all the earth. In short, by faithfully catching the pulse of history in the manner of “playing movie backwards and forwards,” we can have a better understanding of the development of the middle Qing dynasty.