Yongzheng Emperor

The Yongzheng Emperor (13 December 1678 – 8 October 1735), also known by his temple name Emperor Shizong of Qing, personal name Yinzhen, was the fourth emperor of the Qing dynasty, and the third Qing emperor to rule over China proper.

The fourth son of the Kangxi Emperor, Yongzheng ascended the throne following prolonged disputes over succession. A hard-working ruler, he aimed to create a more effective government, cracked down on corruption and reformed the personnel and financial administration. His reign also saw the formation of the Grand Council, an institution that had a major impact on the future of the dynasty. Militarily, Yongzheng continued his father's efforts to consolidate Qing's position in Outer Mongolia and Tibet through force.

The Yongzheng Emperor died in 1735 at the age of 56 and was succeeded by his fourth son, who assumed the throne as the Qianlong Emperor. Although his reign was much shorter than that of both his father and his son, the Yongzheng era achieved important reforms.

Birth and early life

Yinzhen was the eleventh recorded son of the Kangxi Emperor, and the fourth prince to survive into adulthood. His mother, historically known as Empress Xiaogongren, was originally a court attendant from the Manchu Uya clan. For most of his childhood, Yinzhen was raised by Noble Consort Tong, who died when Yinzhen was just 9 years old.

In 1709, the Kangxi Emperor removed his second son Yinreng as crown prince, leaving the position open to competition among the Emperor's remaining sons. That same year, the Kangxi Emperor promoted Yinzhen to qinwang (first-rank prince) under the title "Prince Yong of the First Rank". Yinzhen was careful and quiet during the early stages of the succession struggle.

As the Yongzheng Emperor, Yinzhen worked hard to create a more effective government. He fought against unfair practices and changed how money and people were managed. He wanted loyal, fair, honest, and capable leaders to help run the country well. He rebuilt canals and irrigation systems to help farming, gave help during times of little food, and made rules to help poor people, orphans, and children go to school. His time as emperor brought peace and good times to the people of Qing China.

Struggle for the crown prince's position

Kangxi's choices of the crown princes

In 1712, the Kangxi Emperor removed one of his sons, Yinreng, from being the next ruler and did not name a new heir for the rest of his time as emperor. This led to a contest among his sons for who would become the next ruler. The main contenders were Yinzhi, Yinsi, and Yinti (the third, eighth, and 14th princes). Yinsi had the most support from officials, but not from the emperor himself. Yinzhen, who later became the Yongzheng Emperor, had supported Yinreng and did not try to gain power until near the end of Kangxi's rule. Unlike Yinsi, who tried to gain supporters openly, Yinzhen stayed out of the spotlight.

When Kangxi died in December 1722, the main contenders were reduced to three princes after Yinsi supported the 14th prince, Yinzheng. At that time, Yinzheng was leading a military campaign in northwestern China. Some other princes, including Yinsi, thought he might be chosen as the next ruler and supported him, hoping he would prove himself worthy through military success.

Yinzhen's tactics

Yinzhen's strategy during the fight for the throne was to do very little and stay out of the public eye. He focused on showing respect to Kangxi and carefully carried out his duties. Compared to his brothers, Yinzhen had no special advantages. He did not have close ties with many court officials and was seen as cold and strict. Yinzhen intentionally showed no desire to be the next ruler, which helped him avoid drawing attention or making enemies. He even asked Kangxi to show mercy to other princes, including Yinreng, which earned him praise from the emperor.

Disputes over succession

Although Kangxi's careful planning helped Yinzhen become emperor, it also led to many questions about whether Yinzhen was the right choice. Kangxi had not clearly stated his choice for the throne, and his will was only known through a document given by Longkodo after Kangxi's death. There was no clear proof that the will was not changed or made up. Because of this, Yinzhen faced strong opposition from other princes who wanted the throne. Much of Yinzhen's early time as emperor was spent dealing with these disagreements and strengthening his position as ruler.

Reign

After becoming emperor in December 1722, Yinzhen chose the name "Yongzheng" for his rule, meaning "Harmonious Justice." He formed a new group of advisors to help him govern. Some of his brothers did not support his rule and he worried they might try to take power from him.

The Yongzheng Emperor had to deal with his brothers who challenged his right to be emperor. To prevent them from working together, he sent them to different places far apart. Some were given important jobs so he could watch them closely, while others were sent away or removed from their positions.

He also honored a descendant of the previous Ming dynasty rulers by giving him a noble title, continuing a tradition from ancient times. The Yongzheng Emperor worked hard to stop corruption and made strict rules for his officials. He wanted to create a peaceful and strong government, building on the good rule of his father, the Kangxi Emperor.

Cultural and economic achievements

The Yongzheng Emperor worked hard to make his government better and fairer. He changed how officials were chosen for jobs, making sure the right people were placed in important positions. He also fought against corruption by creating new rules and punishments for corrupt officials.

He started a system where trusted people could secretly tell him about problems, helping him learn about issues he might not see otherwise. Yongzheng also encouraged more land to be used for farming, which helped feed more people. He changed tax laws to make life fairer for poor families and helped set up orphanages for children who needed care.

He made it harder for wealthy people to avoid taxes and worked to stop foreign Christian missionaries from operating in China. Yongzheng also organized merchant groups to better control trade and tried to stop bribery related to checking silver currency.

Expansion in the northwest

See also: Qing dynasty in Inner Asia

The Yongzheng Emperor, like his father, used military force to keep the Qing Empire strong in Outer Mongolia. When there was a fight for power in Tibet between 1727 and 1728, he sent help. After leaving, he left a special representative and soldiers to protect Qing interests there.

The Yongzheng Emperor also sent a large army to fight against the Dzungars. Although the Qing army was bigger, they were slower because of the land. After some time, they fought the Dzungars and won, but it cost a lot of money. Later, a smaller Qing army was defeated by the Dzungars, which made things harder for the Qing Empire. An ally of the Qing, from the Khalkha, later helped defeat the Dzungars.

Because of these wars, the empire spent a lot of money. By the end of his rule in 1735, half of the empire’s money was gone because of military costs. This made the Yongzheng Emperor think about making peace with the Dzungars.

Identification of Qing with China

The Yongzheng Emperor believed that the Qing dynasty was truly the ruler of all of China, not just the Manchu people. He argued against rebels who said the Qing only ruled Manchus and had taken over China. He compared this to ancient leaders from different groups who became great rulers.

During his time and earlier, the Qing emperors saw themselves as the same as China. They used the name “China” in official documents, even in meetings with other countries like Russia. This helped show that China included many different groups and lands, not just Han Chinese people.

Religion

The Yongzheng Emperor respected the many different religions and cultures in his empire. He believed that each group, including the Manchus, Mongols, Chinese, Russians, and Europeans, should keep their own ways of worshipping. He encouraged the Manchu leaders to hold on to their traditions.

The emperor was careful about outside religions, especially Christianity. In 1724, he made a rule against Catholicism. He felt that the Manchus should stick to their own beliefs. Even though some people brought new ideas from other places, the Yongzheng Emperor wanted to keep many traditions strong and unchanged.

Destruction of ethnic minority autonomy

The Yongzheng Emperor chose a Manchu official named Ortai to end old ways of governing for some groups of people. He did this for certain groups, like the Miao people, in areas such as Yunnan, Guizhou, and Guangxi in southwest China.

Death and succession

The Yongzheng Emperor ruled the Qing Empire for 13 years until his death in 1735 at the age of 56. There are different stories about how he died, but it is believed he passed away while reading important papers.

Before he died, the Yongzheng Emperor made plans to avoid problems with choosing the next emperor. He created a secret way for his successors to pick their heirs. After his death, his fourth son Hongli became the next emperor, known as the Qianlong Emperor.

Family

See also: Consorts of the Yongzheng Emperor

The Yongzheng Emperor had many wives and children. His first empress was Empress Xiaojingxian from the Ula-Nara clan, and she was the mother of his first son, Honghui. His second empress, Empress Xiaoshengxian from the Niohuru clan, was the mother of the future Qianlong Emperor, Hongli.

Other important consorts included Imperial Noble Consort Dunsu, who was the mother of sons Fuyi, Fuhui, and Fupei, and Imperial Noble Consort Chunque, mother of Hongzhou. There were also many other consorts and noble ladies who served in the imperial household, each coming from different families and clans.