Text | Editor: Chestnut
Foreword: In the ancient feudal dynasties, the emperors lived a life of fine clothes and fine food, and surprisingly, most of these noble emperors could not escape the fate of short lives.
However, the exception is the two ancestral emperors, Kangxi and Qianlong, who reigned for 61 and 60 years respectively, making them the longest-lived emperors in history.
So, how do they do it? Do they have any secrets?
Emperor of Longevity
Kangxi and Qianlong were both longest-lived emperors in Chinese history, and they not only reigned for a long time, but also died in a good life, and there are many reasons why they were able to enjoy a long life.
In terms of governing the country, the Kangxi Emperor relied on his outstanding political wisdom and leadership skills to build the perfection of the Qing court's political system, he paid attention to diligence and love for the people, and formulated many reform policies to reduce the burden on the people.
First of all, he searched for redundant personnel, reduced the personnel of the Department of Internal and External Affairs, implemented a clean administration, controlled the revenue and expenditure of the prefecture's finances and expenditures, and reformed the system of Beijing officials, government officials, military equipment, and various departments.
Kangxi also borrowed the strategy of the Ming Dynasty's powerful ministers to gather the world's masters, improve the governance of officials, weigh the edicts, and improve the efficiency of the government, these reform measures not only allowed Kangxi to better control the government, but also helped to improve the level of governance of the country.
Emperor Qianlong inherited Kangxi's wisdom in governing the country and continued his style of diligence and love for the people.
During Qianlong's reign, he visited the south of the Yangtze River six times, inspected the people's suffering, and personally solved many problems of people's livelihood and water conservancy.
Qianlong not only listened to the voices of the people and effectively solved problems, but also carried out dozens of performances just to enjoy the Shengdan opera produced by the workers in the south of the Yangtze River, without the slightest severance.
In addition to the art of governing the country, Kangxi and Qianlong also paid attention to health care, they developed a healthy Xi habits, paid attention to a balanced diet, Kangxi Emperor had a light diet, tea love, and often carried out indoor sports, such as practicing Xi and guns, Xi martial arts and horseback riding, in order to maintain physical health.
Emperor Qianlong exercised every day, often between 4 and 6 a.m., and activities included tai chi and walking.
At the same time, they are also good at regulating their emotions and maintaining a good attitude, they do not get angry easily, and often find pleasure in leisure activities, such as walking birds in the garden, watching flowers and trees, etc.
In addition, during the reigns of Kangxi and Qianlong, they made full use of scientific and technological development and wisdom resources to promote the development and progress of the country.
Kangxi's sons, Yongzheng and Qianlong, respected and followed Kangxi's other key achievements in cultural governance: the reform of the imperial examination system and the compilation of the Siku Quanshu, which further promoted the cultural prosperity of the Qing Dynasty.
Qianlong continued to promote this initiative, committed to protecting, developing and supporting Han culture, and also advocated academic freedom, making outstanding contributions to the prosperity of academics.
Elixir – Poison
In addition to the busy state affairs of the ancient royal family, many monarchs were tired of seeking the secret of longevity, and through the historical context, we can find that one of the most headaches for them is the birth rate and longevity.
Since the purity of royal blood was seen as the key to maintaining the ruling authority, consanguineous marriage became a means of maintaining noble blood.
However, this practice brings serious genetic problems, and offspring between close relatives are more prone to various birth defects and physical problems, which not only affect their quality of life, but also lead to high mortality rates.
The premature childbearing phenomenon that is prevalent in the royal family also poses a threat to the lives of newborns, and many women become pregnant prematurely due to the lack of effective birth control.
Premature babies face higher physical risks, including breathing difficulties and immature immune systems, which can lead to death soon after birth.
In addition to the above factors, many members of the royal family also tried to seek longevity through non-scientific means, and the emperors of the Ming Dynasty were obsessed with alchemy and taking pills in the hope of attaining immortality.
In particular, Ming Shizong and Ming Guangzong, these two emperors, had the extreme superstition of elixirs, and they frequently took so-called "elixirs" such as "red lead pills" and "autumn stones".
However, this quest for longevity ultimately led to their early death. In this context, the wisdom of Emperor Kangxi is particularly valuable, he resolutely opposes abnormal drug anti-aging methods, and firmly believes that scientific health preservation is the key to health and longevity.
Emperor Kangxi paid attention to the rules of diet and daily life, advocating a light diet, avoiding excessive drinking, and also advocating peace of mind, believing that maintaining an optimistic attitude would help physical and mental health.
These health concepts of Emperor Kangxi made him enjoy a longer life span among the emperors of previous dynasties.
Unfortunately, the experience of the Kangxi Emperor was not adopted by his successor, the Yongzheng Emperor, who continued to pursue non-scientific methods of longevity such as pills, which eventually led to a deterioration in his own health.
In contrast, the Qianlong Emperor wisely learned the lessons of his grandfather, Kangxi, and instead of pinning his longevity on the elixir, he chose a more practical approach to health preservation.
Normal routine
Kangxi and Qianlong, two Qing emperors, became legends of longevity with their unique regimen regimens, and in addition to following normal routines, balanced diets and moderation, the two emperors also implemented a series of measures to promote their own health and longevity.
As the creator of the hunting paddocks and mounted archery training bases around the capital, Kangxi knew the importance of physical exercise.
He personally participated in hunting activities and encouraged the princes to Xi riding and archery from elementary school as a compulsory part of their daily routine, which not only helped the princes develop tenacity and perseverance, but also ensured their good physical fitness.
In order to further improve the physical fitness of the princes, he also often led them to outdoor activities, such as Mulan hunting.
Every autumn, the princes and brothers would follow the emperor on a journey through the forest, shooting prey along the way and spending a grueling but unforgettable time in the wilderness.
This kind of exercise not only strengthens their physique, but also cultivates their wisdom and courage to get along with nature.
The two emperors, Kangxi and Qianlong, also paid great attention to the shaping of their mentality, they believed that open-mindedness and inner peace were the key to maintaining good health and longevity, advocating the concept of health preservation, not coveting excessive luxury and material enjoyment, but pursuing inner peace and tranquility.
Because of this, Kangxi and Qianlong were able to maintain a good attitude and let the harem concubines enjoy a relatively long life with their joint efforts.
In addition to following a normal routine, eating a balanced diet, controlling desires, and maintaining a good attitude, the two emperors, Kangxi and Qianlong, also focused on complying with the mandate of heaven.
They do not pursue immortality, but accept the natural law of life and death, believe that all things are the laws of natural existence, and they also focus on governing the country and the country, paying careful attention to the well-being of the people, making great efforts to carry out educational reform and economic construction.
This kind of governance concept of serving the country with care and caring for the people has also become one of the factors in prolonging life.
The secrets of longevity of the Qing emperors, Kangxi and Qianlong, can be described as following a normal routine, paying attention to a balanced diet and moderation, following the mandate of heaven, and maintaining a good state of mind.
By taking these measures, they not only maintained good health and prolonged life, but also left a model of health preservation for future generations, and these health regimens still have important enlightenment significance for us modern people.
The author thinks
The health regimen of the two emperors, Kangxi and Qianlong, lies in the fact that they abandoned feudal superstitions and chose a pragmatic lifestyle.
They achieved longevity and health by controlling their desires, maintaining an optimistic attitude, and inheriting the good work and rest Xi and martial spirit of the Manchu aristocracy.
Information sources:
Eight Flags
Historical Overview