Yixin, Prince Gong
Encyclopedia
Yixin better known as Prince Gong (or Prince Kung in Wades-Giles) or formally Prince Gong of the First Rank (恭親王), was a prince and statesman of the Qing Dynasty
. He was the sixth son of the Daoguang Emperor
and a half brother of Daoguang's successor, the Xianfeng Emperor
. He served as regent during the reign of Xianfeng's son and successor, the Tongzhi Emperor
. Having established the Zongli Yamen
(a government body in charge of foreign affairs) in 1861, Yixin is best remembered as an proponent of maintenance of friendly relations between the Qing government and the foreign powers, as well as for his attempts to modernise China in the late 19th century. Commonly referred to as the "Sixth Prince" (六王爺) in his time, Yixin was nicknamed "Devil Number Six" (鬼子六) by conservatives in the Qing imperial court, in reference to his frequent contacts with westerners (gweilo
; literally "foreign devils", a colloquialism for westerners).
clan, the imperial clan of the Qing Dynasty
, as the sixth son of the Daoguang Emperor
. His mother was Consort Jing (posthumously known as Empress Xiaojingcheng) of the Mongol
Borjigit
clan.
Yixin was mentored by Zhuo Bingtian (卓秉恬) and Jia Zhen (賈楨), and was known to be a bright and diligent student. When the Daoguang Emperor was selecting an heir from among his sons, he was unable to decide between Yixin and his fourth son Yining (the future Xianfeng Emperor
), but eventually wrote a secret edict in 1846 announcing that he had designated the latter as his successor. Three years later the Daoguang Emperor had a tomb built in the consorts' cemetery for Yixin's mother, Honoured Consort Jing, and ordered that she must be buried there after death. Daoguang's action hinted that he would never appoint Yixin as his successor (If Yixin did become emperor later, his mother would be posthumously honoured as an empress. Empresses of the Qing Dynasty who died before their emperors were buried together with their husbands, while those who died after their husbands had individual tombs for themselves. Since Daoguang already had a tomb built for Yixin's mother before she died and ordered that she be buried there after death, this meant that he only regarded her as a secondary spouse, so her son would never become emperor).
In February 1850, before his death, the Daoguang Emperor revealed the secret edict he wrote in 1846, which decreed that Yining would be instated as Crown Prince (皇太子), while Yixin would become a Prince of the First Rank (親王). Yixin married the daughter of Guiliang (桂良), an important court official of the Manchu Guwalgiya
clan. The marriage is often seen as a sign that the Daoguang Emperor favoured Yixin, but in fact the marriage was arranged after Daoguang had appointed Yining as his heir, so this marriage may only be viewed as an act of "compensation" for Yixin. Besides, Yixin's wife was not a favourite daughter of Guiliang, and was born to Guiliang's secondary spouse.
, Yixin and his mother (who held the title of Dowager Consort) falsified an imperial edict in Xianfeng's name that granted Yixin's mother the title of Empress Dowager. Xianfeng was greatly displeased, but did not rescind the edict so as to save himself from public embarrassment. Yixin's mother died after being Empress Dowager for eight days, and was posthumously known as Empress Xiaojingcheng. Yixin did not play an important roles in politics, and only served as a military minister from 1853 to 1855.
In 1860 during the Second Opium War
, Yixin was appointed as an Imperial Envoy with Full Authority (全權欽差大臣) and ordered to remain in the capital Beijing
to negotiate with the British, French and Russians on behalf of the Qing government. The Xianfeng Emperor himself fled from Beijing and moved his imperial court to the Chengde Summer Palace in Hebei
. Yixin was successful in the negotiations and concluded the Convention of Beijing
with the western powers.
The Xianfeng Emperor died in the summer of 1861 in the Chengde Summer Palace and was succeeded by the young Tongzhi Emperor
. Before his death, Xianfeng appointed Zaiyuan, Duanhua
, Sushun
and five other senior court officials to serve as regents for the Tongzhi Emperor.
and Ci'an
to launch the Xinyou Coup (辛酉政變) to seize power from the eight regents. The regents were escorting the Xianfeng Emperor
's coffin back to the Forbidden City
when they were intercepted upon arrival and placed under arrest. Zaiyuan and Duanhua
were forced to commit suicide, Sushun
was executed, and the five other regents were stripped off power.
After the Xinyou Coup, the empress dowagers Cixi and Ci'an became co-regents of the Qing government while Yixin was appointed as Prince-Regent (議政王) and placed in charge of important state affairs, including control over the Grand Council
. Yixin remained in power as regent from 1861 to 1884 throughout the reigns of the Tongzhi
and Guangxu
emperors. In 1861 Yixin established the Zongli Yamen
, which functioned as the Qing government's de facto ministry of foreign affairs. As the longstanding leader of the organisation, Yixin was responsible for spearheading various reforms during the early part of the Self-Strengthening Movement
, a series of measures taken by the Qing government to modernise China. He also founded the Tongwen Guan
in 1862 for Chinese scholars to read foreign languages and study technology.
became suspicious of Yixin and stripped him off his position of Prince-Regent. Despite so, Yixin continued to remain as a central figure of power in the Qing imperial court. In 1869, An Dehai (安德海), a eunuch and close aide of Empress Dowager Cixi, was executed by Ding Baozhen
for travelling to Shandong
, because eunuchs were forbidden to travel out of the Forbidden Palace without permission. Ding Baozhen was believed to have been instigated by Yixin, and Cixi was very unhappy with Yixin. In 1873 Yixin strongly opposed the construction of the Old Summer Palace
and further incurred the anger of Cixi.
In 1884 the Sino–French War broke out and Yixin was in charge of directing the military department (軍機處), which was disorganised and indecisive on whether to fight or make peace. This resulted in a Chinese defeat in the war and Yixin lost considerable prestige. Later that year, Empress Dowager Cixi dismissed Yixin from office and ordered him to remain at home to "recuperate from illness". Yixin was replaced by his younger half brother Yixuan
. Some officials such as Baoyun (寶鋆), Li Hongzao (李鴻藻), Jinglian (景廉) and Weng Tonghe
, who previously served under Yixin's administration were removed from office. This incident was known as the "Cabinet Change of Jiashen" (甲申易樞) or "Political Change of Jiashen" (甲申朝局之變) because it took place in the Jiashen Year according to the Chinese sexagenary cycle
.
After his dismissal, Yixin remained in Jietai Temple
in western Beijing most of the time. In 1894 on the outbreak of the First Sino-Japanese War
, Yixin, who was already in his old age, was recalled back to the imperial court to deal with the situation. Yixin served in the military department and Zongli Yamen
until he became critically ill in 1898 and eventually died in that year.
.
Some historians claim that Yixin took a more active role in the Xinyou Coup in 1861. Sterling Seagrave
claimed in Dragon Lady: The Life and Legend of the Last Empress of China that Chinese historical records showed that the Xianfeng Emperor
had appointed the two empress dowagers (Empress Dowager Cixi
and Empress Dowager Ci'an
) as the Tongzhi Emperor
's regents in accordance with imperial tradition. The eight regents led by Sushun
had appointed themselves as co-regents for the emperor and handed only one imperial seal to Ci'an and kept the other for themselves.
Yixin was aware that the xenophobic attitudes of the eight regents would lead to China's doom by adversely affecting China's relations with the western powers. Thus, he enlisted the assistance of the two empress dowagers to remove the eight regents from power.
is now open to the public as a museum called the Prince Gong Mansion
.
, starring Chen Baoguo
as the prince.
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
. He was the sixth son of the Daoguang Emperor
Daoguang Emperor
The Daoguang Emperor was the eighth emperor of the Manchurian Qing dynasty and the sixth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1820 to 1850.-Early years:...
and a half brother of Daoguang's successor, the Xianfeng Emperor
Xianfeng Emperor
The Xianfeng Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro I Ju, was the ninth Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1850 to 1861.-Family and his early years:...
. He served as regent during the reign of Xianfeng's son and successor, the Tongzhi Emperor
Tongzhi Emperor
The Tongzhi Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro Dzai Šun, was the tenth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1861 to 1875. His reign, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother, the Empress...
. Having established the Zongli Yamen
Zongli Yamen
Zongli Yamen was the government body in charge of foreign affairs in imperial China during the late Qing dynasty. It was established by Prince Gong in 1861, following the Convention of Peking. It was abolished in 1901 and replaced with a Foreign Office of ministry rank.The former site of the...
(a government body in charge of foreign affairs) in 1861, Yixin is best remembered as an proponent of maintenance of friendly relations between the Qing government and the foreign powers, as well as for his attempts to modernise China in the late 19th century. Commonly referred to as the "Sixth Prince" (六王爺) in his time, Yixin was nicknamed "Devil Number Six" (鬼子六) by conservatives in the Qing imperial court, in reference to his frequent contacts with westerners (gweilo
Gweilo
Gweilo or Gwailo is a common Cantonese slang term for foreigners, and has a long history of racially deprecatory use. If there is some racially deprecatory meaning or it is expressive of hate, it is shown by the addition of the adjective, sei or as a prefix: seigwailo...
; literally "foreign devils", a colloquialism for westerners).
Early life
Yixin was born of the Manchu Aisin GioroAisin Gioro
Aisin Gioro was the family name of the Manchu emperors of the Qing Dynasty. The House of Aisin Gioro ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which established a republican government in its place. The word aisin means gold in the Manchu language, and "gioro" is the name of the place in...
clan, the imperial clan of the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, as the sixth son of the Daoguang Emperor
Daoguang Emperor
The Daoguang Emperor was the eighth emperor of the Manchurian Qing dynasty and the sixth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1820 to 1850.-Early years:...
. His mother was Consort Jing (posthumously known as Empress Xiaojingcheng) of the Mongol
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
Borjigit
Borjigin
Borjigin , also known as the Altan urug , were the imperial clan of Genghis Khan and his successors....
clan.
Yixin was mentored by Zhuo Bingtian (卓秉恬) and Jia Zhen (賈楨), and was known to be a bright and diligent student. When the Daoguang Emperor was selecting an heir from among his sons, he was unable to decide between Yixin and his fourth son Yining (the future Xianfeng Emperor
Xianfeng Emperor
The Xianfeng Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro I Ju, was the ninth Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1850 to 1861.-Family and his early years:...
), but eventually wrote a secret edict in 1846 announcing that he had designated the latter as his successor. Three years later the Daoguang Emperor had a tomb built in the consorts' cemetery for Yixin's mother, Honoured Consort Jing, and ordered that she must be buried there after death. Daoguang's action hinted that he would never appoint Yixin as his successor (If Yixin did become emperor later, his mother would be posthumously honoured as an empress. Empresses of the Qing Dynasty who died before their emperors were buried together with their husbands, while those who died after their husbands had individual tombs for themselves. Since Daoguang already had a tomb built for Yixin's mother before she died and ordered that she be buried there after death, this meant that he only regarded her as a secondary spouse, so her son would never become emperor).
In February 1850, before his death, the Daoguang Emperor revealed the secret edict he wrote in 1846, which decreed that Yining would be instated as Crown Prince (皇太子), while Yixin would become a Prince of the First Rank (親王). Yixin married the daughter of Guiliang (桂良), an important court official of the Manchu Guwalgiya
Guwalgiya
Guwalgiya was one of the most powerful Manchu clans. Kangxi's administrator Oboi came from this clan....
clan. The marriage is often seen as a sign that the Daoguang Emperor favoured Yixin, but in fact the marriage was arranged after Daoguang had appointed Yining as his heir, so this marriage may only be viewed as an act of "compensation" for Yixin. Besides, Yixin's wife was not a favourite daughter of Guiliang, and was born to Guiliang's secondary spouse.
During the Xianfeng Emperor's reign
During the reign of the Xianfeng EmperorXianfeng Emperor
The Xianfeng Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro I Ju, was the ninth Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1850 to 1861.-Family and his early years:...
, Yixin and his mother (who held the title of Dowager Consort) falsified an imperial edict in Xianfeng's name that granted Yixin's mother the title of Empress Dowager. Xianfeng was greatly displeased, but did not rescind the edict so as to save himself from public embarrassment. Yixin's mother died after being Empress Dowager for eight days, and was posthumously known as Empress Xiaojingcheng. Yixin did not play an important roles in politics, and only served as a military minister from 1853 to 1855.
In 1860 during the Second Opium War
Second Opium War
The Second Opium War, the Second Anglo-Chinese War, the Second China War, the Arrow War, or the Anglo-French expedition to China, was a war pitting the British Empire and the Second French Empire against the Qing Dynasty of China, lasting from 1856 to 1860...
, Yixin was appointed as an Imperial Envoy with Full Authority (全權欽差大臣) and ordered to remain in the capital Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
to negotiate with the British, French and Russians on behalf of the Qing government. The Xianfeng Emperor himself fled from Beijing and moved his imperial court to the Chengde Summer Palace in Hebei
Hebei
' is a province of the People's Republic of China in the North China region. Its one-character abbreviation is "" , named after Ji Province, a Han Dynasty province that included what is now southern Hebei...
. Yixin was successful in the negotiations and concluded the Convention of Beijing
Convention of Peking
The Convention of Peking or the First Convention of Peking is the name used for three different unequal treaties, which were concluded between Qing China and the United Kingdom, France, and Russia.-Background:...
with the western powers.
The Xianfeng Emperor died in the summer of 1861 in the Chengde Summer Palace and was succeeded by the young Tongzhi Emperor
Tongzhi Emperor
The Tongzhi Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro Dzai Šun, was the tenth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1861 to 1875. His reign, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother, the Empress...
. Before his death, Xianfeng appointed Zaiyuan, Duanhua
Duanhua
Duanhua was a Manchu noble of the Bordered Blue Banner from the Aisin-Gioro clan. Until several days before his death he held the title of Prince Zheng, inherited as one of the eight "iron-cap" princes....
, Sushun
Sushun
Sushun ; Styled: Yuting was born in the Manchu Aisin-Gioro Clan as the sixth son of Ulgungga , the Prince Zheng....
and five other senior court officials to serve as regents for the Tongzhi Emperor.
As Prince-Regent
In November 1861, Yixin plotted with the empress dowagers CixiEmpress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
and Ci'an
Empress Dowager Ci'an
Empress Dowager Ci'an , popularly known in China as the East Empress Dowager , and officially known posthumously as the Empress Xiao Zhen Xian , was the second Empress Consort of the Xianfeng Emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China, and then Empress Dowager after 1861...
to launch the Xinyou Coup (辛酉政變) to seize power from the eight regents. The regents were escorting the Xianfeng Emperor
Xianfeng Emperor
The Xianfeng Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro I Ju, was the ninth Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1850 to 1861.-Family and his early years:...
's coffin back to the Forbidden City
Forbidden City
The Forbidden City was the Chinese imperial palace from the Ming Dynasty to the end of the Qing Dynasty. It is located in the middle of Beijing, China, and now houses the Palace Museum...
when they were intercepted upon arrival and placed under arrest. Zaiyuan and Duanhua
Duanhua
Duanhua was a Manchu noble of the Bordered Blue Banner from the Aisin-Gioro clan. Until several days before his death he held the title of Prince Zheng, inherited as one of the eight "iron-cap" princes....
were forced to commit suicide, Sushun
Sushun
Sushun ; Styled: Yuting was born in the Manchu Aisin-Gioro Clan as the sixth son of Ulgungga , the Prince Zheng....
was executed, and the five other regents were stripped off power.
After the Xinyou Coup, the empress dowagers Cixi and Ci'an became co-regents of the Qing government while Yixin was appointed as Prince-Regent (議政王) and placed in charge of important state affairs, including control over the Grand Council
Grand Council
The Grand Council or Junjichu was an important policy-making body in the Qing Empire. It was established in 1733 by the Yongzheng Emperor...
. Yixin remained in power as regent from 1861 to 1884 throughout the reigns of the Tongzhi
Tongzhi Emperor
The Tongzhi Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro Dzai Šun, was the tenth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1861 to 1875. His reign, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother, the Empress...
and Guangxu
Guangxu Emperor
The Guangxu Emperor , born Zaitian of the Aisin-Gioro clan, was the eleventh emperor of the Manchurian Qing Dynasty, and the ninth Qing emperor to rule over China. His reign lasted from 1875 to 1908, but in practice he ruled, under Empress Dowager Cixi's influence, only from 1889 to 1898...
emperors. In 1861 Yixin established the Zongli Yamen
Zongli Yamen
Zongli Yamen was the government body in charge of foreign affairs in imperial China during the late Qing dynasty. It was established by Prince Gong in 1861, following the Convention of Peking. It was abolished in 1901 and replaced with a Foreign Office of ministry rank.The former site of the...
, which functioned as the Qing government's de facto ministry of foreign affairs. As the longstanding leader of the organisation, Yixin was responsible for spearheading various reforms during the early part of the Self-Strengthening Movement
Self-Strengthening Movement
The Self-Strengthening Movement , c 1861–1895, was a period of institutional reforms initiated during the late Qing Dynasty following a series of military defeats and concessions to foreign powers....
, a series of measures taken by the Qing government to modernise China. He also founded the Tongwen Guan
Tongwen Guan
Tongwen Guan , or the School of Combined Learning was a government school for teaching Western languages , founded at Beijing, China in 1862 during the late-Qing Dynasty...
in 1862 for Chinese scholars to read foreign languages and study technology.
Fall from grace
In 1865 Yixin was accused by Cai Shouqi (蔡壽祺) for "monopolising state power, accepting bribes, practising favouritism, behaving arrogantly, and showing disrespect towards the emperor." Empress Dowager CixiEmpress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
became suspicious of Yixin and stripped him off his position of Prince-Regent. Despite so, Yixin continued to remain as a central figure of power in the Qing imperial court. In 1869, An Dehai (安德海), a eunuch and close aide of Empress Dowager Cixi, was executed by Ding Baozhen
Ding Baozhen
Ding Baozhen was the Qing Dynasty governor of Sichuan Province, China after whom the Szechuan dish Kung Pao chicken was named.-Biography:Born in Pingyuan, Guizhou Province in 1820, Ding was appointed a government official in 1854 after an outstanding performance in the annual Royal...
for travelling to Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
, because eunuchs were forbidden to travel out of the Forbidden Palace without permission. Ding Baozhen was believed to have been instigated by Yixin, and Cixi was very unhappy with Yixin. In 1873 Yixin strongly opposed the construction of the Old Summer Palace
Old Summer Palace
The Old Summer Palace, known in China as Yuan Ming Yuan , and originally called the Imperial Gardens, was a complex of palaces and gardens in Beijing...
and further incurred the anger of Cixi.
In 1884 the Sino–French War broke out and Yixin was in charge of directing the military department (軍機處), which was disorganised and indecisive on whether to fight or make peace. This resulted in a Chinese defeat in the war and Yixin lost considerable prestige. Later that year, Empress Dowager Cixi dismissed Yixin from office and ordered him to remain at home to "recuperate from illness". Yixin was replaced by his younger half brother Yixuan
Yixuan, 1st Prince Chun
Yixuan, 1st Prince Chun was a prince of the Qing Dynasty, the last reigning dynasty of China. He was the father of the dynasty's penultimate emperor, the Guangxu Emperor, and the paternal grandfather of China's last emperor, Puyi.-Birth and early life:Aisin Gioro Yi Xuan was born a son of the...
. Some officials such as Baoyun (寶鋆), Li Hongzao (李鴻藻), Jinglian (景廉) and Weng Tonghe
Weng Tonghe
Weng Tonghe was a Chinese Confucian scholar and imperial tutor during the Qing dynasty. In 1856, he was awarded the highest degree in the imperial examinations and he subsequently became a member of the prestigious Hanlin Academy...
, who previously served under Yixin's administration were removed from office. This incident was known as the "Cabinet Change of Jiashen" (甲申易樞) or "Political Change of Jiashen" (甲申朝局之變) because it took place in the Jiashen Year according to the Chinese sexagenary cycle
Sexagenary cycle
The Chinese sexagenary cycle , also known as the Stems-and-Branches , is a cycle of sixty terms used for recording days or years. It appears, as a means of recording days, in the first Chinese written texts, the Shang dynasty oracle bones from the late second millennium BC. Its use to record years...
.
After his dismissal, Yixin remained in Jietai Temple
Jietai Temple
Jietai Temple is a Buddhist temple in Mentougou District in western Beijing, China. It was constructed during the Tang dynasty, with major modifications made during the Ming and Qing Dynasties....
in western Beijing most of the time. In 1894 on the outbreak of the First Sino-Japanese War
First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
, Yixin, who was already in his old age, was recalled back to the imperial court to deal with the situation. Yixin served in the military department and Zongli Yamen
Zongli Yamen
Zongli Yamen was the government body in charge of foreign affairs in imperial China during the late Qing dynasty. It was established by Prince Gong in 1861, following the Convention of Peking. It was abolished in 1901 and replaced with a Foreign Office of ministry rank.The former site of the...
until he became critically ill in 1898 and eventually died in that year.
Evaluation
In the 20th century, Yixin was vilified by the Chinese for a long time as the man responsible for "selling" the country to the western powers through his various reforms and talks with the foreigners. In recent times, perceptions of him have changed and he is recognised as an exemplary statesman of equal calibre as Li HongzhangLi Hongzhang
Li Hongzhang or Li Hung-chang , Marquis Suyi of the First Class , GCVO, was a leading statesman of the late Qing Empire...
.
Some historians claim that Yixin took a more active role in the Xinyou Coup in 1861. Sterling Seagrave
Sterling Seagrave
Sterling Seagrave is author of The Soong Dynasty, The Marcos Dynasty, Gold Warriors and numerous other books which address unofficial and clandestine aspects of 20th Century political history of the countries in the Far East....
claimed in Dragon Lady: The Life and Legend of the Last Empress of China that Chinese historical records showed that the Xianfeng Emperor
Xianfeng Emperor
The Xianfeng Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro I Ju, was the ninth Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1850 to 1861.-Family and his early years:...
had appointed the two empress dowagers (Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi
Empress Dowager Cixi1 , of the Manchu Yehenara clan, was a powerful and charismatic figure who became the de facto ruler of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China for 47 years from 1861 to her death in 1908....
and Empress Dowager Ci'an
Empress Dowager Ci'an
Empress Dowager Ci'an , popularly known in China as the East Empress Dowager , and officially known posthumously as the Empress Xiao Zhen Xian , was the second Empress Consort of the Xianfeng Emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty in China, and then Empress Dowager after 1861...
) as the Tongzhi Emperor
Tongzhi Emperor
The Tongzhi Emperor , born Aisin-Gioro Dzai Šun, was the tenth emperor of the Manchu-led Qing Dynasty, and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1861 to 1875. His reign, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of his mother, the Empress...
's regents in accordance with imperial tradition. The eight regents led by Sushun
Sushun
Sushun ; Styled: Yuting was born in the Manchu Aisin-Gioro Clan as the sixth son of Ulgungga , the Prince Zheng....
had appointed themselves as co-regents for the emperor and handed only one imperial seal to Ci'an and kept the other for themselves.
Yixin was aware that the xenophobic attitudes of the eight regents would lead to China's doom by adversely affecting China's relations with the western powers. Thus, he enlisted the assistance of the two empress dowagers to remove the eight regents from power.
Ancestry
Family
- Spouse: Lady Guwalgiya (瓜爾佳氏)
- Children:
- Kurun Princess Rongshou (榮壽固倫公主), Yixin's eldest daughter.
- Zaicheng (載澂; 1858 - 1885), Yixin's eldest son, granted the title of beileQing Dynasty nobilityThe Qing Dynasty of China developed a complicated peerage system for ranking nobility. All titles were to be inherited by a noble's eldest son, but always one grade lower. There were instances, however, where an emperor approved of a title being hereditary . This was regarded as an honour by the...
. - Zaiying (載瀅; 1861 - 1909), Yixin's second son, granted the title of a beile. He was adopted by Yihe (奕詥), Prince Zhong of the Second Rank.
- Zaijun (載濬), Yixin's third son, granted the title of Duke Who Assists the Nation (輔國公), died early.
- Zaihuang (載潢), Yixin's fourth son, died early.
- Grandchildren:
- Zaiying's children:
- Puwei (溥偉; 1880 - 1936), Prince Gongxian of the First Rank.
- PuruPu RuPu Ru also known as Pu Hsin-Yu was a member of the Qing Dynasty ruling Aisin Gioro family and grandson the Daoguang Emperor. The last emperor of China, Pu Yi, was his cousin...
- Puyou (溥佑), born after Yixin's death, adopted by a descendant of AbataiAbataiAbatai was a Manchu noble and general. Although an inconsistent and dissolute malcontent, he nevertheless showed considerable ability as a military leader and administrator.-Biography:...
. He returned to the Aisin-Gioro clan in 1937. - Puhui (溥僡; 1906 - 1963)
- Zaiying's children:
- Great-grandchildren:
- YuzhanYuzhanYuzhan is a descendant of the ruling Aisin Gioro house of the Qing Dynasty, the last dynasty of China, and the seventh son of Puwei. If the monarchy restored, he will be known as Prince Gong of the First Order. He is also a great grandson of Yixin, Prince Gong.-References:...
, Puwei's son. - Puru's children:
- Taohua (韜華)
- Yuli (毓岦)
- Yucen (毓岑)
- Yuqi (毓岐)
- Yuzhan
Names and titles
- Clan name / family nameChinese surnameChinese family names have been historically used by Han Chinese and Sinicized Chinese ethnic groups in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and among overseas Chinese communities. In ancient times two types of surnames, family names and clan names , existed.The colloquial expressions laobaixing...
: Aisin GioroAisin GioroAisin Gioro was the family name of the Manchu emperors of the Qing Dynasty. The House of Aisin Gioro ruled China until the Xinhai Revolution of 1911, which established a republican government in its place. The word aisin means gold in the Manchu language, and "gioro" is the name of the place in...
(愛新覺羅) - Personal nameChinese namePersonal names in Chinese culture follow a number of conventions different from those of personal names in Western cultures. Most noticeably, a Chinese name is written with the family name first and the given name next, therefore "John-Paul Smith" as a Chinese name would be "Smith John-Paul"...
: Yixin (奕訢) - PseudonymChinese style nameA Chinese style name, sometimes also known as a courtesy name , is a given name to be used later in life. After 20 years of age, the zì is assigned in place of one's given name as a symbol of adulthood and respect...
or art name (號): Master of the Yuedao Hall (樂道堂主人) - Title: Prince Gong of the First Rank (恭親王), simplified to Prince Gong (or Prince Kung in Wades-Giles).
- Posthumous titlePosthumous nameA posthumous name is an honorary name given to royalty, nobles, and sometimes others, in East Asia after the person's death, and is used almost exclusively instead of one's personal name or other official titles during his life...
: Prince Gongzhong of the First Rank (恭忠親王) - Other references:
- Sixth Prince (六王爺)
- "Devil Number Six" (鬼子六)
Prince Gong's mansion
A former residence of Yixin in the western part of central BeijingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
is now open to the public as a museum called the Prince Gong Mansion
Prince Gong Mansion
The Prince Gong's Mansion or Gong Wang Fu Museum is located in the western part of central Beijing, China, north of the Shichahai Lake...
.
Portrayals in media
In 2006, Yixin's life story was adapted into a Chinese television series titled Sigh of His HighnessSigh of His Highness
Sigh of His Highness is a Chinese television series based on the life story of Prince Gong, a Manchu noble who lived during the late Qing Dynasty in China. The series was first broadcast on Sichuan TV in China in 2006.-Plot:...
, starring Chen Baoguo
Chen Baoguo
Chen Baoguo is an award winning Chinese actor. He graduated from the Central Academy of Drama in 1977 and has since acted in many films and television series, including Han Wu Dadi, Da Zhai Men and Rob-B-Hood. He is married to actress Zhao Kui'e .-Filmography:-Awards and nominations:-References:...
as the prince.