What is the relationship between Daoguang, Tongzhi, Guangxu and Cixi?

Tongzhi is Cixi’s biological son, Guangxu is Cixi’s nephew, and Tongzhi and Guangxu are cousins.

1. Tongzhi

Aixinjueluo Zaichun (April 27, 1856 - January 12, 1875), Mu Zong of the Qing Dynasty, the tenth emperor of the Qing Dynasty, The eighth emperor after the Qing Dynasty established its capital in Beijing, his reign title was "Tongzhi".

He was the eldest son of Emperor Xianfeng of Emperor Wenzong of the Qing Dynasty, and his biological mother was Empress Xiaoqinxian Yehenala. Reigned from 1861 to 1875, 13 years. Emperor Tongzhi was born in Chuxiu Palace in the Forbidden City in Beijing on March 23 (April 27 in the Gregorian calendar) in the sixth year of Xianfeng (1856).

Ascended to the throne in the eleventh year of Xianfeng (1861). During the reign of Emperor Tongzhi, the Qing government relied on a group of important ministers such as Zeng Guofan, Li Hongzhang, and Zuo Zongtang to suppress the Taiping Rebellion.

In the fourth year of Tongzhi (1865), Seng Gelinqin’s Manchu and Mongolian cavalry (Eight Banners soldiers) were ambushed and annihilated by the Nian Army. Zuo Zongtang and Li Hongzhang, both of Lai’s Westernization factions, destroyed the West and East Nian respectively. The rebellion lasted until the seventh year of Tongzhi (1868).

During his reign, the Qing Dynasty pacified the Shaanxi-Gansu rebellion, and at the same time established the New Deal for Westernization. A period of political stability appeared in the late Qing Dynasty, known in history as the "Tongzhi Zhongxing".

In the 12th year of Tongzhi (1873), Emperor Tongzhi came into power. In the 13th year of Tongzhi (1874), he died in the Yangxin Hall of the Forbidden City in Beijing on the fifth day of December (January 12, 1875). He was 19 years old. age. The temple name is Mu Zong. The posthumous title is Jitian Kaiyun Shouzhong Ju Zheng Bao Ding Gong Sheng Zhi Cheng Filial Trust Min Gong Ming Suyi Emperor. He is buried in the Hui Mausoleum of the Qingdong Mausoleum in Zunhua, Hebei Province.

2. Guangxu

Qing Dezong Aixinjueluo Zaitan (August 14, 1871 - November 14, 1908), the eleventh emperor of the Qing Dynasty, The ninth emperor after establishing his capital in Beijing, his reign was named Guangxu, and he was known as Emperor Guangxu in history. His father, Prince Chun Yixuan, and his biological mother, Yehenala Wanzhen, were the sisters of the Empress Dowager Cixi. Reigned for thirty-four years. ?

In December of the thirteenth year of Tongzhi (January 1875), he was established as emperor by the empress dowagers of the two palaces. At first, the empress dowagers of Ci'an and Cixi listened to the government behind the curtain. After the death of Empress Dowager Ci'an in the seventh year of Guangxu (1881), Empress Dowager Cixi hung the curtain alone.

In the fifteenth year of Guangxu (1889), Zaitan came to power personally. After that, although the government was nominally returned to Emperor Guangxu, in fact the power was still in the hands of Empress Dowager Cixi. In the Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese Sino-Japanese War of 1898-1894 after Zai Dan took office, Emperor Guangxu tried his best to take the lead in the war and opposed compromise. However, due to corruption in the court, the Qing Dynasty ended in defeat.

After learning from the painful experience, he strongly supported the reformist reforms in order to strengthen himself. In the 24th year of Guangxu (1898), Emperor Guangxu implemented the "Wuxu Reform", but was opposed by the conservatives headed by the Empress Dowager Cixi.

Emperor Guangxu planned to rely on Yuan Shikai to contain this force headed by Empress Dowager Cixi, but he was betrayed by Yuan Shikai and was imprisoned in Yingtai, Zhongnanhai by Empress Dowager Cixi ever since. The entire reform lasted only 103 days, so it was called the "Hundred Days Reform". After the coup, power once again fell into the hands of the Empress Dowager Cixi. It was announced that Emperor Guangxu was ill and unable to govern, but he was actually imprisoned in Yingtai, Xiyuan, and became a prisoner without shackles.

On November 14, the 34th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu (1908), Emperor Guangxu died suddenly at the age of 38. His temple name was Dezong, his posthumous name was Tongtian Chongyun, Dazhong, Zhongyun, Wenwei, Ren, Xiao, and Wisdom. Emperor Duanjian, Kuanqinjing. Buried in Chongling of the Western Tombs of the Qing Dynasty.

3. Cixi

Cixi (November 29, 1835-November 15, 1908) was Empress Xiaoqinxian, Yehenala, and the concubine of Emperor Xianfeng. The biological mother of Emperor Tongzhi. An important political figure in the late Qing Dynasty and the actual ruler of the late Qing Dynasty.

In 1875, Emperor Tongzhi passed away, and his nephew Aixinjueluo Zaitian was chosen to succeed Xianfeng. The reign of Emperor Guangxu was Guangxu, and the two palaces once again listened to the government behind closed doors. In 1881, Empress Dowager Ci'an died, and due to the death of Empress Dowager Ci'an in 1884, Cixi launched the "Jiashen Yishu" to depose Prince Gong and began to take sole power.

In 1889, she returned to power in Guangxu and retired to the Summer Palace; in 1898, after the Imperial Party conspired to surround the garden and kill everyone during the Reform Movement of 1898, Cixi launched the Reform Movement of 1898, imprisoned Emperor Guangxu, beheaded the Six Gentlemen of 1898, and re-supervised the administration; 1900 After the Gengzi Revolution, the New Deal of the late Qing Dynasty was implemented to reform military, business, academic, and official laws.

In 1908, Emperor Guangxu died. Cixi chose three-year-old Puyi as the new emperor. She was honored as the Empress Dowager that day. She died at 17:00 the next day (three quarters before midnight) in Yiluan Hall and was buried in Putuoyu Ding Dongling.

Extended information:

The Empress Dowager Cixi was the queen of Emperor Xianfeng (1831-1861). She gave birth to a son, and he was the only son of Emperor Xianfeng. Emperor Xianfeng ascended the throne at the age of 20 and reigned for 11 years. He died at the Chengde Summer Resort in 1861 at the age of 31.

The Empress Dowager Cixi was born in 1835, when she was 26 years old. Their son, Emperor Tongzhi, was born in 1856 and was only 5 years old at this time. Therefore, Emperor Xianfeng issued an edict before his death. Before the young emperor grew up to take charge of the government, Sushun and other eight important ministers would "praise and assist in government affairs", that is, assist the young emperor.

The reason why Emperor Xianfeng issued such an edict was firstly because Emperor Xianfeng was defensive and dissatisfied with Prince Gong Yixin, and secondly because Emperor Xianfeng did not want to see the harem interfere with politics after his death. Therefore, after his death, Emperor Xianfeng ordered Prince Gong Yixin and Cixi to be excluded from the center of power in the palace.

However, Emperor Xianfeng’s arrangement was not implemented. Prince Gong Yixin, the uncle of the Sixth Emperor, was dissatisfied because he was not among the eight ministers. Prince Gong Yixin teamed up with the two queen mothers to launch a coup. In the name of the exclusive power of the ministers, the "Gang of Eight" was arrested and the power structure of the Qing court was restructured.

Prince Gong Yixin is in charge of the daily affairs of the court as a political councilor. On the one hand, the two queen mothers take care of the young emperor. On the other hand, before the young emperor becomes an adult, he listens to politics behind the curtain and has the authority to approve or deny important decisions. power.

Ten years passed by. In 1872, when Emperor Tongzhi was 17 years old, the empress dowagers of the two palaces promulgated a decree to encourage Emperor Tongzhi to "only inherit the family law, pay attention to employment and administration, and do not neglect classics." ". The court officials and Chinese and foreign ministers were encouraged to "be loyal to the public and fulfill their duties, and to provide relief in difficult times." In Bingwu, Emperor Tongzhi took charge of the government personally and issued an edict to "obey the instructions of Ci, respect heaven and the ancestors, and be diligent in government and love the people."

Regrettably, however, in just three years, the only son of Empress Dowager Cixi and the only dragon of Emperor Xianfeng, Emperor Tongzhi, died in 1875. He died young at the age of 19.

The only seedling of Emperor Xianfeng and Empress Dowager Cixi, Emperor Tongzhi, was gone, and there was no dragon seed left. The Qing Dynasty had to continue, so who would take over became a question. The power of Empress Dowager Cixi came from Emperor Xianfeng, and the power of Emperor Tongzhi came from Emperor Xianfeng. Then, the new successor must be searched according to this principle to see which child has the closest blood relationship with Emperor Xianfeng.

The most powerful younger brother of Emperor Xianfeng is undoubtedly Prince Gong Yixin. Prince Gong's son Zaicheng is about the same age as Emperor Tongzhi and is most suitable.

However, considering that Zai Cheng has become an adult, has developed values, and has even developed some bad habits, which are not easy to control. In addition, Zai Cheng is the playmate of Emperor Tongzhi, and Emperor Tongzhi embarks on this journey. There is a point of no return. Even if Zai Cheng is not directly responsible, he is indirectly responsible. In this way, Zai Cheng from Prince Gong's family was easily eliminated.

In addition to Prince Gong, Emperor Xianfeng also had a seventh brother, Yixuan. Prince Chun Yixuan made a great contribution to the "capture of the Gang of Eight" more than ten years ago, and he also has a good relationship with the Empress Dowager Cixi. His wife is the Empress Dowager Cixi's biological sister.

Prince Chun Yizhen and the sister of the Empress Dowager Cixi had a son named Zaitan at this time. Zaitian was born in 1871, when he was only 5 years old. In terms of blood relationship, Zaitian was the nephew of Emperor Xianfeng and the closest descendant besides his son; in terms of the Empress Dowager Cixi, Zaitan was the nephew of the Empress Dowager and the closest descendant besides her son.

Double closeness makes Zai Tan the most suitable candidate. Another factor is that Zai Tan is only four or five years old and has the potential to be malleable and easier to control.

In this way, Zai Tan became the successor of Emperor Tongzhi.

On February 25, 1875, the young Zaitian was officially taken to the palace to succeed the recently deceased Emperor Tongzhi. His reign was Guangxu, and he was the 11th emperor of the Qing Dynasty. The young emperor received the best education among the emperors of the Qing Dynasty, and perhaps even the emperors of the Chinese imperial era. His intellectual quality was the best among the emperors of the Qing Dynasty.

In 1886, ten years of hard study greatly improved the little emperor's ideological realm and knowledge accumulation, and the image of an excellent monarch gradually emerged. This year, the Empress Dowager Cixi, who was over fifty (51 years old), had been in power for more than 20 years. She was a little tired of it, and the young emperor was able to handle government affairs, so the Empress Dowager Cixi officially proposed to withdraw the curtain and let the young emperor take charge.

The Empress Dowager Cixi’s suggestion was not perfectly implemented at this meeting. When she announced the decision to withdraw the curtains, the young emperor immediately knelt down and apologized. Prince Chun, Prince Li and others also felt that the Empress Dowager’s decision was too harsh. Suddenly being too hasty, and the Queen Mother no longer manages politics, may not be the best choice. After all, the little emperor is still too young.

Prince Chun and Prince Li suggested that the Empress Dowager Cixi was indeed too tired for more than 20 years and should take a rest. However, it is best not to quit everything at once this time, for the sake of the Qing Dynasty and the The little emperor considered that it might be more appropriate to put him on the horse and give him a ride, so that the little emperor could continue to improve in practice and gradually take over government affairs.

Under the advice of various parties, Empress Dowager Cixi withdrew her order and promised to continue to govern for several years after Emperor Guangxu took charge. This decision does not need to be interpreted maliciously in terms of the original intention of all parties, but it did leave huge variables for the subsequent development of Chinese politics, causing problems with the uniqueness of the center of imperial power in the imperial era, and the so-called imperial party and the post-party emerged.

On November 15, 1908, Empress Dowager Cixi died of illness. The day before her death, Emperor Guangxu also passed away. Cixi arranged for Puyi, the son of Prince Chun Zaifeng, to succeed to the throne.

Baidu Encyclopedia - Aixinjueluo·Zaichun

Baidu Encyclopedia - Aixinjueluo Zaichun

Baidu Encyclopedia - Cixi