Tongzhi Emperor

Tongzhi Emperor – Qing Dynasty

Zaichun, known as the Tongzhi Emperor, was from the Aisin Gioro clan. He was the ninth Qing emperor to rule over central China. His reign lasted for 14 years, from 1861 to 1875. Since his reign lasted through his adolescence, it was mostly overshadowed by the rule of his mother, Empress Dowager Cixi.

Zaichun was an uninterested ruler, and the Qing Dynasty’s affairs were always watched closely by Empress Dowager Cixi. Since he was crowned as a child, people hoped that he’d be like the Kangxi Emperor who reigned in 1661. However, he was stubborn and obstinate, which brought the people’s expectations to naught.

Rise to the Throne

Zaichun was the only surviving son of Empress Dowager Cixi and the Xianfeng Emperor. At age 5, he was enthroned as the Qing emperor upon the death of his father. He took the reign title of Tongzhi, which means “union for order”.

His rule was under the control of a triumvirate led by Empress Dowager Cixi.

In the period of the Tongzhi Restoration, the emperor attempted political reform. His first regnal name was Qixiang but was it eventually changed to Tongzhi upon succeeding the throne.

Qixiang means order and prosperity, and in Confucian teaching, it means there are numerous ways of making a good government. Overall, this regnal name can be summarized as order and prosperity.

Sushun was the chosen regent of the late Xianfeng Emperor, but he was removed when Tongzhi ascended to the throne. This decision was in favor of the Empress Dowagers Ci’an and Cixi.

Marriage of the Tongzhi Emperor

By 1782, the teenage Qing Emperor married Empress Xiaozheyi. At the same time, he had two official concubines as well. Apparently, the emperor wanted to gain power immediately, which resulted in disputes at the court regarding the separation of regency.

This marriage brought a short period of peace to the emperor’s life. While he had other concubines, he favored his empress the most.

However, Empress Dowager Cixi was not fond of the empress. Because of that, she accused her of monopolizing the emperor and depriving the other consorts of his attention.

At some point, Empress Dowager Cixi ordered the empress and emperor of the Qing Dynasty to separate.

On the political scene, actions were being made to strengthen and modernize China after the defeat in the Opium Wars. Also, the costly victory of China showed that necessary changes had to be made. Otherwise, foreign powers would surpass and be more powerful than the country.

Connections

In 1872, the Qing Emperor was married to another woman chosen by Empress Dowager Cixi. However, Tongzhi was not pleased with the decision, and he went against her orders.

Because of the Tongzhi Emperor’s opposition to the empress, she ensured that he wouldn’t have a peaceful life. According to some accounts, the Empress Dowager encouraged the emperor to frequently go outside the pleasure quarters. This was where he might have contracted syphilis due to engaging in bisexual debauchery.

By 1873, Emperor Tongzhi began ruling the Qing Empire personally. He was devoted to rebuilding the Summer Palace, but this became an object of a notorious scandal years later.

Shortly after beginning his personal rule as the Qing emperor, he was infected with smallpox.

The Zongli Yamen – Office for the General Management

The Zongli Yamen or Office for the General Management was created to deal with foreign affairs. The Qing government started trying to understand and deal with the West.

In 1873, Tongzhi assumed personal control of the government. One of his first acts was granting an audience to the representatives of six foreign countries.

This was also the first time in Chinese history for the emperor not to demand ceremonial kowtow. The act was a symbol of supplication, which involved kneeling and touching one’s forehead to the ground.

The government concluded a detente or ease of hostility with the West through the treaties of Tianjin and Beijing.

The Control of Tongzhi Emperor

Upon having control of the government, the Tongzhi Emperor received a request for an audience from the foreign powers. The request resulted in a sharp disagreement among the ministers at the foreign legations.

These ministers clarified that they wouldn’t perform the ceremonial kowtow to the emperor and the Zongli Yamen. It’s because these were the protocols that they had to observe,

The Qing government was also unwilling to hold the audience within the Forbidden City. As a result, they eventually settled on the Pavilion of Purple Light. The pavilion, now part of the Zhongnanhai, was one of the lakeside palaces on the west in the imperial complex.

Finally, the audience was held on June 29, 1873. However, the foreign representatives showed their annoyance for being received at a hall. It was because of being received at the hall that the Qing Dynasty initially used for receiving tributary states’ envoys.