The collection of the Qing imperial household during the Qianlong reign (1736–95) has often been seen as a display of power, an attribute of legitimate rule and a manifestation of the emperor’s desire to model and control aspects of the universe. However, evidence shows objects which entered the imperial collection through a careful selection process were in fact boxed up and removed from the public gaze. This talk will reconsider the description and definition of the collection and analyse the formation of the collection as a collective effort of many specialists, rather than the personal activity of the emperor. In addition, this talk will propose that the purpose of collecting during the Qianlong period was not to demonstrate imperial power, but to gather information essential to the ruling of the empire.