Since the beginning of Emperor Taiji, there have been 11 emperors in the Qing Dynasty, each with his own unique story, and the experience of sitting on the throne is also very different.
1. Huang Taiji: Win the world
Huang Taiji
Emperor Taiji (Nur Hachi) was the first emperor of the Qing Dynasty, who was born in the Khalkha tribe in 1583 and was the founding emperor of the Later Jin Kingdom. When Nurhachi was ten years old, his father was killed by Ming Dynasty soldiers and he began to take on the task of reviving the family. As he grew older, Nurhachi began to lead the tribal expansion of power, eventually unifying all the Manchurian tribes. He skillfully exploited the political and geographical weaknesses of the Ming Dynasty to defeat the Ming army several times and expand southward. In 1601, he captured Shenyang and began a fierce war between the Ming dynasty and the Later Jin state. In 1616, Nurhachi became emperor of the Later Jin Kingdom, named the state Qing, and began to establish his own dynasty.
2. Son of Destiny: The widow of the Toyotomi family
Chongzhen Emperor
The son of Tianmei (Chongzhen Emperor) was the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, born in 1611. His father, Emperor Myojinjong, made a will before his death in 1620, passing the throne to his son Zhu Changluo. However, Zhu Changluo's mother was the granddaughter of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and was known as the "Son of Destiny", so Zhu Changluo's inheritance rights have been disputed. In 1626, he was finally crowned Emperor Chongzhen and began his reign. However, in 1644, the Qing Dynasty invaded Beijing and the Chongzhen Emperor committed suicide, ending the history of the Ming Dynasty.
3. Shunzhi Emperor: The Battle for the Throne
Shunzhi Emperor
The Shunzhi Emperor (Fulin) was the second emperor of the Qing Dynasty, born in 1638. After the death of his father, Emperor Taiji, the young Shunzhi Emperor succeeded to the throne. However, the Shunzhi Emperor's uncle Dolgon wanted to seize the throne and launched a "dispute between auxiliary government", known in history as the "Dolgon coup". In this struggle, the Shunzhi Emperor's mother, Empress Dowager Cixi, played a huge role and finally consolidated her position. In 1661, the Shunzhi Emperor died, and Empress Dowager Cixi assumed imperial power.
4. Kangxi Emperor: Battle for the Throne 2.0
Kangxi Emperor
The Kangxi Emperor (愛新juelo Xuanye) was the third emperor of the Qing Dynasty, born in 1654. He was the son of the Shunzhi Emperor, and was handled by the descendants of Cixi until he reached adulthood. Empress Dowager Cixi originally wanted to take imperial power, but the Kangxi Emperor was very clever and quickly took control of his own destiny. After his accession to the throne, began his own reign. However, the Kangxi Emperor's succession was also challenged. Before the Kangxi Emperor ascended the throne, his uncle and half-brother tried to seize the throne, but they all failed.
5. Yongzheng Emperor: Mother lost power and won the throne on her own
Yongzheng Emperor
The Yongzheng Emperor (愛新juelo Yinhe) was the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, born in 1678. He was the fourth son of the Kangxi Emperor, and his mother died shortly after his birth. Because the Yongzheng Emperor's mother was a famous magnate, known as "Empress Dowager Hu", the Yongzheng Emperor's succession was also challenged. After the Yongzheng Emperor ascended the throne, he ordered the arrest of many opponents and began his own rule. The Yongzheng Emperor liked social reforms, and to ensure his own security, he carried out large-scale purges and appointed loyal officials. He also rehabilitated many reformist officials, including Mr. Hai, and introduced anti-corruption policies and fiscal reform programs, establishing the Qing dynasty's administrative system.
6. Qianlong Emperor: 40 years of rule, brilliant life
Qianlong Emperor
The Qianlong Emperor (Aisin Juelo Hongli) was the fifth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, born in 1711. He was the grandson of the Yongzheng Emperor and succeeded to the throne. The Qianlong Emperor ruled for 40 years, the longest imperial reign in the history of the Qing Dynasty. Under his rule, the Qing Dynasty reached its most prosperous period. He presided over the construction of some buildings in the Forbidden City and founded many cultural and artistic centers. He is also one of the most famous poets in Chinese history, writing thousands of poems and essays. The Qianlong Dynasty was also the last prosperous dynasty of the Qing Dynasty.
7. Jiaqing Emperor: Modern China's "Little Yellow Emperor"
Jiaqing Emperor
The Jiaqing Emperor (Aisin Juelo Minning) was the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, born in 1760. Under his rule, China experienced some important historical events, such as the Opium War and the Taiping Rebellion launched by the British. He is also known as the famous emperor in the history of Chinese science and technology, known as the "Little Yellow Emperor" because of his concern for culture and support for science, he has a high level of seal carving and likes to collect books and encourage scientific research, including the pioneers of NXP and Aston Martin, Gauss and Watt, and others.
8. Daoguang Emperor: The Struggle Against the Taiping Rebellion
Daoguang Emperor
The Daoguang Emperor (Aisin Juelo Minning) was the seventh emperor of the Qing Dynasty, born in 1782. After he took the throne, he immediately faced the challenge of the Taiping Rebellion and was one of the main leaders of the Qing Dynasty's fight against the Taiping Rebellion. He also embarked on some important internal reforms, such as the establishment of a new county system and the re-regulation of the imperial examination. The Daoguang Dynasty was also a very important period in the history of the Qing Dynasty, which influenced the political system and social economy of modern China.
9. Xianfeng Emperor: The Last Boom Period?
Xianfeng Emperor
The Xianfeng Emperor (愛新juelo Yixi) was the eighth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, born in 1831. Under his rule, the Qing Dynasty began its own period of late prosperity. He accelerated industrialization and the development of modern science and technology, and promoted the acceptance of Western culture and modernization. The Xianfeng Emperor's rule allowed the Qing dynasty to maintain a certain prosperity under the pressure of the Western powers.
10. Guangxu Emperor: Former glory fades
Guangxu Emperor
The Guangxu Emperor (Aisin Juelo Zaichun) was the ninth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, born in 1871. During his time, the Qing dynasty faced stronger external pressures. He was also involved in important political reforms, such as the creation of the Forces nouvelles and the drafting of the Constitution. However, his reforms did not achieve significant results, and he thus gained a bad reputation as one of the last emperors.
11. Emperor Xuantong: The Year of Death
Emperor Xuantong
Emperor Xuantong (Aixin Juelo Puyi) was the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, born in 1906. He is considered a very humble figure because he has no actual ability to rule. The Xuantong Emperor abdicated in 1912, ending the history of the Qing Dynasty. Although he introduced some reforms during his brief reign, they did not achieve significant results, perhaps because they were not adapted to the context of the times. Eventually, he was held in a prison in Beijing until his death in 1967.
To sum up, every Qing emperor had his own story, and they influenced not only Chinese history and culture, but also the whole world. Their succession paths are also very different, ranging from the struggle for the throne, the clever seizure of the world, the loss of their mother's power, the heroism and the struggle against the Taiping Rebellion, and these stories reflect the complexity of Chinese history.