The reasons for the declining trend in the later years of the Kangxi Emperor's reign were a huge expenditure on military campaigns and an increase in corruption. To fix the problem, the Kangxi Emperor gave Prince Yong (the future Yongzheng Emperor
, regnal name =
, posthumous name = Emperor Jingtian Changyun Jianzhong Biaozhen Wenwu Yingming Kuanren Xinyi Ruisheng Daxiao Zhicheng Xian()Manchu: Temgetulehe hūwangdi ()
, temple name = Shizong()Manchu: Šidzung ()
, house = Aisin Gioro ...
) advice on how to make the economy more efficient.
Cultural achievements
During his reign, the Kangxi Emperor ordered the compilation of a dictionary of Chinese character
Chinese characters () are logograms developed for the Written Chinese, writing of Chinese. In addition, they have been adapted to write other East Asian languages, and remain a key component of the Japanese writing system where they are k ...
s, which became known as the Kangxi Dictionary
The ''Kangxi Dictionary'' ( (Compendium of standard characters from the Kangxi period), published in 1716, was the most authoritative dictionary of Chinese characters from the 18th century through the early 20th. The Kangxi Emperor of the Qing d ...
. This was seen as an attempt by the emperor to gain support from the Han Chinese
The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctive va ...
scholar-bureaucrats
The scholar-officials, also known as literati, scholar-gentlemen or scholar-bureaucrats (), were government officials and prestigious scholars in Chinese society, forming a distinct social class.
Scholar-officials were politicians and governmen ...
, as many of them initially refused to serve him and remained loyal to the Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
. However, by persuading the scholars to work on the dictionary without asking them to formally serve the Qing imperial court, the Kangxi Emperor led them to gradually taking on greater responsibilities until they were assuming the duties of state officials.
In 1705, on the Kangxi Emperor's order, a compilation of Tang poetry
Tang poetry () refers to poetry written in or around the time of or in the characteristic style of China's Tang dynasty, (June 18, 618 – June 4, 907, including the 690–705 reign of Wu Zetian) and/or follows a certain style, often considered as ...
, the Quan Tangshi
(''Complete Tang Poems'') is the largest collection of Tang poetry, containing some 49,000 lyric poems by more than twenty-two hundred poets. In 1705, it was commissioned at the direction of the Qing dynasty Kangxi Emperor and published under ...
, was produced.
The Kangxi Emperor also was interested in Western technology and wanted to import them to China. This was done through Jesuit missionaries
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
, such as Ferdinand Verbiest
Father Ferdinand Verbiest (9 October 1623 – 28 January 1688) was a Flemish Jesuit missionary in China during the Qing dynasty. He was born in Pittem near Tielt in the County of Flanders (now part of Belgium). He is known as Nan Huairen () in Chi ...
, whom the Kangxi Emperor frequently summoned for meetings, or Karel Slavíček
Karel Slavíček, (), (12 December 1678 – 24 September 1735) was a Jesuit missionary and scientist, the first Czech sinologist and author of the first precise map of Beijing.
Biography
Early life and studies in the Czech lands
Karel Sl ...
, who made the first precise map of Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
on the emperor's order.
From 1711 to 1723, Matteo Ripa
Matteo is the Italian form of the given name Matthew. Another form is Mattia. The Hebrew meaning of Matteo is "gift of god". Matteo can also be used as a patronymic surname, often in the forms of de Matteo, De Matteo or DeMatteo, meaning " escen ...
, an Italian
Italian(s) may refer to:
* Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries
** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom
** Italian language, a Romance language
*** Regional Ita ...
priest sent to China by the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples
A congregation is a large gathering of people, often for the purpose of worship.
Congregation may also refer to:
* Church (congregation), a Christian organization meeting in a particular place for worship
*Congregation (Roman Curia), an administr ...
, worked as a painter and copper-engraver at the Qing court. In 1723, he returned to Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
from China with four young Chinese Christians, in order to groom them to become priests and send them back to China as missionaries. This marked the beginning of the Collegio dei Cinesi, sanctioned by Pope Clement XII
Pope Clement XII ( la, Clemens XII; it, Clemente XII; 7 April 16526 February 1740), born Lorenzo Corsini, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 12 July 1730 to his death in February 1740.
Clement presided over the ...
to help the evangelization of Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
in China. This Chinese Institute was the first school of Sinology
Sinology, or Chinese studies, is an academic discipline that focuses on the study of China primarily through Chinese philosophy, language, literature, culture and history and often refers to Western scholarship. Its origin "may be traced to th ...
in Europe
Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
, which would later develop to become the Istituto Orientale and the present day Naples Eastern University
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
.
The Kangxi Emperor was also the first Chinese emperor to play a western musical instrument. Thomas Pereira taught him how to play the harpsichord, and he employed
Karel Slavíček
Karel Slavíček, (), (12 December 1678 – 24 September 1735) was a Jesuit missionary and scientist, the first Czech sinologist and author of the first precise map of Beijing.
Biography
Early life and studies in the Czech lands
Karel Sl ...
as court musician. Slavíček was playing
Spinet
A spinet is a smaller type of harpsichord or other keyboard instrument, such as a piano or organ.
Harpsichords
When the term ''spinet'' is used to designate a harpsichord, typically what is meant is the ''bentside spinet'', described in this ...
; later the emperor would play on it himself. China's famed blue and white porcelain probably reached its zenith during the Kangxi Emperor's reign.
Christianity
![Jesuit astronomers with Kangxi Emperor 1690-1705 Beauvais](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3f/Jesuit_astronomers_with_Kangxi_Emperor_1690-1705_Beauvais.jpg)
In the early decades of the Kangxi Emperor's reign,
Jesuit
, image = Ihs-logo.svg
, image_size = 175px
, caption = ChristogramOfficial seal of the Jesuits
, abbreviation = SJ
, nickname = Jesuits
, formation =
, founders ...
s played a large role in the imperial court. With their knowledge of
astronomy
Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...
, they ran the imperial observatory.
Jean-François Gerbillon
Jean-François Gerbillon (4 June 1654, Verdun, France – 27 March 1707, Peking, China) was a French missionary who worked in China.
He entered the Society of Jesus, 5 Oct, 1670, and after completing the usual course of study taught grammar and ...
and
Thomas Pereira served as translators for the negotiations of the
Treaty of Nerchinsk
The Treaty of Nerchinsk () of 1689 was the first treaty between the Tsardom of Russia and the Qing dynasty of China. The Russians gave up the area north of the Amur River as far as the Stanovoy Range and kept the area between the Argun River ...
. The Kangxi Emperor was grateful to the Jesuits for their contributions, the many languages they could interpret, and the innovations they offered his military in gun manufacturing
[Mantienne, p. 180] and
artillery
Artillery is a class of heavy military ranged weapons that launch munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during siege ...
, the latter of which enabled the Qing Empire to conquer the
Kingdom of Tungning
The Kingdom of Tungning (), also known as Tywan by the British at the time, was a dynastic maritime state that ruled part of southwestern Taiwan and the Penghu islands between 1661 and 1683. It is the first predominantly Han Chinese state in Ta ...
.
[''Les Missions Etrangeres'', p. 83]
The Kangxi Emperor was also fond of the Jesuits' respectful and unobtrusive manner; they spoke the
Chinese language
Chinese (, especially when referring to written Chinese) is a group of languages spoken natively by the ethnic Han Chinese majority and many minority ethnic groups in Greater China. About 1.3 billion people (or approximately 16% of the wor ...
well, and wore the silk robes of the elite.
[Manteigne, p. 178] In 1692, when Pereira requested tolerance for
Christianity
Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. It is the world's largest and most widespread religion with roughly 2.38 billion followers representing one-third of the global pop ...
, the Kangxi Emperor was willing to oblige, and issued the Edict of Toleration, which recognized
Catholicism
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
, barred attacks on their churches, and legalized their missions and the practice of Christianity by the
Chinese people
The Chinese people or simply Chinese, are people or ethnic groups identified with China, usually through ethnicity, nationality, citizenship, or other affiliation.
Chinese people are known as Zhongguoren () or as Huaren () by speakers of s ...
.
However, controversy arose over whether Chinese Christians could still take part in traditional
Confucian
Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a Religious Confucianism, religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, ...
ceremonies and
ancestor worship
The veneration of the dead, including one's ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of t ...
, with the Jesuits arguing for tolerance and the
Dominicans taking a hard-line against foreign "
idolatry
Idolatry is the worship of a cult image or "idol" as though it were God. In Abrahamic religions (namely Judaism, Samaritanism, Christianity, the Baháʼí Faith, and Islam) idolatry connotes the worship of something or someone other than the A ...
". The Dominican position won the support of
Pope Clement XI
Pope Clement XI ( la, Clemens XI; it, Clemente XI; 23 July 1649 – 19 March 1721), born Giovanni Francesco Albani, was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 23 November 1700 to his death in March 1721.
Clement XI w ...
, who in 1705 sent
Charles-Thomas Maillard de Tournon Charles-Thomas Maillard de Tournon (December 21, 1668 – June 10, 1710), also known as Carlo Tommaso, was a papal legate and cardinal to the East Indies and China.
Biography
Tournon was born of a noble Savoyard family at Turin on 21 Decembe ...
as his
representative
Representative may refer to:
Politics
* Representative democracy, type of democracy in which elected officials represent a group of people
* House of Representatives, legislative body in various countries or sub-national entities
* Legislator, som ...
to the Kangxi Emperor, to communicate the ban on Chinese rites.
Through de Tournon, the Pope insisted on sending his own representative to Beijing to oversee Jesuit missionaries in China. Kangxi refused, wanting to keep missionary activities in China under his final oversight, managed by one of the Jesuits who had been living in Beijing for years.
On 19 March 1715, Pope Clement XI issued the
papal bull ''Ex illa die'', which officially condemned Chinese rites.
In response, the Kangxi Emperor officially forbade Christian missions in China, as they were "causing trouble".
Succession disputes
![Middle-aged Kangxi](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0a/Middle-aged_Kangxi.jpg)
A prolonged struggle between various princes emerged during the Kangxi Emperor's reign over who should inherit the throne – the Nine Lords' War ().
In 1674 the Kangxi Emperor's first spouse,
Empress Xiaochengren
Empress Xiaochengren (3 February 1654 – 6 June 1674), of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Hešeri clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and first empress consort of Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor. She was Empress consort of Qing from 16 ...
, died while giving birth to his second surviving son
Yinreng
Yunreng (6 June 1674 – 27 January 1725), born Yinreng, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty. He was the second among the Kangxi Emperor's sons to survive into adulthood and was designated as Crown Prince for two terms between 1675 and ...
, who at the age of two was named
crown prince
A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wif ...
– a
Han Chinese
The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctive va ...
custom, to ensure stability during a time of chaos in the south. Although the Kangxi Emperor left the education of several of his sons to others, he personally oversaw the upbringing of Yinreng, grooming him to be a perfect successor. Yinreng was tutored by the
mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
Wang Shan, who remained devoted to him, and spent the later years of his life trying to persuade the Kangxi Emperor to restore Yinreng as the crown prince.
Yinreng proved to be unworthy of the succession despite his father showing favoritism towards him. He was said to have beaten and killed his subordinates, and was alleged to have had sexual relations with one of his father's concubines, which was deemed
incest
Incest ( ) is human sexual activity between family members or close relatives. This typically includes sexual activity between people in consanguinity (blood relations), and sometimes those related by affinity (marriage or stepfamily), adoption ...
and a capital offence. Yinreng also purchased young children from
Jiangsu
Jiangsu (; ; pinyin: Jiāngsū, Postal romanization, alternatively romanized as Kiangsu or Chiangsu) is an Eastern China, eastern coastal Provinces of the People's Republic of China, province of the China, People's Republic of China. It is o ...
to satisfy his
pedophilia
Pedophilia ( alternatively spelt paedophilia) is a psychiatric disorder in which an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive sexual attraction to prepubescent children. Although girls typically begin the process of puberty a ...
c pleasure. In addition, Yinreng's supporters, led by
Songgotu
Songgotu (Manchu: ; ; 1636 – 1703) was a minister during the reign of the Kangxi Emperor of the Qing dynasty. He was an uncle of the emperor's primary spouse, Empress Xiaochengren of the Hešeri clan, who died during childbirth. He was als ...
, gradually formed a "Crown Prince Party" (太子黨), that aimed to help Yinreng get the throne as soon as possible, even if it meant using unlawful methods.
Over the years, the Kangxi Emperor kept constant watch over Yinreng and became aware of his son's many flaws, while their relationship gradually deteriorated. In 1707, the emperor decided that he could no longer tolerate Yinreng's behavior, which he partially mentioned in the imperial edict as "never obeying ancestors' virtues, never obliged to my order, only doing inhumanity and devilry, only showing maliciousness and lust", and decided to strip Yinreng of his position as crown prince. The Kangxi Emperor placed his oldest surviving son,
Yinzhi, in charge of overseeing Yinreng's
house arrest
In justice and law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if all ...
. Yinzhi, an unfavored
Shu son, knowing he had no chance of being selected, recommended the eighth prince, Yinsi, and requested his father to order Yinreng's execution. The Kangxi Emperor was enraged and stripped Yinzhi of his titles. The emperor then commanded his subjects to cease debating the succession issue, but despite this and attempts to reduce rumours and speculation as to who the new crown prince might be, the imperial court's daily activities were disrupted. Yinzhi's actions caused the Kangxi Emperor to suspect that Yinreng might have been framed, so he restored Yinreng as crown prince in 1709, with the support of the 4th and 13th princes, and on the excuse that Yinreng had previously acted under the influence of mental illness.
![MingXiaoling ZLTS01 rotated](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/98/MingXiaoling_ZLTS01_rotated.jpg)
In 1712, during the Kangxi Emperor's last inspection tour of the south, Yinreng, who was put in charge of state affairs during his father's absence, tried to vie for power again with his supporters. He allowed an attempt at forcing the Kangxi Emperor to abdicate when his father returned to
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
. However, the emperor received news of the planned
coup d'etat, and was so angry that he deposed Yinreng and placed him under house arrest again. After the incident, the emperor announced that he would not appoint any of his sons as crown prince for the remainder of his reign. He stated that he would place his Imperial Valedictory Will inside a box in the
Palace of Heavenly Purity
The Palace of Heavenly Purity, or Qianqing Palace (; Manchu:; Möllendorff: ''kiyan cing gung'') is a palace in the Forbidden City in Beijing, China. It is the largest of the three halls of the Inner Court (the other two being the Hall of Union ...
, which would only be opened after his death.
Seeing that Yinreng was completely disavowed, Yinsi and some other princes turned to support the 14th prince, Yinti, while the 13th prince supported Yinzhen. They formed the so-called "Eighth Lord Party" () and "Fourth Lord Party" ().
Death and succession
Following the deposition of the crown prince, the Kangxi Emperor implemented groundbreaking changes in the political landscape. The 13th prince,
Yinxiang Yinxiang may refer to:
*Yinxiang, Prince Yi (胤祥; 1686 — 1730), a prince of the Qing dynasty
* ''Yinxiang'' (magazine), a 1971–1998 Taiwanese film journal
*Yinxiang Group
The Yinxiang Group (银翔) is an industrial company based in Chon ...
, was placed under
house arrest
In justice and law, house arrest (also called home confinement, home detention, or, in modern times, electronic monitoring) is a measure by which a person is confined by the authorities to their residence. Travel is usually restricted, if all ...
as well for cooperating with
Yinreng
Yunreng (6 June 1674 – 27 January 1725), born Yinreng, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty. He was the second among the Kangxi Emperor's sons to survive into adulthood and was designated as Crown Prince for two terms between 1675 and ...
. The eighth prince
Yinsi
Yunsi (29 March 1680 – 5 October 1726), born as Yinsi, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty in China. The eighth son of the Kangxi Emperor, Yunsi was a pivotal figure in the power struggle over the succession to his father's throne. Y ...
was stripped of all his titles and only had them restored years later. The 14th prince
Yinti, whom many considered to be the most likely candidate to succeed the Kangxi Emperor, was sent on a military campaign during the political conflict. Yinsi, along with the ninth and tenth princes,
Yintang
Yuntang (17 October 1683 – 22 September 1726), born Yintang, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty. He was the ninth son of the Kangxi Emperor and an ally of his eighth brother Yunsi, who was the main rival to their fourth brother Yinzhen ...
and Yin'e, pledged their support to Yinti.
In the evening of 20 December 1722 before his death, the Kangxi Emperor called seven of his sons to assemble at his bedside. They were the third, fourth, eighth, ninth, tenth, sixteenth and seventeenth princes. After the Kangxi Emperor died,
Longkodo
Longkodo (; died 1728) was a Manchu court official who lived in the Qing dynasty. He was from the Tunggiya clan, which was under the Bordered Yellow Banner. His period of fame lasted from the late Kangxi era to the early Yongzheng era, perhaps ...
announced that the emperor had selected the fourth prince, Yinzhen, as the new emperor. Yinzhen ascended to the throne and became known as the
Yongzheng Emperor
, regnal name =
, posthumous name = Emperor Jingtian Changyun Jianzhong Biaozhen Wenwu Yingming Kuanren Xinyi Ruisheng Daxiao Zhicheng Xian()Manchu: Temgetulehe hūwangdi ()
, temple name = Shizong()Manchu: Šidzung ()
, house = Aisin Gioro ...
. The Kangxi Emperor was entombed at the
Eastern Tombs in
Zunhua
Zunhua () is a county-level city in the northeast of Hebei province, China, bordering Tianjin to the west. It is under the administration of the prefecture-level city of Tangshan. Historic sites include the Eastern Qing Tombs (Qing Dongling).
Ad ...
,
Hebei
Hebei or , (; alternately Hopeh) is a northern province of China. Hebei is China's sixth most populous province, with over 75 million people. Shijiazhuang is the capital city. The province is 96% Han Chinese, 3% Manchu, 0.8% Hui, an ...
.
A legend concerning the Kangxi Emperor's will states that he chose
Yinti as his heir, but Yinzhen forged the will in his own favour. It has, however, long been refuted by serious historians. Yinzhen, later the
Yongzheng Emperor
, regnal name =
, posthumous name = Emperor Jingtian Changyun Jianzhong Biaozhen Wenwu Yingming Kuanren Xinyi Ruisheng Daxiao Zhicheng Xian()Manchu: Temgetulehe hūwangdi ()
, temple name = Shizong()Manchu: Šidzung ()
, house = Aisin Gioro ...
, has attracted many rumours, and some novel-like private books claim he did not die of illness but was assassinated by a swordswoman, Lü Siniang (), the granddaughter of
Lü Liuliang
Lü Liuliang (; 1629–3 October 1683) was a Han Chinese poet and author from Tongxiang, Zhejiang province. He was born under the Ming Dynasty but died under the Manchu Qing Dynasty.
Career
In 1647 one of his nephews was executed for anti-Qin ...
, though this is never treated seriously by scholars.
Personality and achievements
![Kangxi7](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Kangxi7.jpeg)
The Kangxi Emperor was a great consolidator 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 ...
. The transition from the
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty (), officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1368 to 1644 following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming dynasty was the last ort ...
to the Qing was a cataclysm whose central event was the fall of the capital
Beijing
}
Beijing ( ; ; ), alternatively romanized as Peking ( ), is the capital of the People's Republic of China. It is the center of power and development of the country. Beijing is the world's most populous national capital city, with over 21 ...
to the peasant rebels led by
Li Zicheng
Li Zicheng (22 September 1606 – 1645), born Li Hongji, also known by the nickname, Dashing King, was a Chinese peasant rebel leader who overthrew the Ming dynasty in 1644 and ruled over northern China briefly as the emperor of the short-li ...
, then to the
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 ...
s in 1644, and the installation of the five-year-old
Shunzhi Emperor
The Shunzhi Emperor (15 March 1638 – 5 February 1661) was the second Emperor of China, emperor of the Qing dynasty of China, and the first Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1644 to 1661. A Deliberative Council of Prince ...
on their throne. By 1661, when the Shunzhi Emperor died and was succeeded by the Kangxi Emperor, the Qing conquest of China proper was almost complete. Leading Manchus were already using Chinese institutions and mastering
Confucian
Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China. Variously described as tradition, a philosophy, a Religious Confucianism, religion, a humanistic or rationalistic religion, ...
ideology, while maintaining Manchu culture among themselves. The Kangxi Emperor completed the conquest, suppressed all significant military threats and revived the central government system inherited from the Ming with important modifications.
The Kangxi Emperor was a workaholic, rising early and retiring late, reading and responding to numerous
memorials
A memorial is an object or place which serves as a focus for the memory or the commemoration of something, usually an influential, deceased person or a historical, Tragedy (event), tragic event. Popular forms of memorials include landmark objec ...
every day, conferring with his councilors and giving audiences – and this was in normal times; in wartime, he might be reading memorials from the warfront until after midnight or even, as with the
Dzungar
Dzungar may refer to:
*Dzungar people, Oirat tribes in the Dzungar Khanate
*Dzungar Khanate, a historical empire
* Jungar Banner, an administrative division of China
*Junggar Basin
The Junggar Basin () is one of the largest sedimentary basins in ...
conflict, away on campaign in person.
The Kangxi Emperor devised a system of communication that circumvented the
scholar-bureaucrats
The scholar-officials, also known as literati, scholar-gentlemen or scholar-bureaucrats (), were government officials and prestigious scholars in Chinese society, forming a distinct social class.
Scholar-officials were politicians and governmen ...
, who had a tendency to usurp the power of the emperor. This
Palace Memorial System involved the transfer of secret messages between him and trusted officials in the provinces, where the messages were contained in locked boxes that only he and the official had access to. This started as a system for receiving uncensored extreme-weather reports, which the emperor regarded as divine comments on his rule. However, it soon evolved into a general-purpose secret "news channel." Out of this emerged a
Grand Council, which dealt with extraordinary, especially military, events. The council was chaired by the emperor and manned by his more elevated
Han Chinese
The Han Chinese () or Han people (), are an East Asian ethnic group native to China. They constitute the world's largest ethnic group, making up about 18% of the global population and consisting of various subgroups speaking distinctive va ...
and Manchu household staff. From this council, the
mandarin
Mandarin or The Mandarin may refer to:
Language
* Mandarin Chinese, branch of Chinese originally spoken in northern parts of the country
** Standard Chinese or Modern Standard Mandarin, the official language of China
** Taiwanese Mandarin, Stand ...
civil servants were excluded – they were left only with routine administration.
The Kangxi Emperor managed to woo the Confucian intelligentsia into co-operating with the Qing government, despite their deep reservations about Manchu rule and loyalty to the Ming. He appealed to this very sense of Confucian values, for instance, by issuing the
Sacred Edict
In 1670, when the Kangxi Emperor of China's Qing dynasty was sixteen years old, he issued the Sacred Edict (), consisting of sixteen maxims, each seven characters long, to instruct the average citizen in the basic principles of Confucian orthodoxy ...
in 1670. He encouraged Confucian learning and made sure that the
civil service examinations
Civil service examinations are examinations implemented in various countries for recruitment and admission to the civil service. They are intended as a method to achieve an effective, rational public administration on a merit system for recruitin ...
were held every three years even during times of stress. When some scholars, out of loyalty to the Ming, refused to take the exams, he hit upon the expedient of a special exam to be taken by nomination. He personally sponsored the writing of the
Ming Official History, the
Kangxi Dictionary
The ''Kangxi Dictionary'' ( (Compendium of standard characters from the Kangxi period), published in 1716, was the most authoritative dictionary of Chinese characters from the 18th century through the early 20th. The Kangxi Emperor of the Qing d ...
, a phrase-dictionary, a vast encyclopedia and an even vaster compilation of
Chinese literature. To promote his image as a "sage ruler," he appointed Manchu and Chinese tutors with whom he studied the Confucian classics and worked intensively on Chinese calligraphy.
In the one military campaign in which he actively participated, against the Dzungar Mongols, the Kangxi Emperor showed himself an effective military commander. According to Finer, the emperor's own written reflections allow one to experience "how intimate and caring was his communion with the rank-and-file, how discriminating and yet masterful his relationship with his generals".
As a result of the scaling down of hostilities as peace returned to China after the Manchu conquest, and also as a result of the ensuing rapid increase of population, land cultivation and therefore tax revenues based on agriculture, the Kangxi Emperor was able first to make tax remissions, then in 1712 to freeze the
land tax
A land value tax (LVT) is a levy on the value of land without regard to buildings, personal property and other improvements. It is also known as a location value tax, a point valuation tax, a site valuation tax, split rate tax, or a site-value r ...
and
corvée
Corvée () is a form of unpaid, forced labour, that is intermittent in nature lasting for limited periods of time: typically for only a certain number of days' work each year.
Statute labour is a corvée imposed by a state for the purposes of ...
altogether, without embarrassing the state treasury (although the dynasty eventually suffered from this fiscal policy).
[Finer (1997), pp. 1156–7.]
Family
Empress
*
Empress Xiaochengren
Empress Xiaochengren (3 February 1654 – 6 June 1674), of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Hešeri clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and first empress consort of Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor. She was Empress consort of Qing from 16 ...
, of the
Heseri clan (孝誠仁皇后 赫舍里氏; 3 February 1654 – 6 June 1674)
** Chenghu (承祜; 4 January 1670 – 3 March 1672), second son
**
Yunreng
Yunreng (6 June 1674 – 27 January 1725), born Yinreng, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty. He was the second among the Kangxi Emperor's sons to survive into adulthood and was designated as Crown Prince for two terms between 1675 and ...
,
Prince Limi of the First Rank (理密親王 允礽; 6 June 1674 – 27 January 1725), seventh (second) son
*
Empress Xiaozhaoren
Empress Xiaozhaoren (1653 – 18 March 1678), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Niohuru clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and second empress consort of Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor. She was Empress consort of China during the Q ...
, 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 of ...
clan (孝昭仁皇后 鈕祜祿氏; 1659 – 18 March 1678), second cousin
*
Empress Xiaoyiren
Empress Xiaoyiren (died 24 August 1689), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Tunggiya clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and third empress consort of Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor. She was Empress consort of Qing in 1689.
Life Fa ...
of the
Tunggiya
Tunggiya (Manchu: , Chinese: 佟佳) is the name of a Manchu clan.
Notable figures Males
*Yangzhen (養真/养真; d. 1621), grandfather of Empress Xiaokangzhang
**Tulai (圖賴/图赖; 1606–1658), a first rank military official (都統/都统 ...
clan (孝懿仁皇后 佟佳氏; d. 24 August 1689), first cousin
** Eighth Daughter (13 July 1683 – 6 August 1683)
** Miscarriage (August 1689)
*
Empress Xiaogongren
Empress Xiaogongren (28 April 1660 – 25 June 1723), of the Manchu Plain Yellow Banner Uya clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the consort of Xuanye, the Kangxi Emperor and mother of Yinzhen, the Yongzheng Emperor. She was honoured as Emp ...
of the
Uya
Uya (Manchu: ; ) was a clan of Manchu nobility.
Notable figures Males
*Ebaigen (额栢根)
**Esen (額森/额森)
***Weiwu (威武/威武) - a third rank military official (護軍參領/护军参领, pinyin: hujun canling), and held the title ...
clan (孝恭仁皇后 烏雅氏; 28 April 1660 – 25 June 1723)
** Yinzhen, the
Yongzheng Emperor
, regnal name =
, posthumous name = Emperor Jingtian Changyun Jianzhong Biaozhen Wenwu Yingming Kuanren Xinyi Ruisheng Daxiao Zhicheng Xian()Manchu: Temgetulehe hūwangdi ()
, temple name = Shizong()Manchu: Šidzung ()
, house = Aisin Gioro ...
(世宗 胤禛; 13 December 1678 – 8 October 1735), 11th (fourth) son
** ''Yinzuo'' (胤祚; 5 March 1680 – 15 June 1685), 14th (sixth) son
** ''Seventh daughter'' (5 July 1682 – September 1682)
** Princess Wenxian of the First Rank (固倫溫憲公主; 10 November 1683 – August/September 1702), ninth daughter
*** Married Shun'anyan (舜安顏; d. 1724) of the Manchu
Tunggiya
Tunggiya (Manchu: , Chinese: 佟佳) is the name of a Manchu clan.
Notable figures Males
*Yangzhen (養真/养真; d. 1621), grandfather of Empress Xiaokangzhang
**Tulai (圖賴/图赖; 1606–1658), a first rank military official (都統/都统 ...
clan in October/November 1700.
** ''12th daughter'' (14 June 1686 – February/March 1697)
**
Yunti,
Prince Xunqin of the Second Rank (恂勤郡王 允禵; 10 February 1688 – 16 February 1755), 23rd (14th) son
Imperial Noble Consort
*
Imperial Noble Consort Quehui
Dowager Imperial Noble Consort Quehui (1668 – 24 April 1743), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Tunggiya clan, was a consort of the Kangxi Emperor. She was 14 years his junior.
Life Family background
Imperial Noble Consort Quehui's persona ...
, of the
Tunggiya
Tunggiya (Manchu: , Chinese: 佟佳) is the name of a Manchu clan.
Notable figures Males
*Yangzhen (養真/养真; d. 1621), grandfather of Empress Xiaokangzhang
**Tulai (圖賴/图赖; 1606–1658), a first rank military official (都統/都统 ...
clan (愨惠皇貴妃 佟佳氏; September/October 1668 – 24 April 1743), first cousin
*
Imperial Noble Consort Jingmin
Imperial Noble Consort Jingmin (敬敏皇贵妃; Pinyin: ''Jìngmǐn huáng guìfēi;'' 17th century – 20 August 1699) was a concubine of the Kangxi Emperor.
Life
Family background
Imperial Noble Consort Jingmin's personal name was not rec ...
, of the Janggiya clan (敬敏皇貴妃 章佳氏; d. 20 August 1699)
**
Yinxiang Yinxiang may refer to:
*Yinxiang, Prince Yi (胤祥; 1686 — 1730), a prince of the Qing dynasty
* ''Yinxiang'' (magazine), a 1971–1998 Taiwanese film journal
*Yinxiang Group
The Yinxiang Group (银翔) is an industrial company based in Chon ...
,
Prince Yixian of the First Rank (怡賢親王 胤祥; 16 November 1686 – 18 June 1730), 22nd (13th) son
** Princess Wenke of the Second Rank (和碩溫恪公主; 31 December 1687 – 27 July 1709), 13th daughter
*** Married Cangjin (蒼津) of the
Onnigud Borjigit clan in August/September 1706
** Princess Dunke of the Second Rank (和碩敦恪公主; 3 February 1691 – 2 January 1710), 15th daughter
*** Married Dorji (多爾濟; d. 1720) of the
Khorchin Borjigit clan in January/February 1709, and had issue (one daughter)
*
Imperial Noble Consort Dunyi
Imperial Noble Consort Dunyi (惇怡皇貴妃 瓜爾佳氏; 3 December 1683 – 30 April 1768) was a consort of Kangxi Emperor. She was 29 years his junior. She outlived Empress Xiaoxianchun, the Hoifa-Nara Step Empress, and several Qianlong's c ...
, of the
Gūwalgiya
Gūwalgiya (Manchu Chinese: ; ) was one of the most powerful Manchu clans. It is often listed by historians as the first of the eight prominent Manchu clans of the Qing dynasty. After the demise of the dynasty, some of its descendants sinicized ...
clan (惇怡皇貴妃 瓜爾佳氏; 3 December 1683 – 30 April 1768).
** ''18th daughter'' (17 November 1701 – November 1701)
Noble Consort
*
Noble Consort Wenxi
Noble Consort Wenxi (died 19 December 1694), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Niohuru clan, was a consort of the Kangxi Emperor.
Life
Noble Consort Wenxi's personal name was not recorded in history.
Family background
Noble Consort Wenxi' ...
, 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 of ...
clan (溫僖貴妃 鈕祜祿氏; 14 February 1661 – 19 December 1694), second cousin
**
Yun'e
Yun'e (28 November 1683 – 18 October 1741), born Yin'e, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty of China. He was a relatively unremarkable prince who was primarily known to be a crony of his older brother Yunsi.
Life
Born in the Aisin Gioro ...
, Duke of the Second Rank (輔國公 允䄉; 28 November 1683 – 18 October 1741), 18th (tenth) son
** ''11th daughter'' (24 October 1685 – June/July 1686)
Consort
*
Consort Hui Consort Hui may refer to:
China
* Empress Zhenshun (died 737), concubine of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang
* Madame Huarui ( 940–976), concubine of Meng Chang (emperor of Later Shu)
* Empress Tudan (Digunai's wife) (died 1170), empress of the Jin dynas ...
, of the
Khorchin Borjigit clan (慧妃 博爾濟吉特氏; d. 30 May 1670), first cousin twice removed
* Consort Hui, of the
Ula Nara clan (惠妃 葉赫那拉氏; d. 1 May 1732).
** ''Chengqing'' (承慶; 21 March 1670 – 26 May 1671), third son
**
Yunzhi, Prince of the Fourth Rank (貝子 允禔; 12 March 1672 – 7 January 1735), fifth (first) son
*
Consort Yi, of the
Gorolo Gorolo (郭络罗氏) was a clan of Manchu nobility belonging to Bordered Yellow Banner
Notable figures
Males
* Antamu (安塔穆)
** Sanguanbao (三官保), served as third rank literary official (侍郎)
*** Daobao (道保), served as secon ...
clan (宜妃 郭絡羅氏; 1660 – 2 October 1733)
**
Yunqi,
Prince Hengwen of the First Rank (恆溫親王 允祺; 5 January 1680 – 10 July 1732), 13th (fifth) son
**
Yuntang
Yuntang (17 October 1683 – 22 September 1726), born Yintang, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty. He was the ninth son of the Kangxi Emperor and an ally of his eighth brother Yunsi, who was the main rival to their fourth brother Yinzhen i ...
, Prince of the Fourth Rank (貝子 允禟; 17 October 1683 – 22 September 1726), 17th (ninth) son
** ''Yinzi'' (胤禌; 8 June 1685 – 22 August 1696), 20th (11th) son
*
Consort Rong, of the
Magiya
Magiya Hala (Manchu: ; Chinese: 馬佳氏) was one of the Manchu Great Eight Clans. Originated from Giyaliku Magiya area, named by the place.
After the demise of the dynasty, some of its descendants sinicized their clan name to the Chinese surna ...
clan (榮妃 馬佳氏; d. 26 April 1727)
** ''Chengrui'' (承瑞; 5 November 1667 – 10 July 1670), first son
** ''Saiyinchahun'' (賽音察渾; 24 January 1672 – 6 March 1674), fourth son
** Princess Rongxian of the First Rank (固倫榮憲公主; 20 June 1673 – 29 May 1728), third daughter
*** Married Örgen (烏爾袞; d. 1721) of the
Barin Borjigit clan in June/July 1691 and had issue (a son)
** ''Changhua'' (長華; 11 May 1674), sixth son
** ''Changsheng'' (長生; 10 September 1675 – 27 April 1677), eighth son
**
Yunzhi,
Prince Chengyin of the Second Rank (誠隱郡王 允祉; 23 March 1677 – 10 July 1732), tenth (third) son
*
Consort Ping, of the
Hešeri
Hešeri (Chinese: 赫舍里; Pinyin: Hesheli; Manchu: ''Hešeri''), is a clan of Manchu nobility with Jianzhou Jurchens roots, originally hailing from the area which is now the modern Chinese provinces of Jilin and Liaoning. It was once one of t ...
clan (平妃 赫舍里氏; d. 18 July 1696)
** ''Yinji'' (胤禨; 23 February 1691 – 30 March 1691), 24th son
*
Consort Liang
Consort Liang (梁貴人, personal name unknown) (62(?)-83?), posthumous title Empress Gonghuai (恭懷皇后, literally, "empress of reverent recollection"), was an imperial consort to Emperor Zhang of Han. She gave birth to his son Liu Zhao (劉 ...
, of the Wei clan (良妃 衛氏; 1662 – 29 December 1711).
**
Yunsi
Yunsi (29 March 1680 – 5 October 1726), born as Yinsi, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty in China. The eighth son of the Kangxi Emperor, Yunsi was a pivotal figure in the power struggle over the succession to his father's throne. Y ...
, Prince Lian of the First Rank (廉親王 允禩; 29 March 1681 – 5 October 1726), 16th (eighth) son
*
Consort Xuan, of the
Khorchin Borjigit clan (宣妃 博爾濟吉特氏; d. 12 September 1736), third cousin, personal name Chenglian (成蓮)
*
Consort Cheng, of the Daigiya clan (成妃 戴佳氏; d. 18 December 1740)
**
Yunyou
Yunyou (; 19 August 1680 – 18 May 1730) was an imperial prince of the Qing dynasty and a son of the Kangxi Emperor. In 1709, Yunyou was granted the title "Prince Chun of the Second Rank" by his father. He was promoted to "Prince Chun of the Fi ...
,
Prince Chundu of the First Rank (淳度親王 允佑; 19 August 1680 – 18 May 1730), 15th (seventh) son
*
Consort Shunyimi __NOTOC__
Consort may refer to:
Music
* The Consort (Rufus Wainwright song), "The Consort" (Rufus Wainwright song), from the 2000 album ''Poses''
* Consort of instruments, term for instrumental ensembles
* Consort song (musical), a characteristic ...
, of the Wang clan (順懿密妃 王氏; d. 19 November 1744)
**
Yunxu
Aisin Gioro Yunxu (愉恪郡王 允禑; 24 December 1693 – 8 March 1731) was Kangxi Emperor's 15th surviving son and the first holder of Prince Yu of the Second Rank peerage. Due to his young age, Yunxu was not embroiled in the succession brawl ...
,
Prince Yuke of the Second Rank (愉恪郡王 允禑; 24 December 1693 – 8 March 1731), 25th (15th) son
**
Yunlu
Yunlu (28 July 1695 – 20 March 1767), born Yinlu, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty.
Yunlu was born in the Aisin Gioro clan as the 16th son of the Kangxi Emperor. His mother was Consort Mi (密妃), a Han Chinese with the family n ...
,
Prince Zhuangke of the First Rank (莊恪親王 允祿; 28 July 1695 – 20 March 1767), 26th (16th) son
** ''Yinxie'' (胤祄; 15 May 1701 – 17 October 1708), 28th (18th) son
*
Consort Chunyuqin __NOTOC__
Consort may refer to:
Music
* "The Consort" (Rufus Wainwright song), from the 2000 album ''Poses''
* Consort of instruments, term for instrumental ensembles
* Consort song (musical), a characteristic English song form, late 16th–ear ...
, of the Chen clan (純裕勤妃 陳氏; d. 12 January 1754)
**
Yunli
Yunli (24 March 1697 – 21 March 1738), born Yinli, formally known as Prince Guo, was a Manchu prince of the Qing dynasty.
Life
Yinli was born in the Aisin Gioro clan as the 17th son of the Kangxi Emperor. His mother was Consort Qin (勤 ...
,
Prince Guoyi of the First Rank (果毅親王 允禮; 24 March 1697 – 21 March 1738), 27th (17th) son
*
Consort Ding __NOTOC__
Consort may refer to:
Music
* "The Consort" (Rufus Wainwright song), from the 2000 album ''Poses''
* Consort of instruments, term for instrumental ensembles
* Consort song (musical), a characteristic English song form, late 16th–ear ...
, of the Wanlioha clan (定妃 萬琉哈氏; January/February 1661 – 24 May 1757).
**
Yuntao
Aisin Gioro Yuntao (; 18 January 1686 - 1 September 1763) was a Qing dynasty imperial prince and the 12th son of the Kangxi Emperor. Yuntao was rather a crony of the Yongzheng Emperor and his adoptive brother, which helped him persist in the succ ...
,
Prince Lüyi of the First Rank (履懿親王 允祹; 18 January 1686 – 1 September 1763), 21st (12th) son
Imperial Concubine
* Imperial Concubine An, of the Li clan (安嬪 李氏)
* Imperial Concubine Jing, of the
Wanggiya clan (敬嬪 王佳氏)
* Imperial Concubine Duan, of the Dong clan (端嬪 董氏; d. 1702)
** ''Second daughter'' (17 April 1671 – March/April 1673)
* Imperial Concubine Xi, of the
Hešeri
Hešeri (Chinese: 赫舍里; Pinyin: Hesheli; Manchu: ''Hešeri''), is a clan of Manchu nobility with Jianzhou Jurchens roots, originally hailing from the area which is now the modern Chinese provinces of Jilin and Liaoning. It was once one of t ...
clan (僖嬪 赫舍里氏; d. 31 October 1702)
* Imperial Concubine Tong of the
Ula Nara clan (通嬪 那拉氏; 1664 – 1 August 1744).
** Princess Chunque of the First Rank (固倫純慤公主; 20 March 1685 – 22 April 1710), tenth daughter
*** Married Ts'ering (策棱; d. 1750) of the
Khalkha Borjigit clan in June/July 1706, and had issue (one son)
* Imperial Concubine Xiang of the Gao clan (襄嬪 高氏; d. 14 August 1746).
** ''Yinji'' (胤禝; 25 October 1702 – 28 March 1704), 29th (19th) son
** ''19th daughter'' (30 March 1703 – February/March 1705)
** Yunyi, Prince Jianjing of the Third Rank (簡靖貝勒 允禕; 1 September 1706 – 30 June 1755), 30th (20th) son
* Imperial Concubine Jin, of the Sehetu clan (謹嬪 色赫圖氏; 2 August 1682 – 23 April 1739)
**
Yunhu
Aisin Gioro Yunhu (允祜; 10 January 1712 – 12 February 1744), born Yinhu, formally known as Prince of the Third Rank (貝勒), was an imperial prince of the Manchu ruled Qing Dynasty. He was the 32nd son of Kangxi Emperor and the 22nd who wo ...
, Prince Gongqin of the Third Rank (恭勤貝勒 允祜; 10 January 1712 – 12 February 1744), 32nd (22nd) son
* Imperial Concubine Jing, of the Shi clan (靜嬪 石氏; 13 December 1689 – 10 July 1758)
**
Yunqi, Prince Cheng of the Third Rank (誠貝勒 允祁; 14 January 1714 – 31 August 1785), 33rd (23rd) son
* Imperial Concubine Xi, of the Chen clan (熙嬪 陳氏; April/May 1690 – 1 February 1737)
**
Yunxi,
Prince Shenjing of the Second Rank (慎靖郡王 允禧; 27 February 1711 – 26 June 1758), 31st (21st) son
* Imperial Concubine Mu, of the Chen clan (穆嬪 陳氏; d. 1727)
**
Yunbi
Aisin Gioro Yunbi (允秘; 5 July 1716 – 3 December 1773), born Yinbi , formally known by his title as Prince Xian (𫍯王) , was an imperial prince of the Qing Dynasty and the 24th surviving son of the Kangxi Emperor.
Life
Yinbi was born o ...
,
Prince Xianke of the First Rank (𫍯恪親王 允秘; 5 July 1716 – 3 December 1773), 34th (24th) son
** ''Yinyuan'' (胤禐; 2 March 1718), 35th son
Noble Lady
* Noble Lady Yi, of the Yi clan (伊貴人 易氏; d. 1728)
* Noble Lady Bu, of the
Joogiya
Joogiya (兆佳) was a clan of Manchu nobility.
Notable Figures
Males
* Shusai (舒赛)
*Hetu (赫图)
* Wengguotuo (翁果托)
* Duo'ertai (多尔泰)
* Saikesehe (塞克塞赫), served as third rank military official (参领)
Females ...
clan (布貴人 兆佳氏; d. 21 February 1717)
** Princess Duanjing of the Second Rank (和碩端靜公主; 9 June 1674 – March/April 1710), fifth daughter
*** Married Ga'erzang (噶爾臧; 1675–1722) of the
Kharchin
The Kharchin (, ; ), or Kharachin, is a subgroup of the Mongols residing mainly (and originally) in North-western Liaoning and Chifeng, Inner Mongolia. There are Khalkha-Kharchin Mongols in Dorno-Gobi Province (Kharchin Örtöö was part of the ...
Ulanghan (烏梁罕) clan in November/December 1692, and had issue (one daughter)
* Noble Lady, of the
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
clan (貴人 那拉氏)
** ''Wanfu'' (萬黼; 4 December 1675 – 11 March 1679), ninth son
** ''Yinzan'' (胤禶; 10 April 1679 – 30 April 1680), 12th son
* Noble Lady, of the
Gorolo Gorolo (郭络罗氏) was a clan of Manchu nobility belonging to Bordered Yellow Banner
Notable figures
Males
* Antamu (安塔穆)
** Sanguanbao (三官保), served as third rank literary official (侍郎)
*** Daobao (道保), served as secon ...
clan (貴人 郭絡羅氏)
** Princess Kejing of the First Rank (固倫恪靖公主; 4 July 1679 – March/April 1735), sixth daughter
*** Married Dondob Dorji (敦多布多爾濟; d. 1743) of the
Khalkha Borjigit clan in December 1697 or January 1698 and had issue (three sons)
** ''Yinju'' (胤䄔; 13 September 1683 – 17 July 1684), 19th son
* Noble Lady, of the Yuan clan (貴人 袁氏; d. 25 September 1719)
** Princess Quejing of the Second Rank (和碩愨靖公主; 16 January 1690 – 1736), 14th daughter
*** Married Sun Chengyun (孫承運; d. 1719) in 1706
Mistress
* Mistress, of the Zhang clan (張氏)
** ''First daughter'' (23 December 1668 – November 1671)
** ''Fourth daughter'' (16 March 1674 – January/February 1679)
* Mistress, of the Wang clan (王氏)
** ''16th daughter'' (27 November 1695 – October/November 1707)
* Mistress, of the Liu clan (劉氏)
** ''17th daughter'' (12 January 1699 – December 1700 or January 1701)
* Mistress, 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 of ...
clan (鈕祜祿氏)
** ''20th daughter'' (20 November 1708 – January/February 1709)
Ancestry
Popular culture
Fiction
* ''Kangxi Dadi'' (康熙大帝; ''The Great Kangxi Emperor''), a
historical novel
Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other ty ...
by
Er Yuehe
Ling Jiefang (; 3 November 1945 – 15 December 2018), better known by his pen name Eryue He (), was a Chinese historical fiction writer. He is best known for writing biographical novels of three Qing dynasty emperors ( Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qia ...
which romanticises the Kangxi Emperor's life.
*''
The Deer and the Cauldron
''The Deer and the Cauldron'', also known as ''The Duke of Mount Deer'', is a comic historical novel by Jin Yong (Louis Cha), the longest of his novels and the last to be published but chronologically it is the eighth novel. It was initially pub ...
'' (鹿鼎記), a ''
wuxia
( ), which literally means "martial heroes", is a genre of Chinese fiction concerning the adventures of martial artists in ancient China. Although is traditionally a form of historical fiction, its popularity has caused it to be adapted f ...
'' novel by
Louis Cha
Louis Cha Leung-yung (; 10 March 1924 – 30 October 2018), better known by his pen name Jin Yong (), pronounced "Gum Yoong" in Cantonese, was a Chinese wuxia ("martial arts and chivalry") novelist and essayist who co-founded the Hong Kong dail ...
. In the story, by coincidence, the Kangxi Emperor and the protagonist,
Wei Xiaobao
The following is a list of characters from the novel ''The Deer and the Cauldron'' by Jin Yong. Some of these characters previously appeared in another novel ''Sword Stained with Royal Blood'', which is also written by Jin Yong. Some of these char ...
, become close friends in their childhood. Wei helps the emperor consolidate his rule over the Qing Empire and plays an important role in affecting how significant historical events during the Kangxi era unfold.
*''
Qijian Xia Tianshan
''Qijian Xia Tianshan'' is a wuxia novel by Liang Yusheng. It was first serialised between 15 February 1956 and 31 March 1957 in the Hong Kong newspaper ''Ta Kung Pao''. It is also closely linked to two of Liang Yusheng's other novels, '' Saiwai ...
'' (七劍下天山; ''Seven Swords Descend from Mount Heaven''), a ''wuxia'' novel by
Liang Yusheng
Chen Wentong (5 April 1924 – 22 January 2009), better known by his pen name Liang Yusheng, was a Chinese writer. Credited as the pioneer of the "New School" (新派) of the ''wuxia'' genre in the 20th century, Chen was one of the best known ...
. In the story, the Kangxi Emperor discovers that his father, the
Shunzhi Emperor
The Shunzhi Emperor (15 March 1638 – 5 February 1661) was the second Emperor of China, emperor of the Qing dynasty of China, and the first Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1644 to 1661. A Deliberative Council of Prince ...
, has become a monk in a monastery on
Mount Wutai. He orders a close aide to kill his father in order to consolidate power, and attempts to erase evidence of the murder later.
Film and television
Video games
* ''
Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties'': The Kangxi Emperor is featured as the Chinese leader in this
real-time strategy
Real-time strategy (RTS) is a Video game genre, subgenre of strategy video games that do not progress incrementally in turn-based game, turns, but allow all players to play simultaneously, in "real time". By contrast, in Turn-based strategy, turn ...
game.
* ''
Call Me Emperor
Call or Calls may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Games
* Call, a type of betting in poker
* Call, in the game of contract bridge, a bid, pass, double, or redouble in the bidding stage
Music and dance
* Call (band), from Lahore, Paki ...
'': Kangxi is featured as a minister in this
Strategy Click-RPG game.
See also
*
Chinese emperors family tree (late)
This is a family tree of Chinese monarchs from the Yuan dynasty to the end of the Qing dynasty.
__TOC__
Yuan dynasty and Northern Yuan
The following is the Yuan dynasty family tree. Genghis Khan founded the Mongol Empire in 1206. The empi ...
*
Kangxi Tongbao
Notes
References
Bibliography and further reading
*
* .
* Finer, S. E. (1997). ''The History of Government from the Earliest Times''.
(three-volume set, hardback)
*
*
*
* .
* .
*
* .
*
* Ch. 3, "Kangxi's Consolidation," in
Jonathan D. Spence, ''
The Search for Modern China
''The Search for Modern China'' is a 1990 non-fiction book by Jonathan Spence, published by Century Hutchinson and W. W. Norton & Company.
It covers the period 1600 to 1989. According to Spence, the goal was to explain how Modern China was creat ...
'' (New York: Norton; 3rd, 2013), pp. 48–71.
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kangxi Emperor
1654 births
1722 deaths
17th-century Chinese monarchs
18th-century Chinese monarchs
Child rulers from Asia
Qing dynasty emperors
Shunzhi Emperor's sons