Jiaqing Emperor
Jiaqing Emperor 嘉慶帝 | |||||||||||||
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7th Qing Emperor of China | |||||||||||||
Reign | 9 February 1796 – 2 September 1820 | ||||||||||||
Predecessor | Qianlong Emperor | ||||||||||||
Successor | Daoguang Emperor | ||||||||||||
Regent | Qianlong Emperor (1796–1799) | ||||||||||||
Born |
Old Summer Palace, Beijing | 13 November 1760||||||||||||
Died |
2 September 1820 59) Chengde Summer Palace, Hebei | (aged||||||||||||
Burial | Western Qing Tombs | ||||||||||||
Spouse |
Empress Xiaoshurui Empress Xiaoherui | ||||||||||||
Issue |
Mianmu, Prince Mu Princess Zhuangjing Mianning, Daoguang Emperor Princess Zhuangjing Princess Huian Miankai, Prince Dun Mianxin, Prince Rui Mianyu, Prince Hui | ||||||||||||
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House | Aisin Gioro | ||||||||||||
Father | Qianlong Emperor | ||||||||||||
Mother | Empress Xiaoyichun |
The Jiaqing Emperor (Chinese: 嘉慶帝; pinyin: Jiāqìng Dì; Wade–Giles: Chia1-ch'ing4 Ti4; Mongolian: Sayishiyaltu Yirugertu Khaan, 13 November 1760 – 2 September 1820), personal name Aisin Gioro Yongyan, was the seventh emperor of the Manchu-led Qing dynasty, and the fifth Qing emperor to rule over China from 1796 to 1820. He was the 15th son of the Qianlong Emperor. During his reign, he prosecuted Heshen, the corrupt favourite of his father, and attempted to restore order within the Qing Empire and curb the smuggling of opium into China.
Early years
Yongyan was born in the Old Summer Palace, 8 km (5 mi) northwest of the walls of Beijing. His personal name, "Yongyan" (永琰), was later changed to "Yongyan" (顒琰) when he became the emperor. The Chinese character for yong in his name was changed from the more common 永 to the less common 顒. This novelty was introduced by the Qianlong Emperor, who believed that it was not proper to have a commonly used Chinese character in an emperor's personal name due to the longstanding practice of naming taboo in the imperial family.
Yongyan was the 15th son of the Qianlong Emperor. His mother was Noble Consort Ling, the daughter of Wei Qingtai (魏清泰), a Han Chinese official whose family had been long integrated into the Manchu Eight Banners as part of a Han Banner. She was posthumously honoured as "Empress Xiaoyichun" after Yongyan became the emperor. In 1818, the Jiaqing Emperor officially converted his mother's family from Han Chinese to Manchu by transferring them from the Han Banners to the Manchu Banners and changing their family name from "Wei" to the Manchu-sounding "Weigiya".
The Qianlong Emperor originally had two other sons in mind for succeeding him, but both of them died early from diseases, hence in December 1773 he secretly chose Yongyan as his successor. In 1789, the Qianlong Emperor instated Yongyan as "Prince Jia of the First Rank" (嘉親王; or simply "Prince Jia").
Accession to the throne
In October 1795, the 60th year of his reign, the Qianlong Emperor announced his intention to abdicate in favour of Prince Jia. He made this decision because he felt that it was disrespectful for him to rule longer than his grandfather, the Kangxi Emperor, who was on the throne for 60 years. Prince Jia ascended the throne and adopted the era name "Jiaqing" (Chinese: 嘉慶; Manchu: ᠰᠠᡳᠴᡠᠩᡤᠠ ᡶᡝᠩᡧᡝᠨ saicungga fengšen) in February 1796, hence he is historically known as the Jiaqing Emperor. For the next three years however, the Jiaqing Emperor was emperor in name only because decisions were still made by his father, who became a Taishang Huang (emperor emeritus) after his abdication.
After the death of the Qianlong Emperor in the beginning of February 1799, the Jiaqing Emperor took control of the government and prosecuted Heshen, a favourite official of his father. Heshen was charged with corruption and abuse of power, stripped of his titles, had his property confiscated, and ordered to commit suicide. Heshen's daughter-in-law, Princess Hexiao, a sister of the Jiaqing Emperor, was spared from punishment and given a few properties from Heshen's estates.
At the time, the Qing Empire faced internal disorder, most importantly the large-scale White Lotus (1796–1804) and Miao (1795–1806) rebellions, as well as an empty imperial treasury. The Jiaqing Emperor engaged in the pacification of the empire and the quelling of rebellions. He endeavored to bring China back to its 18th-century prosperity and power. However, due in part to large outflows of silver from the country as payment for the opium smuggled into China from British India, the economy declined.
Court intrigues and incidents
Members of the Qing imperial family tried to assassinate him twice – in 1803 and in 1813. The princes involved in the attempts on his life were executed. Other members of the imperial family, numbering in the hundreds, were sent into exile.[1][2][3]
Renaming Vietnam
The Jiaqing Emperor refused the Vietnamese ruler Gia Long's request to change his country's name to Nam Việt. He changed the name instead to Việt Nam.[4]
Opposition to Christianity
The Great Qing Code includes one statute titled "Prohibitions Concerning Sorcerers and Sorceresses" (禁止師巫邪術). In 1811, a clause was added to it with reference to Christianity. It was modified in 1815 and 1817, settled in its final form in 1839 under the Daoguang Emperor, and abrogated in 1870 under the Tongzhi Emperor. It sentenced Europeans to death for spreading Catholicism among Han Chinese and Manchus. Christians who would not repent their conversion were sent to Muslim cities in Xinjiang, to be given as slaves to Muslim leaders and beys.[5]
Chinese nobility
Jiaqing granted the title of Wujing Boshi (五经博士; 五經博士; Wǔjīng Bóshì) to the descendants of Han Yu.[6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]
Family
Consorts
Empresses
Per imperial regulations, there was only one Empress at any given time. However, that did not prevent others from being elevated to that position after the death of an existing empress. During the Jiaqing Emperor's reign, there were two empresses, each serving in different periods of time:
- Lady Hitara of the Hitara (Manchu) clan, who became Empress when Prince Jia ascended the throne in 1796. She was the mother of Daoguang Emperor (second son of the Jiaqing Emperor) She is known posthumously as Empress Xiaoshurui (孝淑睿皇后).
- Empress Xiaoherui, of the Niohuru clan (孝和睿皇后) (1776–1849), elevated after Empress Xiaoshurui died in 1798.
Imperial Noble Consorts
Per imperial regulations, only two Imperial Noble Consorts are allowed at any given time.
- Imperial Noble Consort Gongshun, of the Niohuru clan (恭順皇貴妃) (1787–1860).
- Imperial Noble Consort Heyu (d. 1833) of the Lugiya clan.
Consorts
Per imperial regulations, only four Consorts are allowed at any given time. Not counting those who were later elevated to higher titles and those who were elevated posthumously, there was effectively only two consorts during the Jiaqing era.
- Consort Hua (d. 1808) of the Hougiya clan.
- Consort Zhuang (d. 1811) of the Wang clan.
- Consort Shu of the Wanyan clan (Posthumously elevated. Never served as Consort in life)
Imperial Concubines
Per imperial regulations, only six Imperial Concubines are allowed at any given time.
- Imperial Concubine En (d. 1846) of the Wuya clan
- Imperial Concubine Xuan of the Chengiya clan
- Imperial Concubine Jian (d. 1780) of the Guangiya clan
- Imperial Concubine Rong (d. 1826) of the Liang clan
- Imperial Concubine Chun (d. 1819) of the Dongiya clan
- Imperial Concubine An (d. 1837) of the Guargiya clan
Children
Sons
- First son: Mianmu, son of Imperial Noble Consort Heyu.
- Second son: Mianning (綿寧) (16 September 1782 – 25 February 1850), son of Empress Xiaoshurui (Lady Hitara), succeeded his father as the Daoguang Emperor in 1820
- Third son: Miankai (綿愷), son of Empress Xiaoherui, of the Niohuru clan
- Fourth son: Mianxin (綿忻), son of Empress Xiaoherui, of the Niohuru clan
- Fifth son: Mianyu (綿愉) (1814–1865). Son of Imperial Noble Consort Gongshun, of the Niohuru clan
Daughters
- First daughter (1780–1783) her mother was Imperial Concubine Xuan.
- Second daughter (1780–1783) her mother was Empress Xiaoshurui.
- Heshuo Princess Zhuangjing [莊敬和碩公主] (1781–1811) daughter of Imperial Noble Consort Heyu.
- Kurun Princess Zhuangjing [莊静固倫公主] (1784–1811) daughter of Empress Xiaoshurui.
- Princess Hui'an (1786–1795).
- Sixth daughter (1789–1790) daughter of Consort Hua.
- Seventh daughter (1793–1795) daughter of Empress Xiaoherui.
- Eighth daughter (1805) daughter of Imperial Noble Consort Gongshun.
- Ninth daughter (1811–1815) Kurun Princess Huimin (慧憫固倫公主) posthumously in 1820, daughter of Imperial Noble Consort Gongshun.
Death and burial
On 2 September 1820, the Jiaqing Emperor died at the Rehe (Jehol) Traveling Palace (熱河行宫), 230 km (140 mi) northeast of Beijing, where the imperial court was in summer quarters. The Draft History of Qing did not record a cause of death. Some have alleged that he died after being struck by lightning, but others prefer the theory that he died of a stroke as the emperor was quite obese. He was succeeded by his second son, Mianning, who became known as the Daoguang Emperor.
Renzong was interred amidst the Western Qing Tombs, 120 km (75 mi) southwest of Beijing, in the Changling (昌陵; lit. "splendid tomb") mausoleum complex.
Ancestry
Ancestors of the Jiaqing Emperor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jiaqing Emperor. |
- This article incorporates text from China in the light of history, by Ernst Faber, a publication from 1897 now in the public domain in the United States.
- This article incorporates text from China in the light of history, by Ernst Faber, a publication from 1897 now in the public domain in the United States.
- This article incorporates text from The Chinese recorder, Volume 27, a publication from 1896 now in the public domain in the United States.
- This article incorporates text from Life among the Chinese: with characteristic sketches and incidents of missionary operations and prospects in China, by Robert Samuel Maclay, a publication from 1861 now in the public domain in the United States.
- ↑ Ernst Faber (1897). China in the light of history. American Presbyterian mission press. p. 17. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
- ↑ The Chinese recorder, Volume 27. American Presbyterian Mission Press. 1896. p. 242. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
- ↑ Ernst Faber (1897). China in the light of history. American Presbyterian mission press. p. 17. Retrieved 2011-06-06.
- ↑ Woodside 1971, p. 120.
- ↑ Robert Samuel Maclay (1861). Life among the Chinese: with characteristic sketches and incidents of missionary operations and prospects in China. Carlton & Porter. p. 336. Retrieved 2011-07-06.
- ↑ http://www.kong.org.cn/Item/Show.asp?m=1&d=458
- ↑ Qin ding da Qing hui dian (Jiaqing chao)0. 1818. pp. 1084–.
- ↑ 不詳 (21 August 2015). 新清史. 朔雪寒. pp. –. GGKEY:ZFQWEX019E4.
- ↑ http://ctext.org/wiki.pl?if=gb&chapter=557587
- ↑ http://www.taodabai.com/2608556.html
- ↑ 王士禎 (3 September 2014). 池北偶談. 朔雪寒. pp. –. GGKEY:ESB6TEXXDCT.
- ↑ 徐錫麟; 錢泳 (10 September 2014). 熙朝新語. 朔雪寒. pp. –. GGKEY:J62ZFNAA1NF.
- ↑ http://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_d2b9ecb50102v4vn.html
- ↑ H.S. Brunnert; V.V. Hagelstrom (15 April 2013). Present Day Political Organization of China. Routledge. pp. 493–494. ISBN 978-1-135-79795-9.
- ↑ http://www.forgottenbooks.com/readbook_text/Present_Day_Political_Organization_of_China_1000115601/507
- ↑ https://archive.org/stream/presentdaypoliti00brun#page/492/mode/2up
- ↑ H.S. Brunnert; V.V. Hagelstrom (15 April 2013). Present Day Political Organization of China. Routledge. ISBN 978-1-135-79794-2.
Jiaqing Emperor Born: 13 November 1760 Died: 2 September 1820 | ||
Regnal titles | ||
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Preceded by The Qianlong Emperor |
Emperor of China 1796–1820 |
Succeeded by The Daoguang Emperor |
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