Sharing Story | Flourishing Qing Dynasty

In Chinese history, two Conquest Dynasties succeeded in ruling all of China – one was the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) established by the Mongolians which ruled China for 97 years, another was the Qing Dynasty (1636-1912) which founded by the Manchus which ruled China for 281 years. 

Ruling China for nearly three centuries, the Qing was the most successful conquest dynasty in China’s history.  It was not very common in Chinese history and helped create a sense of dynastic stability as the Qing armies completed their conquest of China, Taiwan, and Central Asia.

Manchus are a group that claimed descent from the Nüzhen (also called “Jurchen”) people in Northeast of China. After entering the Shanhai Pass, they embraced and learned the culture of China people including political culture, Confucianism and Chinese characters to govern the whole country. 

The Manchus strived to never lose their identity, customs, and style of rule. Their style of rule was far more flexible .They also had their own political  innovations (理藩院，军机处,木兰秋狝）

军机处was a new  military organization and founded by Yongzheng emperor, it was built to deal with military affair more directly and effectively.

木兰秋狝was a military activity for training soldiers every year. The Qing Dynasty emperors trained the martial spirit of the Eight Banners (八旗) soldiers through the practice of riding and shooting to improve their fighting ability. 

All those new methods just for improving the Qin dynasty political management and strengthen their rule in China.

Flourishing age of Kang – Qian, also known as “The High Qing” 

The Qing Empire was so successful in early period because they had three emperors who ruled a combined 135 years.

-      Kangxi [1661-1722]– 61 years 

-      Yongzheng [1722-1735] – 13 years 

-      Qianlong [1736-1796] – 60 years 

The three generations created the last economic peak of Chinese imperial era, later known as the flourishing age of Kang Qian.  

The Yongzheng Emperor 

Yongzheng Emperorwas the third emperor to rule after Qing dynasty conquered China and moved its capital to Beijing. 

His father, the Kangxi Emperor had 35 sons, so the fighting over the throne was very fierce. Ultimately, the Yongzheng Emperor succeeded to the throne when he was 45.   

There is an interesting story about Yongzheng Emperor, saying that he was the most diligent emperor in Chinese history and is very strict emperor with his officials. However,  he also had good sense of humor according his reply to an official ‘朕亦甚想你’ ( means “I miss you just as much”) 

He also liked cosplay when he had time, there is a painting that he dressed up as a farmer in the mountain. 

The Guangxu Emperor – Tragedy life 

Emperor Guangxu's life was full of ups and downs and humiliations.  He is the second last emperor in China, his whole life was closely related with Empress Dowager Cixi.  

In Chinese history there are few famous woman in power like The Empress Dowager LÜ of the Han Dynasty，Wu Zetian in Tang Dynasty，Cixi is one of them.  She had controlled state affairs behind the screen for 48 years, two emperor generations (Emperor Tongzhi and Emperor Guangxu) were controlled by her

The Imperial Mausoleum 

The Qing dynasty has two imperial mausoleums, one is the Eastern Qing Tombs located in Tangshan Hebei Province, another one is The Western Qing Tombs located in Yixian County Hebei Province.  

In addition to four emperors, there are also tombs of emperor’s brothers, concubines, princesses, and princes totaling more than 80 people. 

The Yongzheng Emperor’s grandfather and father were both buried in the Eastern Qing Tombs.  

The Yongzheng Emperor decided to be buried in Yixian County (The Western Qing Tombs) as he believed the original location his father choose did not have good soil. It means there’s no good Fengshui风水, which was a big taboo for the construction of mausoleum.

Emperor Guangxu’s tomb, Chongling, was the last of all the Western Qing Tombs to be built from 1909 to 1915.

Guangxu’s tomb was not completed when he died in1908, with the fall of Qing Dynasty in 1912, the construction stopped . After negotiation with the new government, the imperial family was funded from the new Republic of China to finish construction.  

Chongling is the only imperial mausoleum which recorded construction process by modern camera in China.

About 400 meters near the Guangxu Emperor’s tomb, there is the grave of the last emperor Puyi. Puyi was buried as an ordinary person. A very different kind of tomb than his ancestors.

The two tombs on his side, one is his empress Wanrong and the left is his concubine Tan Yuling.

Through the Western Qing tombs, especially the specifications of different emperors' mausoleums, we can see the trace how the history of the Qing Dynasty changed from the prosperity of Kangqian to the decline of Guangxu. 

The Last Noble – The Story of the Mausoleum Keeper (皇族守陵人)

Usually, after a Qing emperors’ death, they will send the close imperial nobles to guard the mausoleum. The Western Qing Mausoleum is a special and mysterious area，In order to protect the land of tomb, the Qing government built 42-mile-long Fengshui Wall on three sides of the tomb.

The mausoleum guardians had a complete system.  They only had one (very important) job in their whole lives and passed that responsibility on from generation to generation, and gradually forming Manchu villages with a mausoleum-guarding culture.

The Qing government treated mausoleum keepers very well. From the moment they settled down in the Western Qing Tombs, the sense of superiority flowed through every mausoleum keeper’s blood.

The government built houses for them, with houses constructed in size and location according to their rank.  They registered at birth and immediately enjoyed imperial family treatment, which is equivalent to that of a county magistrate. 

Even the dogs kept by the mausoleum guardians had great dignity. They had household registration, rations and subsidies.

They lived on a monthly stipend, including education fees for their children.  The academies taught Manchu and Chinese languages, also offering instruction in other subjects including music, dance, riding and shooting.

Therefore, besides their working time, the mausoleum keepers’ life was very leisurely. Most of them did not plant land but raised birds, and paid a lot of attention to eating and "manners".

After the decline and fall of the Qing Dynasty, the Manchus living around the Western Qing Tombs had to adapt to a life different from their noble ancestors.

Now the Manchus and surrounding Han people have been deeply integrated. 

The Manchus have been through many changes in the history that they have no way to control. However, if you walk into the Manchu village today, you can still hear old people telling you stories of their ancestor protecting the mausoleums… 

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