中國原本拒絕接受各國派遣使臣駐京，許多西方人對中國的認識，多半經由傳教士、商人。清末，中國被迫接受各國派遣的外交人員駐京，西方外交官從一個新的角度描繪中國，豐富了西方人對中國的認識。伊莉莎白海靖為外交官之妻，酷愛文學，他於清末來華，見證中德關係中許多重要事件的交涉，從他的日記中，看到一些外交史研究的新角度。 Before the year 1858, foreign diplomats were not allowed to station in Bei-jing. The accounts of travelling missionaries, such as Matteo Ricci, were the only means available to Westerners in order to satisfy their curiosity of China. With the signing of the Tien-jin Treaty, diplomats from western countries wrote lots of reports, accounts and letters to reveal previously unknown information about the Kingdom of Heaven. Elisabeth von Heyking's diary was one of such works. It tells us a lot about the daily life and politics of the late Qing Dynasty.