Before dying, Emperor Guangxu learned that the next emperor was Pu Yi, and left 2 sentences that made people cry
There have always been moments in Chinese history that make people sigh. The last days of Emperor Guangxu are one of the most poignant scenes. In the late autumn of 1908, the Forbidden City was bleak. Emperor Guangxu, who was in Yingtai, was already terminally ill.
When he learned that the Empress Dowager Cixi had chosen Pu Yi, who was only three years old, as the new emperor, the long-suffering emperor left two meaningful words. These two sentences not only expressed his concern about this young successor, but also expressed his helplessness about the fate of the Qing Dynasty.
Why was Emperor Guangxu so worried about Pu Yi's succession? What is the meaning of these two sentences? All this has to start with the tragic life of Emperor Guangxu...
1. The helpless choice of the young son of heaven
In the winter of the 14th year of Tongzhi, a shocking news came from the Forbidden City: the 20-year-old Tongzhi Emperor contracted smallpox and died. This sudden change plunged the entire Qing Dynasty into a crisis of heirs.
At that time, the Empress Dowager Cixi was in the prime of life, and she did not panic at all in the face of this sudden change. While the imperial physicians were busy issuing death certificates for the Tongzhi Emperor, the Empress Dowager Cixi was already considering a candidate for a new emperor.
On the second day of the death of Emperor Tongzhi, the Empress Dowager Cixi convened important ministers to discuss state affairs. Prince Yiyun, who was present at the time, did not know that his four-year-old son Zaiyan would soon become the new master of the Qing Dynasty.
Zaiyan, later the Guangxu Emperor, was born in the palace of Prince Alcohol in Beijing. His biological mother's name was Yehenara Shi, and she was the sister of the Empress Dowager Cixi. This relationship became an important reason why he was elected emperor.
At that time, the whole court was speculating: Who can inherit the unification? Some people proposed that Prince Gong's son should succeed him, while others recommended Prince Gong's other sons. Just when there were different opinions, the Empress Dowager Cixi made a final decision and chose Zaiyan.
On the first day of the first lunar month in 1875, the Forbidden City was lit up with lights and drums. Surrounded by eunuchs and palace maids, the little Zai Yan walked into this huge palace complex. From this day on, he was no longer the little prince of Prince Alcohol's mansion, but the new son of heaven of the Qing Empire, Emperor Guangxu.
In order to consolidate her power, the Empress Dowager Cixi went against the norm and made an exception for Guangxu to call herself a "loving mother". This title seems to be intimate, but in fact it is a hidden mystery. In this way, Cixi can continue to listen to the government as a "mother".
Emperor Guangxu, who had just entered the palace, had to read and practice calligraphy in the imperial study every day, learn Manchu and ride archery. The Empress Dowager Cixi arranged a strict study plan for him, and even the time for eating and resting had to be on time. The palace people privately discussed: The new little emperor worked much harder than the Tongzhi emperor.
However, behind this seemingly peaceful study life, there is an undercurrent. The Empress Dowager Cixi sent her confidant eunuchs to monitor the young Emperor Guangxu day and night. Whenever Guangxu proposed his ideas, these eunuchs would immediately report to Cixi.
In 1884, Emperor Guangxu turned ten years old. According to the rules of the Qing Dynasty, the emperor should start "pro-government" at the age of ten. However, the Empress Dowager Cixi continued to listen to the government on the grounds that "the emperor is young". This decision made many ministers secretly shake their heads.
In order to further control the Guangxu Emperor, Cixi began to look for a candidate for empress. Her eyes fell on her niece, Takayu. This decision not only shocked Emperor Guangxu, but also made the government and the opposition talk a lot: the emperor and the empress are cousins, which is the first time in the history of the Qing Dynasty.
In this way, Emperor Guangxu, who was only fifteen years old, had to accept this "political marriage". On the day of the wedding, firecrackers rang out in the Forbidden City and red silk fluttered, but the palace people saw that the young emperor's eyes were full of helplessness and sorrow.
2. The ambition of the reform and reform has not been rewarded
In the twentieth year of Guangxu, the Sino-Japanese War broke out. This war completely shattered the dream of the Qing Dynasty as a "heavenly kingdom". When the news of the annihilation of the Beiyang Naval Division reached the capital, the entire Forbidden City was in shock.
It was during this war that a special memora was placed on the desk of Emperor Guangxu. This recital was submitted by Kang Youwei, who was edited by the Hanlin Academy at the time, and was entitled "The First Book of the Emperor of the Shangqing Dynasty". Kang Youwei bluntly stated in the recital: "Today's plan is only to change the law, and there is no other way." ＂
This recital attracted the attention of Emperor Guangxu. Soon after, Emperor Guangxu made an exception and summoned Kang Youwei. In this four-hour dialogue, Kang Youwei elaborated to the emperor the specific plan for changing the law and trying to become stronger.
On June 11, 1898, Emperor Guangxu promulgated an edict to reform the new policy. This day also became the beginning of what later generations called the "100-day Restoration". The imperial court immediately established the "Council of Representatives", and Kang Youwei, Liang Qichao and other reformers presided over the affairs of changing the law.
After the start of the new policy, Emperor Guangxu reviewed and folded almost every day until late at night. In just three months, he issued more than 40 edicts on reform. One of the most striking was the abolition of the thousand-year-old imperial examination system and the establishment of the Jingshi University Hall.
At the same time, Emperor Guangxu also ordered the abolition of redundant personnel in various places and the rectification of the rule of officials. For a time, the entire Qing Dynasty felt an unprecedented wind of reform. Many young intellectuals responded to the reform one after another, setting off a "reform fever" in various localities.
However, this vigorous reform was soon met with strong opposition from conservative ministers led by the Empress Dowager Cixi. They argued that these new policies violated the very roots of Manchu rule.
In August of the 24th year of Guangxu, an important secret report was sent to the Summer Palace. The report said that the reformists were plotting to abolish the system of hanging curtains and listening to the government, and to make the Guangxu Emperor pro-government. This news completely angered the Empress Dowager Cixi.
On September 21, the Empress Dowager Cixi suddenly returned to the Forbidden City from the Summer Palace. In the afternoon of the same day, she ordered the arrest of important members of the reform faction, including Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao. A coup d'état broke out.
That night, six former ministers armed with the secret edict of the Empress Dowager Cixi broke into the Qianqing Palace and put Emperor Guangxu under house arrest. From this moment on, the young emperor lost all power and became a real puppet.
Subsequently, the Empress Dowager Cixi ordered a large-scale manhunt for reformers. Tan Si and six other reformers were beheaded for public display, while Kang Youwei and Liang Qichao fled to Japan with the help of the British Embassy. So far, this reform reform, which lasted for 103 days, ended in failure.
The failure of the Hundred Days Restoration not only made Emperor Guangxu lose power, but also buried the last chance for the Qing Dynasty to save itself. The day after the failure of the reform, the Empress Dowager Cixi announced the "discipline of government", and Emperor Guangxu was imprisoned on the Yingtai from then on.
3. Persistence in the life of confinement
Since the Wuxu coup, Emperor Guangxu was imprisoned in Yingtai. This complex located in the corner of the South China Sea became the prison of the last ten years of the Son of Heaven. However, even in prison, Emperor Guangxu still did not give up the pursuit of knowledge.
Every morning, the eunuchs could see Emperor Guangxu flipping through all kinds of books in his study. In addition to the traditional Four Books and Five Classics, he paid special attention to the legal texts of various countries and the Western press. A eunuch who was on duty at the palace later recalled: "The emperor read until late every day, and often forgot to use his meal. ＂
Emperor Guangxu also specially asked people to collect a large number of foreign language books from embassies of various countries. In order to read these books, he also specially invited translators who were proficient in foreign languages. Among these books are the British "Parliamentary System" and the Japanese "History of the Meiji Restoration".
In 1900, when the Eight-Nation Coalition invaded Beijing, the Empress Dowager Cixi fled westward in a hurry, but took Emperor Guangxu with her. During this period of displacement, Emperor Guangxu still insisted on carrying several important books. Among these books is the "Public Law of Nations" that he has always treasured.
After returning to Beijing, Emperor Guangxu began to secretly keep in touch with some enlightened ministers. Yuan Shikai, the minister on duty in the Military Aircraft Department at that time, once recorded: "Although the emperor is in Yingtai, he often asks about the affairs of the imperial court, and he is also very concerned about the situation in various countries. ＂
It is particularly worth mentioning that Emperor Guangxu also secretly met with several Japanese reformers. These meetings took place late at night and were arranged by several faithful eunuchs. During these secret meetings, Emperor Guangxu inquired in detail about Japan's experience in the Meiji Restoration.
In 1901, the Qing court was forced to sign the Treaty of Xinchou with the Great Powers. When the contents of the treaty reached Yingtai, Emperor Guangxu handed over a letter to the Empress Dowager Cixi for the first time. In the midst of the compromises, he suggested the implementation of a new policy to save the situation. Although this was ultimately a failure, it shows that he has not given up on the ideal of change.
Emperor Guangxu also often asked the eunuchs to collect folk news from various places for him. From these news, he learned that a wave of new-style schools had sprung up across the country. This is exactly what the education reforms he implemented back then are beginning to show results.
During the period of solitary confinement, Emperor Guangxu also paid special attention to the development of science and technology. When he learned that the Qing court had begun to build railways and telegraph lines, he immediately ordered people to collect a large amount of relevant materials for research. In a secret compromise, he wrote: "As a great country, we must no longer close ourselves off. ＂
In this way, the imprisoned emperor used the power of knowledge to support himself through the years of solitary confinement. Despite losing real power, he never gave up his concern for the future of his country. In Yingtai's study, he silently witnessed the last struggle of this ancient empire.
Fourth, the formation of a tragic end
In the late autumn of 1908, there was an unusual atmosphere in the Forbidden City. The elderly Empress Dowager Cixi was sick in bed, and Emperor Guangxu's physical condition was also deteriorating. The whole court is secretly speculating: who among the mother and son, will die first?
One day at the end of October, an unexpected news came to Yingtai: the Empress Dowager Cixi had decided to appoint Pu Yi, who was only three years old, as the heir to the throne. When the news reached Emperor Guangxu's ears, he was reviewing a note on the progress of the New Deal.
After learning the news, Emperor Guangxu immediately sent a message to the Empress Dowager Cixi, suggesting that an older heir be chosen. The eunuch later recalled: "The emperor suggested that Zaifeng's sons could be considered, because they were all older. ＂
However, the Empress Dowager Cixi ignored this. Not only that, but she also sent eunuchs to closely monitor Emperor Guangxu's every move. According to the eunuch Li Lianying, who served in the palace at that time, "The Empress Dowager ordered me to guard Yingtai day and night, and there must be no mistakes." ＂
On November 13, a shocking news suddenly came out of the Forbidden City: Emperor Guangxu had died. What's even more surprising is that just one day before Emperor Guangxu's death, the Empress Dowager Cixi had secretly issued an edict to inherit the throne, confirming that Pu Yi would inherit the throne.
The scene before the death of Emperor Guangxu was recorded by a eunuch on duty. According to records, at the last moment of his life, Emperor Guangxu asked, "Isn't it good to find an older one?" Then he muttered: "Who dares to disobey the Queen Mother's will?" These became the last two words he left to the world.
The day after Emperor Guangxu died, the Empress Dowager Cixi also passed away. The fact that two people who have struggled for power all their lives died in just two days can not help but make people think about it.
Regarding the cause of Emperor Guangxu's death, various rumors soon circulated among the people. Some say that he was poisoned, and some say that he died of depression. These rumors even reached the embassies of various countries outside the palace. The British Legation in China wrote in a secret report: "The death of Emperor Guangxu is full of suspicions. ＂
On November 14, 1908, Pu Yi, who was only three years old, officially ascended the throne as Emperor Xuantong. At the enthronement ceremony, the young emperor did not know what fate awaited him. In the study room of Yingtai, the books that Emperor Guangxu read before his death are quietly placed on the shelves, as if telling the unfinished ideals of this reformer.
Decades later, when scientists examined the relics of Emperor Guangxu, they found a large amount of arsenic in his hair. This discovery seems to confirm the rumors that he was poisoned. However, the truth has gradually faded away with the smoke clouds of history.
5. History's evaluation of Guangxu
After the death of Emperor Guangxu, the evaluation of him never stopped. In 1909, a Japanese historian wrote in his History of the Rise and Fall of the Qing Dynasty, published in Tokyo: "Emperor Guangxu was an aspiring reformer, and his defeat foreshadowed the fall of the Qing Dynasty. ＂
In the early years of the Republic of China, Liang Qichao recalled in "Wuxu Coup": "When the imperial prelude was right, the emperor was very enthusiastic about changing the law. Every time we talk about Western political systems, we must inquire in detail. This text provides important historical materials for future generations to understand Emperor Guangxu's will to reform.
In the 1920s, with the rise of the May Fourth New Culture Movement, a group of historians began to re-examine the Hundred Days Restoration. They found that many of the reforms introduced by Emperor Guangxu, such as the abolition of the imperial examination and the establishment of new schools, were of great progressive significance at the time.
In 1925, the famous historian Zheng Guanying pointed out in the Political History of the Qing Dynasty: "Although the Guangxu reform failed, its impact was far-reaching. Many of the reform measures were carried over in the New Deal at the end of the Qing Dynasty and became an important starting point for modern China to move towards modernization. ＂
It is worth noting that a considerable number of the edicts issued during the reign of Emperor Guangxu involved educational reform. According to statistics, during the Hundred Days Restoration alone, there were more than a dozen edicts related to education. These reforms laid the foundation for the establishment of China's modern education system.
In 1930, an important historical material was discovered in the Nanjing Library. This is the diary of a former Qing official, which records some of the activities of Emperor Guangxu during his solitary confinement in Yingtai. The diary mentions: "Although the emperor is imprisoned, he still reads every day and cares about current affairs, which is really rare." ＂
In the 1940s, overseas scholars also began to pay attention to the historical evaluation of Emperor Guangxu. The American historian Fairbank wrote in The Cambridge History of Late Qing China: "Emperor Guangxu's attempt at reform was the last top-down reform movement of the late Qing Dynasty. ＂
Research in modern history shows that although the Guangxu Reform lasted only 103 days, many of the concepts it advocated, such as "Shiyi Changji" and reform education, had a profound impact on the later New Deal in the late Qing Dynasty. Even after the Xinhai Revolution, these ideas continued to influence China's modernization process.
Among the many historical evaluations, the reform spirit of Emperor Guangxu of "advancing in the face of difficulties" has been widely affirmed. He still tried his best to change the law under heavy constraints, showing a rare enterprising consciousness of a feudal monarch. In particular, the reform in the field of education has cultivated a large number of talents for China's modernization.
In recent years, with the discovery of more historical materials and the innovation of research methods, the evaluation of Emperor Guangxu has become more comprehensive. Some scholars have found through the study of the twists and turns of the Guangxu Dynasty that long before the reform of the law, the Guangxu Emperor expressed his intention to reform in his reply many times. These new discoveries provide a new perspective for the study of Emperor Guangxu's reform thoughts.