Xianfeng Emperor
Qing · 9th ruler
咸豐帝 Xiánfēng Dì愛新覺羅奕詝 Àixīnjuéluó Yìzhǔ
Wade–Giles: Hsien-feng Emperor · Ai-hsin-chüeh-lo I-chu
Reigned 1850–1861 (11 years)
Reigned 11 years (1850–1861). Died at 31 (East Asian reckoning) of natural causes. 9th ruler of Qing.
Facts
- Reign
- 9 March 1850 – 22 August 1861 (9th ruler of Qing)
- Length of reign
- 11 years
- Born
- 17 July 1831
- Died
- 22 August 1861
- Age at accession
- 20
- Age at death
- 31
- Cause of death
- Natural causesNatural death or illness (including old age)
- Path to the throne
- Designated heirSucceeded the previous ruler of the same regime, who had chosen the heir (by testament, naming a crown prince, etc.)
- Predecessor
- Daoguang Emperor
- Successor
- Tongzhi Emperor
- Era names
- 咸豐 Xiánfēng (proclaimed 1850)
Ages are given in East Asian reckoning (sui): a person is one year old at birth and gains a year at each New Year, so the figure is one or two years higher than the Western age.
Life
In brief
Wenzong was the Xianfeng Emperor, the fourth son of the Daoguang Emperor (Xuanzong), and his mother was Empress Xiaoquancheng. He took the throne in 1850, his reign saw Hong Xiuquan's rebellion and wars with Britain and France, and he died at the traveling palace in Rehe in 1861.
Road to the throne
According to the Draft History of Qing, in 1846 his name was written down and sealed under the dynasty's house law for designating an heir. The annals of Xuanzong record that the critically ill Daoguang Emperor summoned Zaiquan, Zaiyuan, Duanhua, Senggelinqin, Mujangga and others, had the box opened, showed them his written order making his fourth son crown prince, and died that day. The annals of Wenzong record that he took the throne on the jiwei day after the Daoguang Emperor's death and issued an edict making the next year the first year of Xianfeng.
Reign and death
In 1851 Hong Xiuquan took Yong'an and assumed the usurped title Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. In 1853 the rebels took Jiangning, and the general Xianghou, the provincial commander Fuzhuhong'a and others were killed. The annals record this as a rebel attack and do not say the rebels made the city their capital. In 1860 the Dagu forts were lost and the provincial commander Leshan was killed, and the British took Tianjin. When the foreign troops reached Tongzhou, Zaiyuan lured the British envoy Parkes and seized him. The emperor went from the Yuanmingyuan to Mulan, and later stayed at the Mountain Resort. In the same entry the annals record a fire at the Yuanmingyuan and the death of Wenfeng, a minister of the Imperial Household Department, and the biography of Prince Gong records that British and French troops burned the Yuanmingyuan. The British and French envoys entered the city and peace was made, Yixin, Prince Gong, asked that it be proclaimed in accordance with the treaty, and the Russians were allowed to station men on the Ussuri and the Suifen. In 1861, when Prince Gong asked to come to the emperor's temporary court, the emperor answered in a letter in his own hand that he could not stop coughing, that there was blood in his phlegm, and that he needed rest. The emperor fell ill, and as he neared death he had the princes and ministers write out his vermilion order making his eldest son crown prince, and he died at the traveling palace the next day. The annals of Muzong record that eight men, Zaiyuan, Duanhua, Jingshou and Sushun together with Muyin, Kuang Yuan, Du Han and Jiao Youying, were appointed to assist in governing. The annals of Wenzong do not name these eight. Neither the annals of Wenzong nor those of Muzong name his illness; there are only the symptoms of coughing and bloody phlegm in his letter.
Translated from the Japanese text of this site, which is written from the official histories. Years are given in the Western calendar; months are omitted because the histories use the Chinese lunar calendar.
During the reign
Number of times each event is recorded in the official histories. How each item is counted
- Era name changes
- 1
- General amnesties
- 0
- Empresses installed
- 1
- Crown princes deposed
- 0
- Personal campaigns
- 0
- Rebellions suppressed
- 8
- Rebellions faced
- 13
- Capital relocations
- 0
Emperors of Qing
- 2ndHong Taiji清太宗 Qīng Tàizōng愛新覺羅皇太極 Àixīnjuéluó Huángtàijí1636–1643 · 7 years · Unknown, age 521636–16437 yearsUnknown, age 52
- 3rdShunzhi Emperor順治帝 Shùnzhì Dì愛新覺羅福臨 Àixīnjuéluó Fúlín1643–1661 · 17 years · Natural causes, age 241643–166117 yearsNatural causes, age 24
- 4thKangxi Emperor康熙帝 Kāngxī Dì愛新覺羅玄燁 Àixīnjuéluó Xuányè1661–1722 · 61 years · Natural causes, age 691661–172261 yearsNatural causes, age 69
- 5thYongzheng Emperor雍正帝 Yōngzhèng Dì愛新覺羅胤禛 Àixīnjuéluó Yìnzhēn1722–1735 · 12 years · Disputed, age 581722–173512 yearsDisputed, age 58
- 6thQianlong Emperor乾隆帝 Qiánlóng Dì愛新覺羅弘曆 Àixīnjuéluó Hónglì1735–1796 · 60 years · Natural causes, age 891735–179660 yearsNatural causes, age 89
- 7thJiaqing Emperor嘉慶帝 Jiāqìng Dì愛新覺羅顒琰 Àixīnjuéluó Yóngyǎn1796–1820 · 24 years · Natural causes, age 611796–182024 yearsNatural causes, age 61
- 8thDaoguang Emperor道光帝 Dàoguāng Dì愛新覺羅旻寧 Àixīnjuéluó Mínníng1820–1850 · 29 years · Natural causes, age 691820–185029 yearsNatural causes, age 69
- 9thXianfeng Emperor咸豐帝 Xiánfēng Dì愛新覺羅奕詝 Àixīnjuéluó Yìzhǔ1850–1861 · 11 years · Natural causes, age 311850–186111 yearsNatural causes, age 31
- 10thTongzhi Emperor同治帝 Tóngzhì Dì愛新覺羅載淳 Àixīnjuéluó Zàichún1861–1875 · 13 years · Natural causes, age 191861–187513 yearsNatural causes, age 19
- 11thGuangxu Emperor光緒帝 Guāngxù Dì愛新覺羅載湉 Àixīnjuéluó Zàitián1875–1908 · 33 years · Assassinated, age 381875–190833 yearsAssassinated, age 38
- 12th, 13th, 14thPuyi宣統帝 Xuāntǒng Dì愛新覺羅溥儀 Àixīnjuéluó Pǔyí1908–1912; restored 1917; restored 1934–1945 · 14 years · Natural causes, age 621908–1912; restored 1917; restored 1934–194514 yearsNatural causes, age 62