Qing Wenzong Aixin Jueluo Yixu (17 July 1831 – 22 August 1861), alias Jile Master, was the last de facto reigning emperor in Qing and Chinese history, and the last monarch to succeed to the throne through a secret crown prince. He is the fourth son of Qing Xuanzong Aixin Jueluo Minning, and his biological mother is Niu Hulu, the queen of filial piety.
In the twenty-sixth year of Daoguang (1846), Xuanzong of the Qing Dynasty canonized Yi Su as the crown prince. In the face of internal and external troubles, Yi Su did his best to vigorously promote the reform of the government after taking the throne. He tried to get rid of the evils and revive the dynasty. The Han bureaucrat Zeng Guofan was reused, and the Han landlords he trained were armed to suppress the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the Twist Army uprising. Promote the courageous Su Shun and support his reform of maladministration. At the same time, the Daoguang Dynasty's military ministers Mu Zhang'a, Qi Ying and others were dismissed. Executed Qi Ying, a notorious capitulation official who presided over the peace in the First Opium War. In the sixth year of Xianfeng (1856), Britain and France launched the second Opium War against the Qing government, and in the tenth year of Xianfeng (1860), the British and French forces captured Tianjin and approached Beijing. Shortly after arriving in Chengde, he fell ill.
On July 16, 1861, Emperor Xianfeng established Aixin Jueluo Zaichun as the crown prince, and the next day, he died in the Yanbo Zhishuang Hall of Chengde Summer Resort at the age of 31. The name is "Xietian Yiyun Zhizhong Chuimo Maode Zhenwu Shengxiao Yuan Gong Duanren Kuanmin Zhuang Jianxian Emperor", the temple name is "Wenzong", and he is buried in the Dingling Tomb of the Eastern Tomb of the Qing Dynasty. The "Forbidden City Rare Book Series" includes Emperor Xianfeng's "Imperial Poems and Essays of Qing Wenzong", including "Two Songs of Hsinchu" and "Endowed with Lingling Xiuzhu to Wait for the King's Return" and other masterpieces.
Taught at an early age
On the ninth day of the sixth month of the eleventh year of Daoguang (July 17, 1831), Yi Su was born in Zhan Jingzhai, Yuanmingyuan, Beijing, as the fourth prince of Daoguang Emperor, his biological mother was the Empress Niu Hulu of filial piety, and his father was a second-class guard Yiling, who was born in a poor family. When she first entered the palace, she was ranked as a concubine, but because of her intelligence and beauty, she was deeply loved by Emperor Daoguang and was quickly promoted to a concubine. In June of the eleventh year of Daoguang (1831), he gave birth to the fourth son of the emperor. Two years later, Empress Tong Jia died of illness, and Emperor Daoguang made Niu Hulu the imperial concubine and was in charge of the affairs of the six palaces. The following year, she was officially canonized as empress. However, in the first month of the twentieth year of Daoguang (1840), Niu Hulu died of illness at the age of 33, and Shi Yixu was only 10 years old.
After the death of Empress Xiao Quancheng, Emperor Daoguang entrusted Concubine Jing to raise Yixu. Concubine Jing is the daughter of Hua Liang'a, a member of the Criminal Department, and has three sons: the second son of the emperor, Yigang, the third son of the emperor, Yiji, and the sixth son of the emperor, Yixun. It's a pity that Yigang and Yiji unfortunately died early, so Concubine Jing only had Yixun left to accompany her. The difference between the two is only one year old. Yi Su is as respectful to Concubine Jing as her biological mother, and regards Yi Xun as her own brother. However, the fiercest opponent in the competition for the crown prince is the sixth brother of the emperor, whom he regards as his own brother.
Yixu and Yixu were both raised by Concubine Jing. After losing the three queens of Empress Xiaomucheng, Empress Xiaoshencheng, and Empress Xiaoquancheng, Emperor Daoguang did not establish a new queen, and only named Concubine Jing as the imperial concubine. The two princes are of the same age, they are like brothers, and they have no suspicion of each other. However, Yi Su entered the school a year earlier than Yi Xun, and he began to study under Du Shoutian at the age of six. Du Shoutian taught him carefully for more than ten years. According to historical records: "After receiving the teachings of Tian Chaoxi, he will follow the right path for more than ten years." "When Yi Su was a prince, he was hunting in Nanyuan, accidentally fell from a horse and injured his thigh, and after being treated by an orthopedic doctor in the Shanghai Hospital, he was left with a disability and difficulty moving. He also suffered from smallpox as a child, and his face was pockmarked.
Yixin also studied in the study, but he was more intelligent and studied under Zhuo Bingtian. The history books say: "In the study with Wenzong, he is also involved in martial affairs", "Twenty-eight potentials of the flower and spear technique, called 'Dihua cooperation'; Emperor Daoguang gave Yixin the treasure knife of "White Rainbow Knife". Yixun is physically strong, intelligent, both civil and military, and innovative.
Immediate storage turmoil
Emperor Daoguang was in a dilemma on the matter of establishing a prince, he had more than 20 concubines, and gave birth to ten girls and nine boys. The first son, Yiwei, died in the 11th year of Daoguang (1831) at the age of 23. The second son Yigang and the third son Yiji died one after another. The fourth son, Yixu, was born two months after the death of his eldest brother Yiwei. In the twenty-sixth year of Daoguang (1846), the fifth son of the emperor succeeded to Miankai, the third son of Emperor Jiaqing, and inherited the throne of the county king. The sixth son of the emperor, Yixun, was deeply favored by Emperor Daoguang. In his later years, Emperor Daoguang added the seventh son, the eighth son and the ninth son, but they were all young and ignorant. Emperor Daoguang established the reserve relatively late, and did not secretly establish the reserve immediately after ascending the throne. It was only in his later years that he remembered this, and judging from his cautious attitude when he established the reserve, it seemed that he hoped to have more choices. Because after Yiwei, the second son and the third son died early, and there is only one heir to choose from, and it is not of much significance to build a reserve or not.
YIWEI
Eleven years after Daoguang, Yiwei died of illness, and princes were born one after another, forcing Daoguang to face the question of the prince that should have been decided early. Among the princes, Emperor Daoguang favored the fourth and sixth sons.
The fourth son of the emperor, Yixu, is "long and virtuous", the oldest age, and has benevolence and filial piety; although the sixth son of the emperor is a concubine, he has passed on the family law and heirs, regardless of his descendants, and is "gifted and different", both civil and military. As they grew up, the battle for the crown prince intensified. In the twenty-sixth year of Daoguang (1846), Emperor Daoguang established the family law and the title of the book was hidden.
On the 14th day of the first month of the 30th year of Daoguang (February 25, 1850 AD), Emperor Daoguang was ill and summoned his minister Zhu Bi to show him and set up his son Yi Xu as the crown prince. At noon on the same day, Daoguang collapsed in the Shende Hall of the Old Summer Palace. According to the Qing system, the new emperor Yixu escorted the body to the Qianqing Palace for storage. The day after Xuanzong's death, Emperor Xianfeng officially ascended the throne and set the second year (1851) as the first year of Xianfeng.
Sharp intentions
After Xianfeng succeeded to the throne, he had lofty ambitions and talents. His first measures were to break with the old and establish the new, rectify the imperial court, reuse reform talents, and investigate maladministration; secondly, he vigorously promoted Han scholars to suppress the Taiping Rebellion. According to the records of the Qing Wenzong, he was diligent and issued a large number of edicts every day, many of which were personally written by Zhu Zhu and Zhu Zhu, without the need for the Minister of Military Aircraft to do it on his behalf. In just eight months, he dismissed Mu Zhang'a, the minister of military aircraft of the Daoguang Dynasty, and then dismissed Qi Ying and others of the Lord and faction. In order to alleviate the political conflict with Prince Gong Yixun, he appointed him as Minister of Military Aircraft, but soon deposed Yixun in order to consolidate imperial power.
Prince Gong Yixun
Emperor Xianfeng deposed the conservative ministers of the Daoguang period, promoted a number of reformists, including Sushun, and carried out a deep rectification of the political situation. Under the leadership of Su Shun, the corruption of officialdom, especially the corruption of officials, attracted the attention of the Qing government. Su Shun mercilessly dealt with the "Wuwu Kechang Case" and executed Bai Ye, a member of the first grade, which changed the official style of the Qing government in the later decades, especially the style of corruption. After Xianfeng succeeded to the throne, due to the shortage of funds caused by the Taiping Rebellion, the Qing government decided to issue banknotes. However, the uncontrolled issuance of banknotes did not ease the fiscal pressure, but instead triggered inflation and soared prices. Merchants took advantage of the opportunity to make huge profits, and the people lived in poverty.
At the end of the eighth year of Xianfeng (1858), Su Shun was transferred to the head of the household department and was determined to rectify the finances. He conducted an in-depth investigation of the accounts of Wuyu's official accounts, involving hundreds of people, and raided dozens of household officials, merchants, and Manchurian clans, effectively curbing the trend of corruption in the officialdom.
Sushun
In the first month of the first year of Xianfeng (1851), the Taiping Rebellion broke out, and in only two years, the Taiping army captured the major fortresses in the south, such as Hanyang, Yuezhou, Hankou, Nanjing and other places, posing a serious threat to the core area of the Qing Dynasty. In the third year of Xianfeng (1853), the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom was set as the capital of Nanjing. Emperor Xianfeng then ordered the gentry of the provinces in the north and south of the river to form regimental exercises, and the Hunan army created by Zeng Guofan was one of them. The Taiping Army's failure to go all out on the Northern Expedition and the "Tianjing Incident" in the sixth year of Xianfeng (1856) gave the Qing court a chance to breathe. Emperor Xianfeng relied on Han landlords Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, Li Hongzhang and others, and joined forces with foreign forces to jointly exterminate the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement.
Outside the defeat
Just when Emperor Xianfeng was quelling the rebellion against the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, Britain, France and other powers once again coveted China. In the fourth year of Xianfeng (1854), Britain, the United States, and France used the matter of amending the treaty to put pressure on the Qing court, but Emperor Xianfeng refused. Therefore, Britain and France declared war on the Qing court again in the sixth year of Xianfeng (1856), and the British captured Guangzhou on the grounds of the "Yarrow Incident", but were finally repulsed.
In March of the eighth year of Xianfeng (1858), the British and French forces and the envoys of the four countries gathered outside the Dagu Pass in Tianjin to carry out the so-called "treaty amendment". Emperor Xianfeng ordered Tan Tingxiang, the governor of Zhili, to adopt the strategy of "using razing to defeat raze" to show goodwill to Russia, try to contain the United States, induce France, and severely reprimand Britain. Despite Tan Tingxiang's dedication to his duties, it did not work. The British and French fleets captured the Dagu Fort and advanced to Tianjin. Xianfeng sent Guiliang and Hua Shana to Tianjin for negotiations, and concluded the Sino-British Treaty of Tianjin, the Sino-American Treaty of Tianjin, the Sino-French Treaty of Tianjin, and the Sino-Russian Treaty of Tianjin with Britain, the United States, France, and Russia respectively. After the sample contract was submitted, Emperor Xianfeng was furious, but had to approve it. The Great Powers were not satisfied with the rights and interests conferred by the Treaty of Tientsin, and deliberately provoked war. Emperor Xianfeng ordered the Qing army to strengthen the defense of Dagukou.
In the ninth year of Xianfeng (1859), the provocation of Britain and France triggered the conflict at Dagukou, and the invading army was finally repulsed. Emperor Xianfeng annulled the Treaty of Tianjin due to the victory at Dagukou. Immediately, Britain and France gathered forces and planned a new round of aggression.
In the spring of the tenth year of Xianfeng (1860), the British and French forces attacked again. In June, attacking Dagukou, Emperor Xianfeng emphasized: "The foundation of the world is not in Haikou, but in Beijing." "In July, the Anglo-French army attacked Beitang, and Emperor Xianfeng hesitated and missed the opportunity. During the fierce battle, the commander of the Qing army was ordered to retreat, and Dagu was lost again. On 1 August, the British and French fleets again arrived off Tianjin. The French sent more than 40 ships and 6,700 troops, while the defenders of Seng Lingqin in Dagu had only 10,000 men. In order to avoid entanglement, the coalition forces chose to land in Beitang, north of Dagu. In order to maintain his strength, Monk Greenqin ordered the defenders on the south bank to withdraw to Tongzhou. The next day, the British fleet sailed smoothly into the White River. The Anglo-French forces captured Tianjin and then advanced to Beijing. Emperor Xianfeng sent Prince Yi Zaiyuan and Shangshu Muyin of the Ministry of War as ministers to Tongzhou to negotiate peace with Britain and France. Under the pretense of peace talks, the British and French forces continued to attack Beijing, and after defeating the Qing army at the Battle of Tongzhou Bali Bridge, they took Beijing directly.
When the Anglo-French troops approached Beijing, Emperor Xianfeng hurriedly fled from the Old Summer Palace to Rehe (now Chengde City) on the pretext of "Autumn Trip", and ordered Prince Gong to stay in Beijing to negotiate with other countries. Yixun signed the Sino-British Treaty of Beijing, the Sino-French Treaty of Beijing, the Sino-Russian Treaty of Beijing, and ratified the Sino-British Treaty of Tianjin and the Sino-French Treaty of Tianjin. The Sino-Russian Treaty of Beijing officially confirmed the Treaty of Aihui, which was signed by Tsarist Russia in the eighth year of Xianfeng (1858). On October 6, 1860, the British and French forces captured the Old Summer Palace, and the Minister of Garden, Wen Feng, committed suicide by throwing himself into the sea. The next day, the Old Summer Palace was sacked and then burned.
Collapsed Palace
After Emperor Xianfeng went to the summer resort in Chengde, Rehe, he always paid attention to the movements in the capital. After Britain and France negotiated and withdrew their troops, he had the idea of returning to Luan, but he soon gave up, mainly because the matter of "handing over the credentials in person" had not yet been decided, so Prince Gong Yixun dealt with it as soon as possible. Later, Emperor Xianfeng changed the will of Huiluan many times. In addition to the Yiren factor, the life of the Rehe Palace also made him gradually better. During this period, he was obsessed with theater. The Beijing Shengping Bureau went to Rehe in large numbers to rehearse operas for him.
Since November 1860, the feast of the "Smoke and Waves" hall has been staged every three days. Soon after Emperor Xianfeng arrived in Chengde, his relationship with Sushun became increasingly close, and he was often accompanied by him. However, Emperor Xianfeng's physical condition deteriorated day by day, and Su Shun strongly advocated that Emperor Xianfeng stay in Rehe to prevent political chaos. This caused concern among Prince Gong, Yixun and Wen Xiang and others. Prince Gong asked to visit the emperor in Rehe, hoping to communicate directly with Xianfeng and break Su Shun's obstruction. The opposition of Su Shun made the contradiction between Prince Gong and the Su Shun group more and more acute.
On August 20, 1861, Emperor Xianfeng's condition worsened in Rehe. The next day, he met with Prince Yi Zaiyuan, Prince Zheng Duanhua, Su Shun, Jingshou, Mu Yin, Kuang Yuan, Du Han, Jiao Youying and others in the Yanbo Zhishuang Palace, and left an edict: "Establish the emperor's eldest son Zaichun as the crown prince." He also appointed Zaiyuan, Duanhua, Jingshou, Sushun, Mu Yin, Kuang Yuan, Du Han, and Jiao Youying as the "Eight Ministers of Gu Ming" to assist in handling government affairs. Zaiyuan and others asked Emperor Xianfeng to write it himself, but Xianfeng was terminally ill and could not hold a pen, so the minister wrote it on his behalf. Before his death, Xianfeng handed over the "Imperial Reward" seal to the Empress Niu Hulu and the "Tongdaotang" seal to the prince Zaichun (in charge of Yi Guifei). In the early morning of the 22nd, Emperor Xianfeng died. In December of the same year, Emperor Xianfeng was honored as Wenzong, and was called Emperor Xietianyiyun Zhizhong Chuimo Maode Zhenwu Shengxiao Yuan Gong Duanren Kuanmin Zhuang Jianxian, and was buried in the Dingling Tomb of Eastern Tomb of the Qing Dynasty in September 1865.
After the death of Emperor Xianfeng, his political will quickly became history due to the coup of Xinyou, and the "Eight Ministers of Gu Ming" were overthrown by the Empress Dowager Cixi, the Empress Dowager Ci'an and Prince Gong Yixun, which opened the prelude to the reign of the Empress Dowager Cixi.