2012年6月13日 星期三

The Emperors of the Qing Dynasty

Most people who are not familiar with Chinese history thinks of dynastic imperial China, most thinks of the Qing Dynasty (reign circa 1644 - 1912).  Throughout its 268 year reign, there were ten emperors that ruled through the Qing Dynasty's reign over China (there were two previous emperors but neither governed the entirety of China).  Each emperor has a total of four names: the reign name, personal name, posthumous name and temple name.  The reign name is taken upon his coronation, personal names given at birth, posthumous names granted by subsequent emperors and temple name are used for ancestor worship in the temple after death.  

Reign Name: Shunzi 
Personal Name: Fulin
Posthumous Name: Qing Shi Zu
Temple Name: Qing Zhang Di
Reign Years: 1643 - 1661
Familial Connection: 9th son of his predecessor Hong Taiji; father of Emperor Kangxi
Interesting Facts: 
- became emperor at the age of 5 via a vote of the Deliberative Council of Princes and Ministers
- Prince Dorgon, Shunzhi's regent, held the real power until Dorgon's death in 1650
Major Accomplishments:
- finish the conquest of the Ming Dynasty and elimination of all Ming remnants in Mainland China
- consolidated Manchurian minority governance over the Han majority

Reign Name: Kangxi
Personal Name: Xuanye
Posthumous Name: Rendi
Temple Name: Shengzu 
Reign Years: 1661 - 1722
Familial Connection: 3rd son of Emperor Shunzhi, father of Emperor Yongzheng
Interesting Facts: 
- longest reigning emperor in Chinese history (Qianlong ruled de facto for for more years but abdicated before he surpassed his grandfather's reign time
Major Accomplishments:
- suppressed the Revolt of the Three Feudatories
- conquered the Kingdom of Tungning founded by Ming noblemen
- stopped the expansion of Tsarist Russia

Reign Name: Yongzheng
Personal Name: Yinzhen
Posthumous Name: Xiandi
Temple Name: Shizong
Reign Years: 1822 - 1735
Familial Connection: 4th son of Emperor Kangxi, father of Emperor Qianlong
Interesting Facts: 
- because Kangxi did not name an heir, his succession was disputed
- a common myth claims that he changed the will from having the 14th son of Kangxi to 4th (himself) to succeed; however, this is impossible because the will was written in two languages, Chinese & Manchurian and Manchurian writing could not be altered easily
- to prevent another succession crisis, he hid the name of his successor and ordered it revealed in the presence of senior ministers and nobles
Major Accomplishments: 
- cracked down on corruption 
- improved the finances of the state
- founded the Grand Council, an important policy-making institution that heavily influenced later Qing politics 


Reign Name: Qianlong
Personal Name: Hongli
Posthumous Name: Chundi
Temple Name: Gaozong
Reign Years: 1735 - 1796
Familial Connection: 4th son of Emperor Yongzheng, father of Emperor Jiaqing
Interesting Facts: 
- abdicated in favor of his son Emperor Jiaqing in 1796 so his the length of his reign would not eclipse Kangxi's reign
- held the title of Retired Emperor for four years after his abdication but remained de facto ruler of China
Major Accomplishments:
- launched ten campaigns maintaining the unity of the Qing Empire and doubling the size of the Qing Empire
 - major artistic patron and greatly expanded the imperial collection

Emperor Jiaqing
Reign Name: Jiaqing
Personal Name: Yongyan
Posthumous Name: Ruidi
Temple Name: Renzong
Reign Years: 1796 - 1820
Familial Connection: 15th son of Emperor Qianlong, father of Emperor Daoguang
Interesting Facts: 
- his rule was de jure for the first four years of his reign
Major Accomplishments & Events:
- prosecuted Qianlong's corrupt favorite Heshen confiscating his wealth for the state coffers & striping all his titles
- persecuted Christians 


Reign Name: Daoguang
Personal Name: Minning
Posthumous Name: Chengdi
Temple Name: Xuanzong
Reign Years: 1820 - 1850
Familial Connection: 2nd son of Jiaqing Emperor, father of Xianfeng Emperor
Interesting Facts:
Major Accomplishments & Events:
- played a major role in defending the imperial palace from the White Lotus rebels prior to his succession
- signed the first of the many unequal treaties with western powers
- furthered Emperor Jiaqing's persecution of Christians

Reign Name: Xianfeng
Personal Name: Yizhu
Posthumous Name: Xiandi
Temple Name: Wenzong
Reign Years: 1850 - 1861
Familial Connection: 4th son of Daoguang Emperor, father of Tongzhi Emperor
Interesting Facts:
- his concubine Noble Consort Yi became Empress Dowager Cixi
Major Accomplishments & Events:
- his reign marked the beginning of the rebellions (including the Taiping Rebellion & the Nien Rebellion)
- appointed his half-brother Prince Gong as Imperial Envoy who conducted the successful negotiations with the western powers at the Convention of Beijing


Reign Name: Tongzhi
Personal Name: Zaichun
Posthumous Name: Yidi
Temple Name: Muzong
Reign Years: 1861 - 1875
Familial Connection: only surviving son of Daoguang Emperor
Interesting Facts: 
- he became emperor at the age of 5 and passed away at the age of 18
- his mother, Empress Dowager Cixi was the de facto ruler of China
Major Accomplishments
- none; Tongzhi never took power from Cixi

File:Emperor Guangxu.jpg
Reign Name: Guangxu
Personal Name: Zaitian
Posthumous Name: Jingdi
Temple Name: Dezong
Reign Years: 1875 - 1908
Familial Connection: 2nd son of Prince Chun (Yixuan), grandson of Emperor Daoguang
Interesting Facts: 
- despite his 34 year reign, he only governed in practice from 1889 - 1898 before Cixi launched a coup
- died from arsenic poisoning one day before Empress Dowager Cixi & theories point to likely assassin as either Cixi or Yuan Shikai
- spent the last decade of his reign in house arrest
Major Accomplishments:
- attempted (but failed) the most ambitious westernization in the example of Japan's Meiji Restoration


 
Reign Name: Xuantong
Personal Name: Puyi Henry
Posthumous Name: Xundi
Temple Name: (none)
Reign Years: 1908 - 1912, July 1 - 12, 1917 (2nd reign was a restoration by warlord Zhang Xun)
Familial Connection: son of the 2nd Prince Chun (Zaifeng), grandson of Prince Chun (Yixuan), great-grandson of Emperor Daoguang
Interesting Facts:
- last Chinese Emperor: 
- ruled as Emperor Kangde under the title Datong as a figurehead for the Empire of Japan
Major Accomplishments:
- never ruled and his father the 2nd Prince Chun served as regent

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