The Tongzhi Emperor (27 April 1856 – 12 January 1875), also known by his temple name Emperor Muzong of Qing , personal name Zaichun , was the tenth emperor of the Qing dynasty , and the eighth Qing emperor to rule over China proper . His reign, which effectively lasted through his adolescence, was largely overshadowed by the rule of Empress Dowager Cixi . Although he had little influence over state affairs, the events of his reign gave rise to what historians call the " Tongzhi Restoration ", an unsuccessful modernization program.
30-476: Tongzhi (Wade-Giles: T'ung-chih ) can refer to: Tongzhi Emperor (1856–1875, reigned 1861–1875) of the Qing dynasty Tongzhi Restoration (c. 1860–1874), an attempt to strengthen the late Qing dynasty Tongzhi porcelain , a Chinese porcelain from Tongzhi Emperor's reign Tongzhi (encyclopedia) , an 1161 Chinese encyclopaedia by Zheng Qiao Tongzhi (term) ,
60-557: A censor to the throne wrote that Empress Xiaozheyi should be posthumously honored for being a virtuous wife who had committed suicide after her husband's death. Empress Dowager Cixi rebuked him curtly for writing a memorial for suggesting an unnatural death. In 1900, when the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Beijing , Empress Dowager Cixi asked Empress Xiaozheyi's father, Chongqi, to remain behind and take charge of state affairs. Chongqi and his family committed suicide after
90-591: A eunuch secretly suggested to the Emperor to sneak out of the Forbidden City and visit brothels. As a result, it was assumed that the Emperor contracted syphilis . Empress Dowager Cixi regarded this incident as a humiliating scandal, so she warned the imperial physicians to remain silent about it. The physicians lied that the Emperor was ill with smallpox and prescribed medicine and treatment for smallpox. A court official, Yun Yuting, wrote in his memoirs that
120-721: A male heir created a succession crisis. In contravention to Qing's dynastic custom, his double first cousin assumed the throne as the Guangxu Emperor . The only surviving son of the Xianfeng Emperor and Empress Dowager Cixi , the Tongzhi Emperor was namesake to the attempted political reform initiated by his mother, called the Tongzhi Restoration . His era name was originally proposed as "Qixiang" (祺祥; Manchu: Fengšengge sabingga ), but this
150-436: A mistake in selecting a wife for him. How could we tell that her beauty was false? She was very beautiful, but she hated us." On the night of 15 October 1872, at around 11:30 pm (an auspicious hour recommended by imperial astrologers), Lady Alut left her family residence for the Forbidden City. Her furniture – a bed, a mirror, two wardrobes, chairs and eight marriage chests – had symbolically preceded her. After their marriage,
180-510: A partnership between his mother Empress Dowager Cixi and Empress Dowager Ci'an . While there had most likely been hopes that the Tongzhi Emperor would become a successful leader like the Kangxi Emperor (who ascended the throne as a child in 1661), those hopes would soon be disappointed, as the Tongzhi Emperor grew up to become an obstinate and dissolute young man who also expressed his dissatisfaction with his mother Empress Cixi. In
210-465: A sharp disagreement between the ministers at the foreign legations , who made it clear that they would not perform the ritual kowtow to the emperor, and the Zongli Yamen (foreign affairs ministry), regarding the protocol to be observed. The Qing government was also loath to hold the audience within the confines of the Forbidden City, eventually settling on the "Pavilion of Purple Light" at one of
240-508: A succession of stages over a period of almost half a century. In 1840 Imperial Commissioner Lin Zexu , impressed by the power of British warships in the initial battles of the Opium War , advocated adoption of Western naval technology. The paddle-wheel steamer Nemsis had run circles around cumbersome Chinese war junks. Some Chinese at first believed the paddle-wheels were powered by men inside
270-517: A term that could mean either "comrade" or "homosexual" in modern Chinese language Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Tongzhi . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Tongzhi&oldid=880838404 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
300-440: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Tongzhi Emperor The only surviving son of the Xianfeng Emperor , he ascended the throne at the age of five under a regency headed by his biological mother Empress Dowager Cixi and his legal mother Empress Dowager Ci'an . The Self-Strengthening Movement , in which Qing officials pursued radical institutional reforms following
330-511: The Gregorian calendar . Lady Alut was tutored by her father since she was young and she demonstrated high potential and intelligence as a child. She also showed interest and talent in poetry, literature, music and art. Under the tutelage of her father, she learned to write with both hands. She was famous among the Manchu aristocracy for her talent, moral character and looks. In 1872, Lady Alut
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#1732766222820360-491: The Empress that since both she and the Tongzhi Emperor were still young, they should spend more time learning how to govern the country. When she saw no signs of change in her son's attitude, Cixi eventually ordered the Emperor and Empress to be separated, so that they could focus more on learning how to become ruling sovereigns. The Tongzhi Emperor could not cope well with loneliness so he grew more ill-tempered over time. Once,
390-413: The Empress visited the Tongzhi Emperor on his sickbed while he complained about his mother's interfering and domineering ways. She was looking forward to the day the Emperor recovered and they could live and rule together. Empress Dowager Cixi, tipped off by eunuchs, entered the room in stockinged feet, and hearing the Empress's criticisms, flew into a rage and rampaged through the room, seized the Empress by
420-496: The Tongzhi Emperor evidently preferred his empress over his four other consorts, spending almost every night with her, while the four consorts waited in vain for the Emperor to summon them. Empress Dowager Cixi was unhappy about the unfair treatment of the emperor's other consorts and she turned hostile towards the Empress. She warned the Empress that, as primary wife, she should allow the emperor to spend time equally among his consorts, and to not seize him for herself. Cixi also reminded
450-679: The court in a succession crisis as he was childless. Eventually, the empresses dowager designated the Tongzhi Emperor's three-year-old cousin, Zaitian, as the heir to the throne. Zaitian was biologically Prince Chun 's son, but was symbolically adopted as the Xianfeng Emperor's son to make him eligible to succeed the Tongzhi Emperor. Zaitian was thus enthroned as the Guangxu Emperor , with Empresses Dowager Ci'an and Cixi resuming their roles as regents. Empress Alute , Tongzhi's wife, refused to eat after his death and died seventy days after he died in an act of marital piety. The inspiration for
480-544: The disasters of the Opium Wars and the Taiping Rebellion , began during his reign. The Tongzhi Emperor assumed personal rule over the Qing government in 1873, but he had no interest in affairs of state and immediately came into conflict with his ministers. He was outmaneuvered by the dowager empresses. He died of smallpox at the age of 18 in 1875, following unsuccessful medical treatments; his death without
510-619: The dynastic name to "Great Qing" in 1636 and claimed the title of emperor. In 1644, the Shunzhi Emperor began to rule over China proper , replacing the Ming dynasty . Empress Xiaozheyi Empress Xiaozheyi (25 July 1854 – 27 March 1875), of the Manchu Bordered Yellow Banner Alut clan, was a posthumous name bestowed to the wife and empress consort of Zaichun, the Tongzhi Emperor . She
540-434: The emperor's death on Empress Jiashun. She ordered Empress Jiashun's food rations to be reduced. Empress Jiashun wrote a letter to her father asking for help, but his reply was simply, "Your Highness knows what to do." It was said that the empress committed suicide but official court records state that she died after a long and serious illness. Empress Dowager Cixi granted her the posthumous title "Empress Xiaozheyi". In 1876,
570-594: The emperor's plans to rebuild the Old Summer Palace at a time in which the empire was bankrupt, and over his dissolute behavior. The emperor reacted by firing the ministers, but Empresses Dowager Ci'an and Cixi intervened, and he had them reinstated. That December, it was announced that he was ill with smallpox , and the Empress Dowagers resumed the regency. He died on 12 January 1875, leaving no sons to succeed him. The Tongzhi Emperor's death left
600-438: The empress should possess high moral standards, while Cixi felt that the empress should be wise and shrewd. The conflict was resolved by the Tongzhi Emperor when he eventually chose Lady Alut to be his empress. Cixi was displeased with her son's decision. Another four candidates chosen became the emperor's concubines. One of them was Lady Alut's aunt, Concubine Xun . Empress Dowager Cixi once complained about Lady Alut: "We made
630-442: The fall of 1872, he married Empress Xiaozheyi and two official concubines. The Tongzhi Emperor apparently had wanted to take up power immediately, prompting a quarrel at court regarding the dismantling of the regency and the timing of it. However, the two empresses dowager stuck by the intended date of February 23, 1873. The day after the Tongzhi Emperor took power, foreigners requested an audience with him. The request precipitated
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#1732766222820660-440: The future Self-Strengthening Movement arose from the notion that China's defense in the face of war and rebellion must come from within, as the superior man strengthens himself under imperative of Heaven's robust action. The costs of war and rebellion dictated that the Qing dynasty undertake vigorous measures to ensure its survival. Moreover, the very survival of China itself was now at stake. Self-strengthening efforts evolved in
690-405: The hair and hit her, shouting that by making love to the Emperor she would cause him to be ill again. She ordered the eunuchs to take her away and slap her on the face. The Tongzhi Emperor died on 12 January 1875. Some sources claim that the Empress was pregnant at the time. The Tongzhi Emperor had not chosen a successor before his death, so it was up to Empress Dowager Cixi to decide who would be
720-569: The increasingly prevalent Western presence in China. They now proclaimed that change was irresistible and advocated for deeper studies of Western technology. Many reforms were proposed and implemented such as the Self-Strengthening Movement , but ultimately the failure of reforms was due to multiple factors such as political machinations. Empress Imperial Noble Consort Enthroned in 1626 as Khan , Hong Taiji changed
750-483: The lakeside palaces to the west of the Forbidden City, which is now part of Zhongnanhai . The audience was finally held on 29 June 1873. After the audience, however, the foreign representatives made clear their annoyance at being received in a hall initially used by the Qing emperors to receive envoys of tributary states. In the fall of 1874, the Tongzhi Emperor got into a clash with his ministers, which included his two uncles, Prince Gong and Prince Chun , largely over
780-472: The new emperor. Cixi chose her nephew Zaitian , who was enthroned as the Guangxu Emperor. The Empress was not mentioned in the crisis over the succession. Neither was she granted the title of Empress Dowager, which was customary after the death of an emperor. She received the title "Empress Jiashun" instead. Within 100 days of the death of the Tongzhi Emperor, Empress Dowager Cixi pushed the blame of
810-494: The ship, but soon came to appreciate the power of steam, Commissioner Lin was the first self-strengthener. Self-strengthening enterprises, including arsenals, shipyards, and technical schools, were now established in the principal treaty ports where access to Western technology was most direct. By 1860, the overwhelming bulk of the Chinese scholarly class had become cognizant of the enormity of changes that were taking place due to
840-572: Was chosen to be empress consort by the Tongzhi Emperor . She was specially chosen to help in the reconciliation of rivals in the Qing imperial court. Lady Alut's maternal grandfather, Duanhua , was a former political rival of the emperor's mother, Empress Dowager Cixi . It was said that there was an argument between the Empresses Dowager Cixi and Ci'an over the choice of empress. Ci'an, who favored Lady Alut, claimed that
870-513: Was empress consort of Qing from 1872 until her husband's death in 1875, after which she was honoured as Empress Jiashun . Empress Xiaozheyi's personal name was not recorded in history. Her family originally belonged to the Mongol Plain Blue Banner . The future Empress Xiaozheyi was born on the first day of the seventh lunar month in the fourth year of the reign of the Xianfeng Emperor , which translates to 25 July 1854 in
900-473: Was later changed upon his succession to "Tongzhi". The era name means 'order and prosperity' coming from the Confucian teaching that "there are many ways of being a good government, and they can all be summarized as order and prosperity". The Tongzhi Emperor became emperor at the age of five upon the death of his father, the Xianfeng Emperor. His father's choice of a regent, Sushun , was removed in favor of
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