Duanhua (

Manchu The Manchus (; ) are a Tungusic East Asian ethnic group native to Manchuria in Northeast Asia. They are an officially recognized ethnic minority in China and the people from whom Manchuria derives its name. The Later Jin (1616–1636) and ...

: ''Duwanhūwa''; 1807 – 1861) was a

prince and regent of the

Qing dynasty The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...

Life

Duanhua was born in the

Aisin Gioro clan as the third son of Ulgungga (烏爾恭阿), a descendant of

Jirgalang Jirgalang or Jirhalang (Manchu: 19 November 1599 – June 11, 1655) was a Manchu noble, regent, and political and military leader of the early Qing dynasty. Born in the Aisin Gioro clan, he was the sixth son of Šurhaci, a younger brother of ...

, a nephew of

Nurhaci Nurhaci (14 May 1559 – 30 September 1626), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Qing (), was a Jurchen chieftain who rose to prominence in the late 16th century in Manchuria. A member of the House of Aisin-Gioro, he reigned ...

(the founder of the Qing dynasty). He descended from the

Prince Zheng Prince Zheng of the First Rank ( Manchu: ; ''hošoi ujen cin wang''), or simply Prince Zheng, was the title of a princely peerage used in China during the Manchu-led Qing dynasty (1644–1912). It was also one of the 12 "iron-cap" princely peera ...

line, one of the "iron-cap" princely peerages of the Qing dynasty. In 1846, he inherited the title "Prince Zheng of the First Rank" from his father. His family was under the Bordered Blue Banner of the

Eight Banners The Eight Banners (in Manchu language, Manchu: ''jakūn gūsa'', ) were administrative and military divisions under the Later Jin (1616–1636), Later Jin and Qing dynasty, Qing dynasties of China into which all Manchu people, Manchu households ...

. Duanhua rose to prominence during the reign of the

Xianfeng Emperor The Xianfeng Emperor (17 July 1831 – 22 August 1861), or by temple name Emperor Wenzong of Qing (), given name Yizhu (), was the eighth Emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigned from 1850 t ...

. Because of a scandal involving Grand Councilor

Mujangga Mujangga (; ; 1782–1856) was a Manchu statesman of the late Qing dynasty, belonging to the Gogiya (郭佳) clan. He belonged under the Bordered Blue Banner in the Eight Banners. In 1805, he was awarded the jinshi degree, the highest level in th ...

, Duanhua gained the Xianfeng Emperor's trust as a loyal confidant, and became one of the emperor's closest advisors. Duanhua also recommended his brother, Sushun, to serve in the Qing imperial court. During the

Second Opium War The Second Opium War (), also known as the Second Anglo-Sino War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a colonial war lasting from 1856 to 1860, which pitted the British Empire and the French Emp ...

, Duanhua accompanied the ailing Xianfeng Emperor to Rehe to escape from the foreign invaders. In 1861, before the Xianfeng Emperor died, he appointed eight regents to assist his successor, the young

Tongzhi Emperor The Tongzhi Emperor (27 April 1856 – 12 January 1875), born Zaichun of the Aisin Gioro clan, was the ninth Emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China proper. His reign, from 1861 to 1875, which effectively laste ...

, in administrating state affairs. Duanhua and Sushun were among the eight. Later that year, Duanhua and the other seven regents were ousted from power in the

Xinyou Coup Xinyou Coup () was a palace coup instigated by Empress Dowagers Cixi and Ci'an, and Prince Gong to seize power after the death of the Xianfeng Emperor. Before he died the previous emperor had appointed group of eight regents, led by Sushun, wh ...

(辛酉政變) orchestrated by

Prince Gong Yixin (11January 1833– 29May 1898), better known in English as PrinceKung or Gong, was an imperial prince of the Aisin Gioro clan and an important statesman of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty in China. He was a regent of the empire from 1861 to 18 ...

and

Empress Dowager Cixi Empress Dowager Cixi ( ; mnc, Tsysi taiheo; formerly Romanization of Chinese, romanised as Empress Dowager T'zu-hsi; 29 November 1835 – 15 November 1908), of the Manchu people, Manchu Nara (clan)#Yehe Nara, Yehe Nara clan, was a Chinese nob ...

. Duanhua was arrested, imprisoned, and eventually forced to commit suicide.

Family

Father: Ulgungga (乌尔恭阿; 1778-1846) * Paternal grandfather: Zhihana (枳哈纳), a great great great grandson of Jirgalang * Paternal grandmother:Lady Zheng, a mistress Mother: Lady Hugiya (瑚佳氏), Ulgungga's secondary consort ---- * Primary consort, of the

Niohuru The Niohuru ( Manchu: ; in Manchu) were a prominent Manchu clan during the Qing dynasty. The clan had inhabited the Changbai Mountains since as early as the Liao dynasty. The clan was well known during the Qing dynasty for producing a variety ...

clan, daughter of Fukejing'a (福克京阿), a minister of Western Territories (原任西宁办事处大臣, pinyin:yuanren xining banshi wai dachen) ** Lady ***Married Chongqi of the Alute clan and had issue ( 1 daughter and 1 son) * Secondary consort, of the Chen clan (陈佳氏), daughter of Sele, a defender general (护军色勒) * Secondary consort, of the Gaogiya clan, daughter of defender general Gaofu (高福护军) * Secondary consort, of the Baigiya clan, daughter of defender general Jiaohexing (校和兴护军)

Ancestry

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Duanhua 1807 births 1861 deaths 19th-century Chinese people 19th-century viceregal rulers Qing dynasty imperial princes Prince Zheng Qing dynasty politicians Manchu Bordered Blue Bannermen Forced suicides of Chinese people Executed Qing dynasty people People executed by the Qing dynasty 19th-century executions by China

Life

Family

Ancestry

See also

References