Yongzheng Emperor of China
Yongzheng (Wade-Giles:
Yung-cheng) (
1678 -
1735), born
Yinzhen was
Emperor of the
Qing Dynasty from
1723 to
1735. He was a tough and hard-working ruler bent on effective government at minimum expense. Like his father, the
Emperor Kangxi， Yongzheng used military force to preserve the dynasty's position. His reign was despotic, efficient, vigorous and brief.
Succession to the throne
Yinzhen was the fourth son of Emperor Kangxi to survive into adulthood, and the eldest son by Empress Xiaogong. Little is known about the prince Yinzhen because he censored the records of his accession to the throne and suppressed other writings he deemed inimical to his regime. What is clear is that Yinzhen was the recipient of imperial favour on many occasions, being intrusted with fifteen special assignments. He was raised to the position of third-class prince in 1689 and first-class prince (雍親王) in 1709.
In 1712 the Kangxi Emperor removed his second son, Yinreng, as heir-apparent and refused to designate another one. By the time of the old emperor's death in December 1722, the field of contenders had been reduced town to three sons, Yinzhi, Yinti, and Yinzhen. At the time Yinti, as Border Pacification General-in-chief 撫遠大將軍, was away on the warfront in the northwest. The official record states that on 20th December, Kangxi called to his bedside seven of his sons and the General Commandant of the Peking Gendarmerie, Longkedo and declared that Yinzhen should succeed him on the imperial throne. There were suggestions, however, that the Yongzheng Emperor forged his father's will and took power in a coup d'etat at the capital. Whilst this has largely being discounted by most historians of the period as opposition propaganda, there is evidence to support the view. It is known that within a few years of ascending the throne he had also had most of his brothers arrested and charged. Yinsi, Yintang, both supporters of Yinti for the throne, languished in prison and died in 1727. Another brother, Yin'e, was expelled from the imperial clan in 1726.
Literary inquisitions
After he became Emperor, Yongzheng censored the record of his accession and also suppressed other writings he deemed inimical to his regime, particuarly those with an anti-Manchu bias. Foremost among these was the case of Zeng Jing, a failed degree candidate heavily influenced by the seventeenth-century scholar Lü Liuliang. In October 1728, he attempted to incite Yue Zhongqi, Governor-general of Shaanxi-Sichuan, to rebellion. He gave a long list of accusations against Yongzheng, including the murder of the Kangxi Emperor and the killing of his brothers. Highly concerned with the implications of the case, Yongzheng had Zeng Jing brought to Beijing for trial.
Governing China
He is also known for establishing his autocratic rule. He disliked corruption and punished officials severely when they were found guilty of the offence. During his reign, the Manchu Empire became a great power and a peaceful country. He created a sophisticated procedure for selecting successor in response to his father's tragedy.
\nMilitary expansion in the northwest
Like his father, Yongzheng used military force to preserve the dynasty's position in Outer Mongolia, and when Tibet was torn by civil war during 1717-28, he intervened militarily, leaving a Qing esident backed up by a military garrison to pursue the dynasty's interests.
His private life was a sad one. He had nine children but only 3 survived. One of them was Prince Hong Li.
Emperor Yongzheng ruled the Qing Empire for only thirteen years. He died suddenly at the age of 58. He was succeeded by his son, Prince Hong Li who became the fifth emperor of the Qing dynasty under the name, Emperor Qianlong.
\n| Personal information | |
\n
\n | lifespan | \n 1678-1735 |
\n \n | reign | \n 1723-1735 |
\n \n | Given Name | \n In Jen in Manchu
Yin zhen (胤禛 yin4 zhen1) in Chinese |
\n \n | Era name | \n Hūwaliyasun Tob in Manchu
Yongzheng (雍正 yong1 zheng4) in Chinese
|
\n \n | father | \n fourth son of Kangxi Emperor of China |
\n \n | mother | \n Empress Xiao Gong (Hiyoošungga Gungnecuke Gosin Hūwanghu) |
\n \n | wife | \n 1) Empress Xiao Sheng (Hiyoošungga Enduringge Temgetulehe Hūwanghu) (d. 1674)
\n 2) Empress Xiao Xian (Hiyoošungga Ginggun Temgetulehe Hūwanghu) |
\n \n | children | \n 10 sons (4 survived) and 4 daughters (1 survived) |
\n tomb | \n Elhe Munggan in Manchu
Tailing (太陵) in Chinese, Eastern Tombs (东陵) at Zunhua County (遵化县), Hebei | \n \n | Temple name | \n Šidzung in Manchu
Shi Zong (世宗 shi4 zong1) in Chinese (lit. meaning: genesis ancestor) |
\n \n | full Posthumous name | \n Emperor jingtian-changyun-jianzhong-biaozheng-wenwu-yingmming-kuanren-xinyi-ruisheng-daxiao-zhicheng-xian (敬天昌運建中表正文武英明寬仁信毅睿聖大孝至誠憲皇帝), given in 1799 |
\n \n | shortened Posthumous name'' | \n Temgetulehe Hūwangdi in Manchu
Emperor Xian (憲皇帝 xian4 huang2 di4) in Chinese |
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