In the long history of the Qing Dynasty, the two emperors Kangxi and Qianlong attracted attention for their longevity and brilliant reigns. Emperor Kangxi, as an outstanding monarch, his reign lasted sixty-one years, making him the second-longest reigning emperor in Chinese history. As for Emperor Qianlong, his reign reached 60 years, making him one of the longest-reigning emperors in Chinese history. However, behind these two great emperors, there is a little-known secret!
Emperor Kangxi, whose full name is Aixin Jueluo Xuanye, was the fourth emperor of the Qing Dynasty in Chinese history and the second longest reigning emperor in Chinese history. Emperor Kangxi was born in the eleventh year of Shunzhi (1654) and was the third son of Emperor Shunzhi. After the unexpected early death of Emperor Shunzhi, Xuan Ye succeeded to the throne in 1661 at the age of eight.
In the early days, it was assisted by the regent Dorgon. After the death of the regent, Emperor Kangxi began to govern in person, showing extraordinary political talent. Successfully quelled the rebellion of the three feudatories and consolidated the rule of the Qing Dynasty. Under the leadership of Emperor Kangxi, the Qing Dynasty successfully carried out several foreign expansions and wars, including wars against Russia and the conquest of Dzungaria.
Emperor Kangxi was a monarch who loved culture and science, and he studied astronomy, mathematics, geography and other fields. The compilation of the Kangxi dictionary was also an important cultural achievement of its period.
In the later years of Emperor Kangxi, the Qing Dynasty was strong, and the world was basically peaceful within the territory. In his later years, Emperor Kangxi faced the problem of succession to the throne, and was eventually succeeded by Aixin Jueluo Yinzhen, that is, Emperor Yongzheng.
Emperor Kangxi died in 1722 at the age of 68, having reigned for 61 years.
The reign of the Kangxi Emperor was one of the most powerful periods of the Qing Dynasty, and his policies and reforms had a profound impact on Chinese history. He was not only a warlike emperor, but also a monarch who promoted culture and science.
Emperor Qianlong, formerly known as Aixin Jueluo Hongli, was the sixth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and his reign is often considered to be the last heyday of the Qing Dynasty. In 1711, Emperor Qianlong was born, the grandson of Emperor Kangxi and the fourth son of Emperor Yongzheng. In 1735, after the death of Emperor Yongzheng, Hongli succeeded to the throne and became Emperor Qianlong.
Emperor Qianlong inherited the foundation of prosperity from Emperor Kangxi and Emperor Yongzheng, allowing the Qing Dynasty to further reach its territorial and economic peak. Under the leadership of Emperor Qianlong, the Qing Dynasty carried out a number of large-scale military conquests, including military campaigns against Northeast China, Mongolia, Xinjiang, and Tibet, significantly expanding the country's territory.
Emperor Qianlong was a culture-loving monarch who sponsored a large number of literary and artistic works, including books, paintings, and music. He has a keen interest in antiques and art and has built up a large collection.
Emperor Qianlong carried out a series of political reforms, including strengthening the centralization of power and improving the system of selecting officials. Although the Qing Dynasty prospered economically in the early years, the country's finances began to have problems due to the effects of war and corruption in the later period. Emperor Qianlong continued to implement a policy of religious tolerance, allowing different religions to spread freely within the Qing Dynasty.
In 1795, Emperor Qianlong abdicated and was succeeded by his son Emperor Jiaqing, but Emperor Qianlong still maintained a considerable degree of political influence after his abdication. In 1799, Emperor Qianlong died at the age of 89.
The reign of Emperor Qianlong is regarded as the last heyday of the Qing Dynasty. His policies and cultural contributions contributed to the prosperity of the Qing dynasty, but some of his decisions, especially the wars and extravagant consumption in his later years, also set the stage for the decline of the Qing dynasty in the later period.
Overall, Emperor Qianlong was one of the most influential and controversial emperors in the history of the Qing Dynasty.
Kangxi and Qianlong's ancestors and grandsons are compared to other emperors, and the reason for this is that the two of them never touch a "thing". So, what is this thing that makes both of them live so long?
In ancient China, many emperors were obsessed with finding the secret to immortality, believing that the elixir could prolong life and even immortalize people. However, many emperors in history not only failed to live forever because of the so-called "elixir", but ended their lives early because of the toxic components contained in the elixir, such as mercury and arsenic. The two emperors, Kangxi and Qianlong, were exceptions, who kept a clear head about the temptation of refining the elixir and never set foot in it.
During the reign of Emperor Kangxi, he knew that the body was the capital of the revolution, so he paid great attention to the way of health preservation. He has taken a variety of approaches to maintain his physical health, such as physical activity, diet adjustment, and mindset adjustment. Emperor Kangxi was also a diligent learner, he studied Chinese medicine extensively, and knew that the elixir was not a cure for immortality, so he never tried any form of elixir. Instead, he focuses more on eating a balanced diet and maintaining a good state of mind, which allows him to maintain a good physical condition and clear thinking.
Emperor Qianlong also inherited this philosophy. He not only continued Emperor Kangxi's governing policy, but also continued Emperor Kangxi's way of health preservation. Emperor Qianlong also wisely avoided the elixir and paid more attention to the details of daily life, such as moderate exercise, regular physical check-ups, and maintaining an optimistic attitude towards life. Emperor Qianlong also paid special attention to spiritual cultivation, and he often participated in poetry creation, calligraphy and painting, which not only enriched his spiritual world, but also helped him maintain a good psychological state.
At the same time, both emperors Kangxi and Qianlong were wary of alchemy and the search for elixirs of immortality during their reigns. They are well aware of the dangers of these superstitious practices and strive to avoid wasting national resources on these useless pursuits. They pay more attention to the stability of the country and the happiness of the people, rather than the illusory dream of immortality.
In short, the reason why Kangxi and Qianlong were able to live a long life is closely related to their clear understanding of the dangers of refining elixir and the importance they attach to physical health. Their wisdom and self-control not only benefited them personally, but also left a valuable health regimen for future generations.
In their stories, we can see that the pursuit of a healthy and balanced lifestyle is far more important than the blind pursuit of the secret to immortality.